Transfer device

A transfer device for transferring plate-shaped objects comprising:

• (a) a containing section for containing the plate-shaped objects, having:
• (i) a container, and a container table for receiving said container, said container having a plurality of object-receiving levels which are vertically arranged having intervals therebetween;
• (b) a push-up mechanism having;
• (i) a holding member, and a base for receiving said holding member, said holding member having a plurality of ring-shaped support plates which are vertically arranged having intervals therebetween, said ring-shaped support plates each having a hole in a center portion, and defining a vertical passage,
• (ii) a push-up disk movable upwards and downwards through the vertical passage, and
• (iii) an extension member extending through the vertical passage with a lower end portion disposed below a lowermost one of the ring-shaped support plates, said extension member having an upper end portion which supports the push-up disk;
• and
• (iv) drive means connected to the lower end portion of the extension member, for moving the extension member to thereby move the push-up disk up and down;
• (c) a carrying mechanism having:
• (i) horizontal carrying means for horizontally carrying plate-shaped objects into and out of said container between the object-receiving levels and also into and out of said holding member between the ring-shaped support plates, said horizontal carrying means having at least two forks for holding the plate-shaped objects, and horizontal drive means for independently moving the at least two forks horizontally;
• and
• (ii) lift means for holding the horizontal carrying means and for moving the horizontal carrying means upwards and downwards;
• (d) the transfer device further including control means for controlling the push-up mechanism and the carrying mechanism,
• wherein the control means controls the carrying mechanism to simultaneously move the at least two forks forward or backward with respect to said container in order to simultaneously move at least two of the plate-shaped objects horizontally into and out of said container and to simultaneously position at least two of the plate-shaped objects at the object-receiving levels in the container, and wherein said control means controls the carrying mechanism and the push-up mechanism to cooperate with each other such that at least two of the plate-shaped objects respectively supported by at least two of the forks are placed one at a time on a respective one of the support plates of said holding member and such that at least two of the plate-shaped objects respectively supported by said holding member are removed one at a time on a respective one of said at least two forks.