Carousel shelving unit

A shelf carousel comprising:

• a) a plurality of shelves pivotally suspended in a continuous article carrying position for movement along a continuous carousel path having a front path, a back path, and top and bottom paths connecting the front and back paths,
• b) a controllable drive unit connected for powered movement of the shelves along said carousel path and for positioning of individual shelves at an access height along said front path,
• c) a pair of stationary guide track systems (i) spaced on each side of the shelves and (ii) tracking along said carousel path, said guide track systems comprising:
• (i) a pair of stationary inner guide tracks spaced on each side of the shelves and tracking said front and back paths along said carousel path, and
• (ii) a pair of stationary outer guide tracks tracking said inner guide tracks substantially parallel thereto along said carousel path,
• (iii) the inner and outer guide tracks crossing at one of said top and bottom paths to maintain respective guide track integrity along said carousel path, and
• d) a plurality of pairs of inner and outer tracking elements connected to the shelves for movement therewith, the inner and outer tracking elements being provided in normal non-horizontal alignment and operatively engaging said pairs of inner and outer guide tracks, respectively, therebetween,
• e) said inner and outer guide tracks having inner and outer cam-track segments, respectively, that are vertically spaced above or below the access height, said cam-track segments being configured (i) to cam said pairs of tracking elements on each shelf and thereby tip said shelves forwardly from horizontal, the front of the shelves being configured to retain the content on the shelves when in is said forwardly tipped condition, and (ii) to then cam-return said pairs of tracking elements and thereby return the shelves to horizontal, as the shelves and associated tracking elements travel through said cam-track segments.

A carousel shelving unit comprising:

• a) an upright cabinet having a front, a back, and opposite sides, and having closure panels substantially closing the front and sides thereof,
• b) the cabinet being provided with a front access opening, and safety doors pivotally mounted above and below the access opening to establish the top and bottom thereof,
• c) a pair of laterally spaced drive chains supported at said opposite sides inside the cabinet for rotation along a vertical carousel path having a front path, a back path, and top and bottom paths connecting the front and back paths,
• d) a pair of stationary laterally spaced guide track systems tracking said drive chains along said carousel path,
• e) each guide track system comprising front and back track segments, and top and bottom cross-over track segments connecting the front and back track segments, each front track segment including upper and lower cam-track segments,
• f) each guide track system having substantially parallel, substantially continuous inner and outer tracks (i) defined in said track segments and (ii) crossing in one of said top and bottom track segments to maintain respective track integrity along said front and back paths,
• g) a plurality of shelves pivotally suspended in a continuous article carrying normally horizontal position between the drive chains for movement therewith along said carousel path,
• h) a plurality of front and back pairs of inner and outer tracking elements connected to the shelves for movement therewith,
• (1) the back pairs of inner and outer tracking elements operatively engaging said pairs of inner and outer guide tracks in the back track segments,
• (2) the front pairs of inner and outer tracking elements operatively engaging the pairs of inner and outer guide tracks in the front track segments,
• (3) with transitioning operative engagement between the front and back pairs of tracking elements effected in the top and bottom cross-over track segments, and
• (4) the inner and outer tracking elements of each pair being provided in normal non-horizontal alignment first position associated with the shelves in said horizontal position;
• i) the inner and outer tracks in the cam-track segments having associated first cam surfaces slidably engaging and configured to cam-pivot said front pairs of inner and outer tracking elements from said first position and thereby pivot said shelves forwardly from horizontal, the front of the shelves being configured to retain the content on the shelves when in said forwardly pivoted condition, and having associated second cam surfaces slidably engaging and configured to return-pivot said pairs of tracking elements to said first position and thereby return-pivot the shelves to their horizontal position, as the shelves travel therethrough,
• j) a bi-directional drive unit connected for powered movement of the drive chains and shelves along said carousel path, and
• k) manually operable controls located proximate the access opening at the front of the cabinet for controlling the drive unit and positioning of individual shelves at said access opening.