Automatic load transfer device and method for automated material handling systems

An automatic load transfer device for automated material handling systems of the type which moves loads between various workstations on transport vehicles, comprising:

• a base configured for mounting on a stationary support surface, and including a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart rails disposed in a generally parallel relationship;
• a carriage movably mounted on said rails of said base for longitudinal movement therealong between a retracted position and an extended position;
• a carriage drive operably connected with said base and said carriage and automatically shifting said carriage between said retracted and said extended positions;
• a conveyor having a plurality of rigid, elongate guide bars arranged in a generally parallel, laterally spaced apart relationship, and movably supporting thereon conveyor elements configured to abuttingly support variously shaped loads thereon and shift the loads from said outboard end to said inboard end of said conveyor;
• a conveyor drive operably connected with said conveyor elements and automatically shifting said conveyor elements from said outboard end to said inboard end of said conveyor;
• a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, whereby rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between a lowered position and a raised position;
• said second portion of said coupler being connected with a rearward portion of said conveyor, whereby when said carriage is in said extended position, said outboard end of said conveyor protrudes outwardly from said base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion;
• a lift drive operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage, and said conveyor, and automatically shifting said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions;
• and
• a controller operably connected with said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive, and sequentially activating the same to unload loads from an associated transport vehicle by shifting said carriage from said retracted position to said extended position in general vertical alignment with and below the loads disposed on the associated transport vehicle, shifting said conveyor from said lowered position to said raised position to lift the loads off of the associated transfer vehicle and onto said conveyor elements, and shifting said conveyor elements toward said inboard end of said conveyor to move the loads out of vertical alignment with and away from the associated transport vehicle.

An automatic load transfer device for automated material handling systems of the type which moves loads between various workstations on transport vehicles, comprising:

• a base configured for mounting on a stationary support surface, and including a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart rails disposed in a generally parallel relationship;
• a carriage movably mounted on said rails of said base for longitudinal movement therealong between a retracted position and an extended position;
• a carriage drive operably connected with said base and said carriage and automatically shifting said carriage between said retracted and said extended positions;
• a conveyor having a plurality of rigid, elongate guide bars arranged in a generally parallel, laterally spaced apart relationship, and movably supporting thereon conveyor elements configured to abuttingly support variously shaped loads thereon and shift the loads from said inboard end to said outboard end of said conveyor;
• a conveyor drive operably connected with said conveyor elements and automatically shifting said conveyor elements from said inboard end to said outboard end of said conveyor;
• a coupler having a first portion thereof pivotally connected with said base and an oppositely disposed second portion thereof pivotally connected with said conveyor, whereby rotation of said coupler shifts said conveyor between a lowered position and a raised position;
• said second portion of said coupler being connected with a rearward portion of said conveyor, whereby when said carriage is in said extended position, said outboard end of said conveyor protrudes outwardly from said base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion;
• a lift drive operably connected with at least one of said coupler, said carriage, and said conveyor, and automatically shifting said conveyor between said lowered and raised positions;
• and
• a controller operably connected with said carriage drive, said conveyor drive, and said lift drive, and sequentially activating the same to load loads onto an associated transport vehicle by shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon to said raised position, shifting said conveyor elements with the loads thereon toward said outboard end of said conveyor, shifting said carriage to said extended position to position the loads in general vertical alignment with and above the associated transport vehicle, and shifting said conveyor with the loads thereon toward said lowered position to place the loads onto the associated transport vehicle.

A fully automated method for handling materials, comprising:

• providing a tow AGV having a guidance system configured to automatically navigate the tow AGV along a predetermined path between a plurality of different workstations in a predetermined sequence;
• providing a plurality of non-powered tow trailers configured to abuttingly support a plurality of loads thereon;
• forming a vehicle track adapted to abuttingly support the tow AGV and the tow trailers thereon, and having a predetermined configuration that extends along the predetermined path between the workstations;
• installing a guide path in the vehicle track which communicates with the tow AGV, and includes at least one load/unload station;
• interconnecting the tow trailers in an end-to-end train;
• operably connecting the train of tow trainers with the tow AGV to selectively move the train of tow trailers along the vehicle track in the predetermined sequence between the workstations;
• positioning an automatic loader/unloader adjacent to the loading/unloading station along the vehicle track, wherein the loader/unloader has a stationary base with a movable carriage supported thereon for automatically shifting the carriage between retracted and extended positions by a carriage drive, a conveyor with a plurality of side-by-side fingers with movable conveyor elements that abuttingly support loads thereon and are automatically shifted between outboard and inboard ends of the conveyor by a conveyor drive, and a lift operably connected between the carriage and the conveyor with a lift drive that automatically shifts the conveyor between lowered and raised positions, such that in the extended position the outboard conveyor end protrudes outwardly from the base and is supported thereon in a cantilevered fashion above the vehicle track;
• programming the tow AGV to position a first one of the tow trailers with loads thereon at the load/unload stations;
• and
• sequentially activating the carriage drive, the conveyor drive, and the lift drive to unload the loads disposed on the first tow trailers by:
• shifting said carriage from the retracted position to the extended position in general vertical alignment with and below the loads disposed on the first tow trailer;
• shifting the conveyor from the lowered position to the raised position to lift the loads off of the first tow trailer and onto the conveyor elements;
• and
• shifting the conveyor elements toward the inboard end of the conveyor to move the loads out of vertical alignment with and away from the first tow trailer.