Apparatus and method for temporarily retaining articles midway a transport system

摘要

An article retention apparatus includes a roller conveyor unit with a plurality of rollers arranged in a horizontal plane and a plurality of ladder-shaped rack units on which articles rest. The roller conveyor unit and rack units are configured such that the rack units may be moved above and below the plane of the conveyor unit rollers without interference between the conveyor unit rollers and the rack units. By lifting the rack units one by one from below the roller plane to emerge above the roller plane, the article is transferred from the roller conveyor unit to the rack unit. The articles are taken aside of a transport system and temporarily retained by the apparatus. A belt conveyor unit can be used instead of the roller conveyor unit.