FACILITY FOR STORING ITEMS ALONG PARALLEL CHANNELS

摘要

A warehouse has several levels. Each level has a series of storage channels for items to be stocked in the warehouse. The storage channels are parallel to one another and have respective inlet ends located at a first side of the warehouse and respective outlet ends located at an opposite second side of the warehouse. Each storage channel is equipped with a device for guiding items along the channel in a direction from the inlet end towards the outlet end. Every level is further provided with at least one return channel which is parallel to the storage channels and has an inlet end at the second side of the warehouse and an outlet end at the first side of the warehouse. The return channel is again equipped with a device for guiding items along such channel in a direction from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof. On each level, a reversible first horizontal transporting mechanism extends by the channels on the first side of the warehouse while a reversible second horizontal transporting mechanism extends by the channels on the second side of the warehouse. At least one elevator is disposed on both the first and second sides of the warehouse adjacent to the respective horizontal transporting mechanism. The return channels make it possible to transport an item from the outlet end of a storage channel back to the inlet end along a loop located on the level of the storage channel. Thus, if an item to be shipped is disposed behind one or more other items which are to remain in storage, the latter items are simply conveyed along the respective loop.