Material storage and delivery system

摘要

A material storage and delivery structure and system having a first container storage rack for accumulating and storing full containers of parts, and a container indexing and transfer mechanism for delivering individual full containers from the first storage rack to an assembly line work station. The transfer mechanism is also operative to move empty containers from the work station to a second container storage rack for accumulating and storing empty or depleted containers. A full container loading station and an empty container unloading station are provided for delivering full containers to the first rack and removing empty containers from the second rack as desired. Movement of containers the loading station toward the transfer mechanism and from the transfer mechanism to the unloading station is effected by positive gravity flow rails disposed along each storage rack. The transfer mechanism also includes gravity flow rails to facilitate indexing of containers onto and from the storage racks. The full and empty container storage racks can be provided in over-under, under-over and side-by-side configurations. The system can also be provided in a closed loop configuration. Each of the configurations can be provided with side shuttle mechanisms for indexing and moving containers to and from intermediate work stations disposed laterally of individual storage racks.