APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UNLOADING DRIVERLESS VEHICLES

摘要

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UNLOADING DRIVERLESS VEHICLES Apparatus and method are disclosed for automatically unloading a driverless vehicle while the vehcile is moving along a guided path. The propulsion force of the vehicle is used to effect the unloading. A cantilever arm projects across the guided path for the driverless vehicle and is pushed out of the way by the vehicle. The pushing of the cantilever arm by the vehicle causes a sweep arm to traverse at least a portion of the vehicle deck thereby pushing a load off the deck onto a receiver such as a conveyor. The cantilever arm and sweep arm are selectively connected together whereby vehicles which are not to be unloaded may traverse the location of the unloader without effecting movement of the sweep arm.