Importance

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Abstract

An active high volume storage and retrieval system provides an improved accumulator and package transfer devices. The storage and retrieval system includes a storage carousel having a plurality of spaced apart, horizontal storage tiers and a lift having a plurality of article supports for supporting articles to be delivered to or to be received from the storage carousel. A first conveyor is provided which delivers articles to the article supports of the lift assembly. A second conveyor is provided which receives articles from the article supports of the lift assembly. A first article transfer device is disposed adjacent the lift, which includes a plurality of injection pushers for pushing containers from the storage supports of the lift onto storage tiers of the carousel. A second article transfer device disposed adjacent the carousel. The second article transfer device includes a driver beam and a plurality of ejection pushers, with each ejection pusher aligned with one of the article supports. The driver beam is adapted for movement between a first position and a second position. The ejection pushers are releasably coupled to the driver beam such that when the driver beam is moved to the second position any of the ejection pushers, which are coupled to the driver beam, push the article on the associated storage tier onto one of the article supports. Preferably, at least one of the ejection pushers is selectively, releasably coupled to the driver beam by a magnetic coupler. More preferably, the ejection pushers are selectively, releasably coupled to the driver beam by an electromagnetic coupler. In this manner, the ejection pushers may be selectively driven by the driver beam to push selected articles from the carousel to the lift.

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First Claim