System for storage and retrieval of warehousable objects

Abstract

A track system for storage and retrieval of materials for use with warehousing vehicle that rides upon tracks in horizontal configuration for storage locations, and that is capable of switching to and riding a sloped track to ascend or descend vertically. A set of transition exchanges allows the vehicle to access multiple levels of storage “flooring” or shelving. The exchanges use ramps, or movable sections of railway, that may be moved out of the way of a set of wheels of the vehicle, while other ramps are set in place to provide support to some wheels of the vehicle, whereby the vehicle may selectively either travel along the elevator track, or to move between elevator track and level storage locations.

1 . A warehousing track comprising:
 a) a plurality of main tracks, said main tracks being vertically separated, each main track comprising at least two horizontally extending rails separated by a horizontal distance; and   b) an elevator track comprising an upper surface for supporting a wheel of a vehicle, which upper surface is set at an incline relative to at least a portion of the plurality of main tracks, wherein the elevator track crosses multiple vertical levels of main tracks; and   c) a ramp surface, which ramp surface is movable between:
 1. a first position, which provides support for an anticipated path of the wheel when said wheel is traveling between at least one of said main tracks and the elevator track, and 
 2. a second position that is different from the first position. 
   
   
   
       2 . A warehousing track as in claim  7  wherein the elevator track comprises a plurality of movable sections. 
   
   
       3 . A warehousing track comprising a plurality of main tracks, said main tracks being horizontally extending and vertically separated, each main track comprising at least two rails separated by a horizontal distance; and an elevator track having a surface for supporting a wheel of a vehicle, which surface is set at an incline relative to at least a portion of the plurality of main tracks; wherein said elevator track passes multiple main tracks and comprises a ramp section that is movable between an open position and a closed position, in which closed position the ramp forms a part of the surface for supporting the wheel, and which open position is different from the closed position.