Title: Robot vehicle

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Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed for automatically transporting loaded pallets within a plurality of tracks forming a storage rack. The vehicle comprises a main body having a plurality of wheels extending out of the sides thereof. A lift mechanism is mounted on the main body and is extendable therefrom for raising or lowering a loaded pallet above or onto the support surface of the tracks. Each lift mechanism comprises a pair of support bars, with each bar being connected to a pair of lifters or support elements. Each pair of lifters is jointly raised and lowered by flexible chains which extend over fixed supports and a double eccentric drive mechanism located therebetween. A horizontally positioned guide wheel also extends out of each corner of the carriage to contact the track rails and center the carriage at all times on the track. The carriage and lift mechanisms are respectively driven by a pair of drive motors located on the carriage. These drive motors are operated by a control center located on the vehicle which, in turn, is powered through a cable leading to a remote power center. The cable is wound and paid out of a drum mounted on the main body. The drum is drivable in either direction of the vehicle, and includes a single helical groove for receiving the cable. The lengths of the cable and groove are dimensioned to enable the cable to wind onto the drum in a single layer.


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