A station for presenting at least one container, which includes a frame, a conveying device having a first conveyor and a mobile platform provided with a second conveyor. Also, a method for presenting containers implemented by this station for presenting at least one container, which includes the steps of depositing a first container at a first point of delivery, controlling the first conveyor to transfer the first container to a point of transfer, actuating the movable platform to transfer the first container from the point of transfer to a point of presentation, and controlling the second conveyor to transfer the first container from the point of presentation to a point of evacuation.

A container stacking storage system loading trolley that includes a chassis and a height-adjustable container seat that includes a receiving region with a container contact surface, wherein a lifting device that operates in a lifting direction is arranged between the chassis and the container seat. The container stacking storage system operates in an economical manner, whereby a bearing arrangement is arranged between the container seat and the chassis, which bearing arrangement enables a movement of the container seat transversely to the lifting direction relative to the chassis.

A transport vehicle (2) that travels along a container shelf (1) is provided with a plurality of levels of shelf portions (11) arranged in a vertical direction (Z) and configured to support containers (W), thereby transporting the containers (W). The transport vehicle (2) is provided with a support region (22) where the containers (W) are supported in a stacked state, a transfer apparatus (24) that transfers the containers (W) supported by the shelf portions (11) to the support region (22) and transfers the containers (W) supported in the support region (22) to the shelf portions (11), and a lifting mechanism (25) that lifts a container (W) at any height among a container group (WG) stacked in the support region (22) with respect to a container (W) lower than the container (W) at that any height.

A crate-stacking system having a multiplicity of crates for stacking in a crate-stacking direction and having a crate-stacking apparatus for automatic stacking, wherein the crate-stacking apparatus has: a crate conveying apparatus designed to convey the crates from a crate feed section to a crate stacking section and to convey the stacked crates from the crate stacking section to a crate discharge section, a crate lifting apparatus arranged at the crate stacking section and which, on opposite sides of the conveying path, has gripping elements such that a respective crate can be gripped at mutually opposite sides by virtue of gripping fingers engaging, at the mutually opposite sides, into associated engagement longitudinal recesses, and a control apparatus connected to the crate conveying apparatus and to the crate lifting apparatus and which is designed to control the crate conveying apparatus and crate lifting apparatus in order to stack the crates.

A transport vehicle (2) that travels along a container shelf (1) is provided with a plurality of levels of shelf portions (11) arranged in a vertical direction (Z) and configured to support containers (W), thereby transporting the containers (W). The transport vehicle (2) is provided with a support region (22) where the containers (W) are supported in a stacked state, a transfer apparatus (24) that transfers the containers (W) supported by the shelf portions (11) to the support region (22) and transfers the containers (W) supported in the support region (22) to the shelf portions (11), and a lifting mechanism (25) that lifts a container (W) at any height among a container group (WG) stacked in the support region (22) with respect to a container (W) lower than the container (W) at that any height.

An automatic egg tray stacking apparatus turns alternate egg trays through the operation of movable guides at the junction with a loading conveyor before conveying the egg trays toward a stacking mechanism that first stops the egg tray and then lowers the stack on top of the egg tray before re-elevating the partially formed stack to permit the entrance of a new egg tray into the stacking mechanism. Once the stack of egg trays is completed, the stack is allowed to move onto a stack conveyor and is moved forwardly for shipment. The stacking mechanism is operated by a single actuator having dual pneumatic cylinders that provide a three position operation of the lifting function with the stacking mechanism having lifter members engaging all four sides of the lowermost egg tray of the elevated stack. A control mechanism operates the apparatus with input from appropriately positioned sensors.

Exemplary systems and methods are disclosed for stacking containers in an automated storage and retrieval system. The system includes a plurality of storage stacks establishing a grid of storage locations and a plurality of buffering stacks. Each buffering stack having a hand-over location for holding containers near a surface of a grid and at least one intermediate holding location for holding the containers to be transported to processing stations or storage locations within the grid. An overhead load handler is configured to lift or lower containers from/to the top of a storage stack or the hand-over location of a buffering stack.

In order, e.g., to improve distribution of baggage in an airport, a solution comprises positioning two or more empty totes above each other, so that the two or more empty totes are supported by a tote station by support members 206, determining, by a control system, when either a single empty tote should be released from the tote station or two or more empty totes should be released from the tote station together and at once, and in response to the determination releasing single empty totes from the tote station or releasing two or more empty totes on top of each other from the tote station. A lowermost 1604 of the two or more empty totes on top of each other supports one or more empty totes 1606 on top of it and the lowermost empty tote is, when released, supported by a support conveyor 204.

A stacker includes a base having a dolly-receiving area into which a dolly can be rolled. A vertical structure extends upward from the base. A pair of arms are pivotable toward and away from one another and toward and away from an area above the dolly-receiving area. The pair of arms are movable vertically relative to the vertical structure and are configured to engage containers supported on a dolly in the dolly-receiving area. In an alternate stacker, the pair of arms may be configured to revolve about an axis generally parallel to the arms and spaced away from the arms. In this manner the arms can dump the contents from a bin engaged by the arms.

A stage-stacking lift according to the present invention includes a lift unit and a stage-stacking unit mounted in the lift unit. The stage-stacking unit stacks a tray, in which accommodation targets are accommodated, in multiple stages, and the lift unit elevates the tray stacked in multiple stages.