The lane loading apparatus includes a wheeled frame reciprocal along the loading end of shelves. The frame supports a main carriage for vertical movement with respect to the shelves. The main carriage supports an auxiliary carriage for reciprocation toward and away from the loading end of the shelves. A lane actuator is supported by the auxiliary carriage for retracting an endless member and associated pusher in a lane to a reloading position.

A tray unloading apparatus for transferring trays from a tray transport van to a horizontal in-feed station of a carry-away conveyor for carrying trays to further stations. The unloading apparatus includes vertical pillars which support a set of horizontal parallel tray guide tracks which are disposed essentially parallel to a plurality of vertical sets of tray rails in a tray transport van. The set of tray guide tracks are vertically shiftable along the pillars by a mechanical drive into different height positions corresponding to levels of the transport van rails. The uppermost height position is level with the in-feed station of the carry-away conveyor to receive a tray slid from the tray guide tracks at the upper level. A horizontal continuous belt conveyor located below and between the tray guide tracks is also vertically shiftable as a unit to a plurality of levels equal to the tray levels in the van, and is horizontally shiftable as a unit to be moved between and under any selected level of van tray rails to shift trays from the van to the tray guide tracks. Each time tray or trays at one level are transferred to the guide tracks they are raised to the upper level where a laterally shiftable tray shifter can engage and shift the lifted tray to the carry-away conveyor.

Storage method, in particular intermediate storage method for baking tins, whereby the baking tins are disposed in racks wherein the baking tins are positioned story-wise in rows behind each other and always one type of baking tin per each rack.

A wafer cassette transfer mechanism is disclosed which transfers a wafer cassette from a transfer arm to an elevator. The elevator moves vertically, up or down, so as to move the wafer cassette to a second transfer arm. The second transfer arm can then move the wafer cassette to after processing equipment.

A horizontally movable load transportation device is equipped with a vertically movable elevator. The elevator has a pivotally mounted conveyor device that is adapted to engage an edge of a load and transfer it toward a selected storage compartment. The storage compartments have movable load engaging devices which are adapted to engage another edge of the load to assist in the transfer of the load between the transportation device and the storage compartment.