Floating table for article transport vehicle

Abstract

A guided vehicle, which follows a guidepath into and out from a work station, is provided with an article carrying table that includes a plurality of cone shaped mounting plates each disposed upon a ball transport unit to provide for relative movement between the article carrier, any article carried thereby, and the body of the vehicle. Each side, of two opposed sides, of the article carrier mounts a number of guide wheels; including entry guide wheels larger in diameter than side guide wheels, with the entry wheels disposed proximate carriers of the carrier and side wheels disposed therebetween. Guide rails disposed at the work station cooperate with the guide wheels to effect relative movement between the article carrier and vehicle body if the vehicle enters the work station out of a centered alignment therewith. A number of position limit rods extend up from the vehicle body through openings in the article carrier so that the sides of the rods cooperate with the walls of the openings to limit side to side and front to back relative movement. Caps are provided on top of the rods for cooperation with the article carrier to limit vertical movement thereof relative to the vehicle body. The mounting of the carrier on the vehicle body is such that the effect of gravity returns the article carrier to a vehicle centered position when the vehicle leaves the work station.