Load handling system and method

1. A load handling system, comprising:

a load handling device comprising a load support that is configured to engage a load, and a first drive that is adapted to drive said load support with respect to a load; and

a conveyor moveable along said load support, and said conveyor comprising a second drive that is adapted to propel said conveyor with respect to said load support;

a control that is adapted to operate said first and second drives to engage the load with the load support, wherein said control is adapted to operate said first and second drives independent from each other, and wherein said first and second drives are bi-directional; and

a vertical drive that is operational to drive said load support vertically upward or downward, wherein said control is adapted to operate said vertical drive to elevate a load being picked from a rack while said first drive is extending said load support, and said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load toward said load handling device;

wherein said control is further adapted to operate said vertical drive to lower a load being deposited on a rack while said first drive is retracting said load support, and said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load away from said load handling device; and

wherein said load support comprises a pair of forks and wherein said conveyor comprises a pair of conveyor strips, wherein said pair of conveyor strips extends along each of said forks.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said conveyor comprises a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said load support is extendable to deposit loads to and pick loads from a rack adjacent said load handling device and wherein said first drive extends and retracts said load support with respect to said load handling device.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said load support is extendable in opposite directions to deposit loads to and pick loads from racks on opposite sides of said load handling device.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said control is further adapted to retrieve a load from a conveying surface by aligning said load support with said conveying surface, and operating said second drive to transfer the load from the conveying surface to the load support with said conveyor, and wherein said control is adapted to deposit a load from the load support to a conveying surface by aligning said load support with said conveying surface and operating said second drive to transfer the load from the load support to said conveying surface with said conveyor.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said control is adapted to retrieve a load from a conveying surface to the load support while concurrently depositing another load from the load support to another conveying surface by aligning the load support with both said conveying surfaces and operating said second drive to transfer the load to the load support and another load from the load support with said conveyor.

7. A load handling system, comprising:

a load handling device comprising a load support that is configured to engage a load, and a first drive that is adapted to drive said load support with respect to a load; and

a conveyor moveable along said load support, and said conveyor comprising a second drive that is adapted to propel said conveyor with respect to said load support;

a control that is adapted to operate said first and second drives to engage the load with the load support, wherein said control is adapted to operate said first and second drives independent from each other, and wherein said first and second drives are bi-directional;

a vertical drive that is operational to drive said load support vertically upward or downward, wherein said control is adapted to operate said vertical drive to elevate a load being picked from a rack while said first drive is extending said load support, and said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load toward said load handling device;

wherein said control is further adapted to operate said vertical drive to lower a load being deposited on a rack while said first drive is retracting said load support, and said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load away from said load handling device; and

wherein said load support comprise at least two telescoping fork sections and wherein said conveyor is configured to extend along said fork sections and wherein said conveyor is stationary with respect to at least the outermost ones of said fork sections as said forks extend and retract if said first drive is operated and said second drive is not operated.

8. A method of handling a load with a load handling device, said load handling device includes: a load support that is configured for engaging a load, and a first drive adapted to drive said load support with respect to a load, said method comprising:

providing a conveyor moveable along said load support, and a second drive that is adapted to propel said conveyor with respect to said load support;

operating said first and second drives to engage a load with the load handling device including operating said first and second drives independent from each other, wherein said first and second drives are bi-directional;

providing a vertical drive that is operational to drive said load support vertically upward or downward including operating said vertical drive to elevate a load being picked from a rack while said first drive is extending said load support, and while said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load toward said load handling device;

operating said vertical drive to lower a load being deposited on a rack while said first drive is retracting said load support and while said second drive is propelling said conveyor to move a load away from said load handling device; and

wherein said load support comprises a pair of forks and wherein said conveyor comprises a pair of conveyor strips, wherein said pair of conveyor strips extends along each of said forks.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said conveyor comprises a chain conveyor or a belt conveyor.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said forks comprise at least two telescoping fork sections and wherein said conveyor is configured to extend along said fork sections.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said conveyor is stationary with respect to at least the outermost ones of said fork sections as said load support extends and retracts when said first drive is operated and said second drive is not operated.

12. The method according to claim 8 , including extending said load support to deposit the load to and pick the load from a rack adjacent to said load handling device, wherein said first drive extends and retracts said load support with respect to said load handling device.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said load support is extendable in opposite directions to deposit loads to and pick loads from racks on opposite sides of said load handling device.

14. A method of handling a load with a load handling device, said load handling device including: a load support that is configured to engage a load, and a first drive adapted to drive said load support with respect to the load, said method comprising:

providing a conveyor moveable along said load support, said conveyor including a second drive that is adapted to propel said conveyor with respect to said load support;

operating said first and second drives to engage the load with the load handling device, said operating said first and second drives includes picking a load from a conveying surface by aligning said load support with said conveying surface, and operating said second drive to transfer the load from the conveying surface to the load support with said conveyor;

wherein depositing the load from the load support to a conveying surface includes aligning said load support with said conveying surface and operating said second drive to transfer the load from the load support to said conveying surface with said conveyor; and

wherein said load support comprises a pair of forks and wherein said conveyor comprises a pair of conveyor strips, wherein said pair of conveyor strips extends along each of said forks.

15. The method according to claim 14 , including picking a load from a conveying surface to the load support while concurrently depositing another load from the load support to another conveying surface by aligning the load support with both said conveying surfaces, and operating said second drive to transfer the load to the load support and the another pallet from the load support with said conveyor.