Patent GB-190607701-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to Pneumatic Transmission Systems.
Filed: 1906-03-30
Granted: 1906-12-13
Abstract: 7701. British and Foreign Pneumatic Tube Syndicate, [Batcheller B. C]. March 30. Pneumatic dispatch apparatus.-Relates to means by which carriers issuing from an incoming or delivery tube at an intermediate station are either shunted off there or delivered to an outgoing or receiving tube by the action of selective devices on the carriers themselves, and also to means for checking the impetus of the carriers before they come in contact with the selection - operating mechanism and before they are injected into the outgoing or receiving tube &c. In one arrangement, the carriers U, Figs. 5 and 10, have metallic selecting-plates U'. They issue from the tube A, Fig. 1, through a gate A<5> between belts C, C' which are driven from pulleys B, B<1> actuated by belt and worm gearing from a motor D, the belts being provided with adjustable tightening-devices. The lower face of the belt C runs on the under face of a pressure bar E<1>, and the upper side of the belt C<1> runs .in the groove of a frame or guideway E. The bar E<1> is connected by parallel links G<3> to a longitudinal frame-member F, and is provided with lugs E<2> which support set-screws E<3> acting against the links G<3>, and prevent the bar E<1> from moving downwards beyond a determined point. The bars &c. E<1>, F are further connected by adjustable spring- devices having tension and compression springs G<1>, H', respectively, so that the pressure of the bar E<1> on the belt C can be regulated and the checking effect on the carrier adjusted. The lower belt, which is somewhat longer than the upper one, carries forward the carrier over a plate I, and, if the metal plates U<1> are suitably sized &c., two fingers J, Fig. 5, are turned on their pivot pin P and, by mechanism described, close a :circuit and energize an electro-magnet M<4>, Fig. 10, which then withdraws a finger L of a pivoted stop lever from the path of a switch bar K, an arm L<2> of the lever L being caught and retained in position by the hooked end M'of a lever M &c. The bar K is therefore displaced, and the carrier travels on the belt C<1> to a shoot O and into an outgoing tube. The bar K acting on the finger M of the lever M, M<2> turns the latter and releases.the arm L<2>, so that the lever L is drawn into.its normal position by a spring M<3>. When the plate on the carrier is insufficient in size to displace both fingers J, the electromagnet M<4> is not energized, so that the finger L prevents the displacement of the switch bar K and the carrier is deflected sideways for local delivery. In a modification, the selecting-devices on the carriers consist of recesses shown in Fig. 12. Carriers provided with these recesses impinge on a gate Q<1> on an arm Q', and turn the latter about its pivot Q<3>, a head S' on the pivot Q<3> being unaffected. Should the carrier have no recess or an insufficient one, a finger R' on a lever R<2> is actuated thereby before the gate is opened, so that the notched end R<3> of the lever R<2> is raised into position to engage with the head S<1>. The latter is therefore turned by the rocking of the arm Q', and a locking-finger S' is raised so that the switch bar K' is readily pressed aside and the carrier passes into the outgoing tube T. When the locking- finger remains in position, the bead S' not having been operated, the switch lever K<2> deflects the carrier into a basket T' for local delivery. In a modified checking-device, Fig. 11, the impetus of the incoming carrier is entirely taken up by an air-chamber P provided with two gates P', P<2> actuated by cylinders and pistons P<3>, P<4>, lateral openings P<5>, P<6> on each side of the gate P<1> opening through appropriate connexions into a. pipe section P<9> communicating with a pipe O<7>, which is connected with a special air-lock device O<1>, O<5> similar to the one described in Specification No. 2055, A.D. 1902. A gate P<7> is provided by which the flow of air from the tube A into the pipe P may be drawn from either of the openings P<5>, P<6>, a by-pass P<8> being provided so that when the valve is turned to connect the opening P<5> with the pipe P<9>, a sufficient supply of air passes through the by-pass to force out the carrier, which had come to rest in the chamber P when the gate P<2> was opened. A finger P'‹ operates mechanism for restoring the gates to their normal position.