Patent GB-190323456-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Despatch Tube Systems.
Inventor: STANGE MAX
Filed: 1903-10-29
Granted: 1903-12-03
Abstract: 23,456. Stance, M. Oct. 29. Pneumatic despatch apparatus. -Relates to improvements whereby the number of trunk lines extending from a central station, e.g., a cashier's desk, to outlying stations is reduced, and comprises means for guiding the coin holder &c. with certainty to any of the outlying stations. Fig. 1 shows the equipment of one set of sending and return tubes; any number of such sets may, however, communicate with the central station. The cartridges G, Fig. 7, are transmitted from the salesmen's stations B to the cashier's desk C by way of sending-tubes A' connected with the main sending-trunk A. Each tube A' is closed at its bottom extremity by a spring door A<2>, which is opened for the admission of the cartridge by pressing upon the arm a of the bell-crank lever A<4>, its other arm being forked and resting on the top ledge of the door. Air is withdrawn from the trunk A by a pump (not shown) attached to the branched pipe E. The end A<5> is also closed by a spring door, which is opened by the impact of the cartridge, and the latter then drops into a tube A<6>, the lower end of which is curved round and perforated to allow easy removal of the cartridge, Fig. 4. The return pipe D, whereby the cartridges are distributed to the salesmen, is provided inside with a series of separate longitudinal grooves d<1>, one groove coming from each of the discharge pipes D'. Air is withdrawn from the pipes D', D by a suction pump (not shown) attached to the pipe F. The cartridge g, Fig. 7, is provided with one or more projections which fit into the grooves d<1> of the return tube D, each consisting of a pin g carrying a friction roller g' and made rigid to a small trunnion block g<1>, moving in laterally-separated lugs g<2> which arc fixed to the cartridge. A flat spring g<3> beneath said trunnion block allows the pin g and attachments to remain either in a radial position or parallel to the cartridge. At the lower end of the trunk D and swinging on two vertical bars D<1>, Fig. 3, attached on opposite sides thereof, is placed the tightly-fitting feeding-box D<3>, provided with grooves identical in number and position with those of the tube D, and having a perforated baseplate D<6>. The projections of the cartridge G, when pulled out radially, are fitted from above into the groove of the box D<3> leading to the required destination, the atmospheric pressure forcing the cartridge into tubes D, D', and thence by impact through the spring door d, into the delivery tube D<a> (similar to tube A<6>) and basket A<2>. In order to prevent collision of the cartridges in the despatch tube A, the act of opening the door A' for inserting the cartridge brings into play lever arms a<5>, h, H, by which a stop or intercepting bar in the tube A is forced across the same into a socket a<6>, thus preventing cartridges arriving from sending- pipes lower than itself in the series from passing until the door A<2> is again closed. The arrangement of grooves and projections may be reversed, the former being situated on the cartridges and engaging with projections inside the despatch tubes. When it is desirable that a saleman's station should communicate with more than one cashier's desk, guides are formed both in the sending-tubes and branches, and in the return tubes and branches.