Patent GB-408997-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in pneumatic dispatch tube apparatus
IPC: B65G51/40
Filed: 1932-09-17
Abstract: 408,997. Valves. BURGESS, A. F., 10, New Court, Lincoln's Inn, London.-(General Conveyors, Ltd.; 1189, Union Avenue, Montreal, Canada.) Sept. 17, 1932, No. 25944. [Class 135.] A pneumatic despatch-tube apparatus comprising a single despatch-tube line leading from a central station and adapted to deliver carriers from the line at an intermediate point along the line and also at a more remote or end terminal from said central station and a shiftable switch to divert a carrier from the tube line at said intermediate point is provided with terminal selectors one operable to divert a carrier from the line at the intermediate point and another operable to secure the delivery of a carrier from the line at the said remote point, the selectors being so arranged that only one at a time can be set in a terminal selecting position. The central station C, Fig. 1, comprises a sending device 7 and a valve device 33, the device 7 being connected by a pipe 8 to the pressure side of a blower B operated by a motor M and also connected to a despatch tube 6 provided with shiftable switches 9, one for each floor, the switches being operated from the device 33 so that carriers can be delivered to receiving devices 15 on each floor. The pipe 6 continues on to the most remote sending and receiving station 2 which is also connected to a despatch tube 1 provided at each floor with a sending inlet 4 and at its upper end to a discharge terminal connected to the vacuum or suction side of the blower B. The switches 9 are controlled by the device 33 which is connected through the pipes 74, 75 with the pressure and suction pipes of the blower B. The device 33 is provided with a series of valves 51, one for each intermediate station and one for the station 2, mounted in a casing 34, each valve being adapted to be operated by pressing down a lever 60. The lower hollow part of each valve is divided into two chambers by a plug 53, the upper chamber being provided with apertures 54 always in communication with a cavity 46 in the casing 34, a pipe 76 leading from the said cavity to one side of the corresponding switch 9. Below the apertures 54 are apertures 55 which, when the valve 51 is depressed, communicate with a central channel 44 and are closed when the valve 51 is in its normal position. The lower chamber in the valve 51 is provided with apertures 57 which are always in communication with a cavity 47 connected by a pipe 79 connected to the opposite side of the switch 9 to that which is connected to the pipe 76. Apertures 58 above the apertures 57 communicate with the channel 44 when the valve is up and are closed when the valve is down, the apertures 59 being closed when the valve is up and in communication with a channel 42 when the valve is down. To ensure that all the switches 9 except the selected one are in their normal position, a chain 64 or other suitable tension strand is connected at its ends 65 to walls of the casing 34 and passes through slots 63 in the upper parts of the valves 51. Pivotally carried by each valve within its slot 63 is a roller 66 contacting with the chain 64, other rollers 67 also in contact with the chain being mounted on the walls of the channel 41 in the casing 34. The chain has sufficient slack to permit of only one valve 51 at a time being open. When a particular lever 60 is depressed an insulated contact 71 thereon connects two spring terminals 70 which are connected to the motor M and so starts the blower B, the various apertures in the valve 51 being put in communication with the pipes 76, 77 so that the switch 9 corresponding to the lever 60 which is depressed is operated to deliver the tube to the corresponding station 15 or to the end station 2. An electric signalling system is also operated by the closing of the switch 70 to indicate simultaneously the arrival of a carrier at the terminal 15 or the terminal 2 both at the terminal and also the central station. Specification 409,016 is referred to.