An Improved Apparatus for Use in Shops, Offices, and the like for Conveying Cash, Small Parcels, and other Articles to and from a Cashier's Desk or Central Station.
Year: 1889

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by GEORGE BRADFORD KELLY, of Boston, Massachusetts,
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM AUGUSTUS WEBBER, of Meriden, Connecticut,
Music Arranger, both in the United States of America.].
An Improved Apparatus for Use in Shops, Offices, and the like for
Conveying Cash, Small Parcels, and other Articles to and from
a Cashier's Desk or Central Station.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in cash carrier apparatus in which
pneumatic tubes are used for the transmission of cash carriers or other articles
therethrough, and to improvements in the cash carrier apparatus, described and
shown in Letters Patent No. 1099 dated February 24th 1888 and No. 4299 dated
March 20th 1888 and the invention consists, in combination with a pneumatic tube
suitably arranged and adapted for the transmission of a carrier or other article
therethrough by means of an air exhaust or pressure apparatus, in suitable connection
therewith, said tube having an opening at any desired point or place in the side of
the tube for the delivery thereat, of a carrier or other article, and one or more
openings or air inlets near said delivery opening, of a valve arranged to move back
and forth over said delivery opening to open and close said opening, and operated
by the exhaustion or pressure of air, as the carrier or other article makes connection
therewith, to move away from and open said delivery opening and bring the carrier
or other article opposite thereto for its delivery thereat, and a valve or slide adapted
to move back and forth or up and down in or on said pneumatic tube, provided with
openings or air inlets and to be operated by the valve to the delivery openings as it

page_text: is moved up or along said pneumatic tube to open said delivery opening, for the
discharge of the carrier or other article thereat, for said openings or air inlets* in
the slide valve to be opposite to or coincident with the openings or air inlets in the
pneumatic tube, for the entrance of air into the pneumatic tube through said openings
or air inlets, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 illustrates a pneumatic tube between and connecting two stations, for
the transmission therethrough from one station to the other, and vice versa, of a
carrier or other article, and arranged for operation by means of an air exhausting
apparatus.
Figures 2 and 3 are detail longitudinal central sectional views from front to rear
of the pneumatic tube at one of the delivery openings, Figure 2, showing the valve
closed, and Figure 3, as opened and the carrier as forced or pushed out at the
said opening.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4, 4 Figure 3.
In the drawings A represents a pneumatic tube for the transmission of a carrier
or other article therethrough, and to be connected at its end B, to any suitable air
exhaust apparatus but not needing to be herein shown or described.
The tube extends therefrom to the table C, at the station D thence down through
the same and below the floor E to and up through the same and a table F at the
other station G and then returns down through the table F. and back through the
floor and the table C, at station D, where it terminates in a vertical portion having
its end H, open and preferably flaring all substantially as shown in Figure 1, in side
elevation.
The tube A, has two receiving openings for the reception of a carrier or other
article to be transmitted through the tube, one J. being the open end H, at station D,
and the other K, at the station, G and two outlets or delivery openings LM, in
the front side of the tube A respectively at station G and D, for the delivery from
the tube of a carrier or other article transmitted through the tube from one of the
receiving openings.
Each of the outlets or delivery openings L, M, has a valve N, and the description.
of the construction, arrangement and operation of one will answer for both, one being
a duplicate of the other, and such opening and the construction and arrangement
of its valve is shown in Figures 2 to 4.
The openings K L and M.are made in the front side of the tube in any suitable
manner and each is of a length and width for the carrier, to be easily inserted into
or removed from the tube at each opening.
The valve or gate N, is made in the present instance of a short tube open from
end to end, its external diameter fitting closely the internal diameter of the tube A,
but so that it can freely slide back and forth, or up and down in said pneumatic tube
and yet maintain a close fit, to substantially prevent air from passing between the
two, and it is of a length when opposite its delivery opening in the pneumatic tube,
to extend each way a short distance above and below the opening to practically close
the opening when over it to the escape of air therefrom or entrance thereto, as
shown in Figure 2.
rests
The valve when in its normal, or lowest closed position as shown in figure 2,
by its lower end a, upon shoulder 6, of the tube.
Its lower end a, is shaped to form a seat f, which is of a construction to receive the
end
of the carrier P, in the present instance circular in cross section, as shown in
figure 2, to close the same to the passage of air through the valve.
Q, is a lever pivoted at A, between two upright projections m, m, on the back of the
pneumatic tube A, and opposite to and in line with a slot R, in the tube A, back of
the delivery opening.
The short arm n, of the lever Q, is in position when at rest for the valve by its
pin, projecting through the slot R, when opened, to abut and strike against it on its
under side which causes the lever to swing upon its pivot and thus its other or longer

page_text: armt, to move through the slot R, into the tube A, as shown in figure 3, and if the
carrier is then opposite the delivery opening, to strike against the side of the carrier
and cause it to break connection with the valve seat and move and fall out of the
tube at the opening as shown in figure 3.
The operation of the apparatus so far as has been described is as follows:-
The air exhausting apparatus, having been put in operation by its connection with
the pneumatic tube, at its end B, acts to draw or exhaust air from and through the
tube A, in the direction of the arrows in figures 1 and 2.
The carrier P, is then, for instance placed in the opening J, of the pneumatic tube
at the flaring end H at the station D, its pointed end downward, when from the action
of the air exhaust apparatus, exhausting air in the tube, in front of it, the carrier will
pass along the pneumatic tube, until it arrives at the outlet or opening L at the other
station G, where it makes by its end g, a close union with the seat f, of the valve N.;.
the valve then moves with it, because of the closing of the lower end of the valve by
the carrier to the passage of air therethrough, along the pneumatic tube until the
valve abuts and strikes against arm n, of the lever Q, the valve then being away from
the delivery opening S, and the carrier opposite thereto, the opening being free and
clear for the carrier to be then removed from the tube at such opening by the
action of the valve on the lever Q.
The invention thus far described in its construction and operation is the subject of
the two Letters Patent referred to and its operation, is such that when the carrier
arrives at the delivery opening, and the valve is opened as shown in figure 3, the
continued operation of the air exhaust apparatus tends by its suction to hold the carrier
firmly to its seat on the valve, and thus to more or less interfere with the operation
of the lever Q, requiring more or less force to remove the carrier from its seat on the
valve, and the object of the present invention is to automatically cause the release of
the carrier from its engagement with the valve seat as soon or about the time it
arrives at or opposite the delivery opening, so it can then be easily forced or noved
out of the pneumatic tube at the delivery opening, onto the table or into any suitable
receptacle, by the lever Q, or by hand or by other means, and this is accomplished as
will now be described.
In the pneumatic tube above the delivery opening are a series of holes or openings
or air inlets S, making communication between the exterior and interior of the
tube A.
T is a short tube fitting within the pneumatic tube A, and arranged to freely
slide up and down or back and forth therein and yet fitting close enough to prevent
air passing between the two, the tube T being open from end to end for the air to
freely pass through it; It has a central rod secured to a cross bar , of its lower
end which rod extends upward and passes freely through an opening w, in a cross
bar a and having a screw nut or stop y on its upper end, which when the slide
tube T, is in its normal position rests by its stop y, upon the cross bar & as shown
in Figure 2.
In the slide tube T are a series of holes or openings U, corresponding to the
openings or air inlets S, in the pneumatic tube and which, when the slide tube is
in its highest position, shown in figure 3 are in line or coincident with the openings
or air inlets S, so that air can then freely pass through the two series of openings or
air inlets into or out of the pneumatic tube.
The upward movement of this slide tube T, is limited by its abutment against
the cross bar r, which is so located that when the slide tube is up at its highest
position, the two series of openings or air inlets will be in line or coincident with
each other.
When the slide tube is down in its normal position shown in Figure 2, its holes
or openings U, are below the openings S in the pneumatic tube which are then
covered or closed with the solid part of the slide T, so that air cannot, then pass
through them into or out of the pneumatic tube.
When the carrier has arrived at and joined the valve as shown in Figure 2, for its

page_text: delivery at the outlet or delivery opening L, the valve moves up with the carrier
as before described and when the valve is nearly opened its upper end d. strikes
against the lower end of the slide valve T, and in its continued upward movement,
moves said slide tube up with it until both. are in the position shown in Figure 3,
their highest positions; which brings the openings U, in the slide tube T, opposite to
or coincident with the openings or air inlets S, in the pneumatic tube, so that then
air will freely pass from the outside of the pneumatic tube through these openings
or air inlets into the pneumatic tube and be drawn by the operation of the air
exhaust apparatus in the direction of the arrows Figure 3, which will correspondingly
relieve the air pressure upon and behind the carrier and thus lessen its hold upon
the valve seat, so that then the lever Q, can easily act upon the carrier to move it
from the valve seat and force it toward and out of the delivery opening, as shown in
Figure 3, when the valve N, being open.or free for air to pass through it, its gravity
will cause it to fall and return to its closed position over the delivery opening, and
with it the slide tube T, closing the openings or air inlets S to the passage of air
therethrough and placing the pneumatic tube in condition for the proper action of the
air exhaust apparatus on a carrier and the valves as before.
Thus the openings or air inlets in the slide tube T, and pneumatic tube when opposite
to or coincident with each other serve to release the carrier from the valve seat so that
the lever Q, can easily act to force or throw the carrier out of the tube at the delivery
opening.
A greater or less number of openings or air inlets can be used and arranged in any
suitable manner and in any suitable place other than as herein particularly described
and shown.
When desirous of returning the carrier from the station G to the station D, it is
placed in the opening K, which is closed by a valve W, like the valve N except that
it has no seat, the valve being opened by taking hold of its knob or handle X, and
raising it, then inserting the carrier point downward and closing the valve, which will
fall by its gravity, the valve having a suitable rest for its proper position to close the
opening K, when by the operation of the air exhaust apparatus, the carrier will move
along the portion Y, of the tube and be delivered at the outlet or delivery opening M,
in the same manner that has been described for its delivery at the opening L.
The slide valve T, can be arranged in any suitable manner and on the outside of the
pneumatic tube in lieu of inside, but in such case the valve must have some projecting
arm to engage therewith to move it but as shown and described is preferable and is
satisfactory in its working.
In the drawing the pneumatic tube is shown as attached to and. connected to
standards A', which are secured by the flanges B', by screws C, so that the attach-
ment to the table or support of the pneumatic tube and the arrangement of the valves
for these operations can be the better secured, although practically they are
continuations of the pneumatic tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondents I declare that what I claim is :
First. In combination with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of a
carrier, or other article, provided with an opening or outlet for the delivery thereat of
the carrier or other article and one or more openings or air inlets S, near said delivery
opening and a valve or slide T, adapted to move back and forth to open and close said
openings or air inlets, of a valve arranged to move back and forth to open and close
said delivery opening, and adapted to receive the carrier or other article substantially
as described, and to engage with said slide T, and move it to open said air inlets in
the pneumatic tube for the purpose specified.
Second. In combination with a pneumatic tube for the transmission therethrough of
a carrier or other article, provided with an opening or outlet for the delivery thereat
of the carrier or other article, and one or more openings or air inlets S, near said

page_text: delivery opening, and a valve or slide T, provided with openings U, and adapted to
move back and forth within said pneumatic tube to open and close said openings or
air inlets in the pneumatic tube, having a stop or shoulder y to rest on a support, in
said pneumatic tube, of a valve arranged to move back and forth to open and close-
said delivery opening and adapted to receive the carrier or other article substantially
as described and to engage with said slide valve T, and move it to open said openings.
or air inlets S, in the pneumatic tube for the purpose specified.
Dated this 5th day of January 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.