Year: 1885

page_text: We WILBUR GROVE DAVIS and WILLIAM MOSELY HINMAN, both residing at
No 34, School Street, Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts,
in the United States of America, gentlemen, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in pneumatic cash carriers for store and
other service the object of our invention being to provide a more simple and
reliable means for the conveyance of the carriers and other parcels from one point
to another.
Our invention consists in making the pneumatic tubes of glass, the advantages
of which will more fully hereinafter appear.
Our invention consists further of a pneumatic tube leading from the salesman's
counter or from various stations in the store to the cashier's desk or central station,
said tubes being supplied with the requisite amount of air to force the cash carrier
to or from the cashier's desk by means of a bellows or other air compressing device
arranged under the counter or desk whereby the carrier can be forced in either
direction, and only one line of pipe used for each station.
Our invention consists further in supplying the bellows at the cashier's desk
with a series of nozzles or outlets corresponding to the number of pipes used for
the various stations, said outlets being provided with valves which can be opened
or closed at will of the operator to direct the air blast into any one of the pipes.
Our invention consists further of the peculiar construction of the transmitting.
standards which support the main tubes whereby the carrier is readily inserted and
discharged from the tubes.
Our invention consists further in making the car or carrier oval or egg shaped,
at both ends in order that it will accommodate itself to the curves of the tubes
and also in providing it with a skirt or apron at the rear end which is expanded
against the sides of the tube when the air pressure is applied thus preventing the
air from passing by the sides of the carrier.

page_text: Our invention consists further in placing an open basket under the discharge
end of the tubes at the cashier's desk, said basket being provided with a sack filled
with lead shot into which the carrier is discharged and by which means the force
of the carrier is broken without injury to the carrier.
Our invention consists further in combining with the double tubes at the sales
stations, a curved chute or trough into which the carrier is projected by the force of
the air current, the function of said trough being to break the force of the carrier.
Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the cashiers desk and the salesman's counter,
showing the connections with the bellows and the tubes.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the chute or trough for arresting the force of the
carrier.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the transmitting standard, with the carrier inserted
therein and also a sectional view of the receiving basket and sack of shot.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the bellows with the air outlet and valve and rod
for controlling the air currents.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cash carrier.
A indicates the cashier's desk on which are securely mounted any desired number
of transmitting standards B, the number of standards B, corresponding with the
number of stations at the sales counters. C is a bellows the top of which is firmly
secured to the frame D while the lower portion is free to be moved up and down
by means of the treadle E.
The bellows are preferably of cylindrical form and have a spiral spring located
therein to force the lower end of the bellows downward so that it will be rapidly
filled with air said spiral spring also serving as a skeleton to support the inside of
the bellows.
-
The treadle E is connected to the bellows by means of the cords F, which are
secured at one end to the treadle and at the other end to the bottom of the bellows,
the cords passing over the sheaves or pulleys G secured near to the upper or fixed
end H of the bellows.
The upper end of the bellows is provided with a series of outlets or nozzles I
which communicate with the transmitting standards B by means of suitable
ducts K.
The nozzles or outlets I are provided with hinged valves or doors L which open
toward the standards B said valves being held in a closed position by means of the
rods M.
The rods M pass up through the counter A and are provided with a knob N on
which is placed a number corresponding with the number of the station with which
the line of tubing connects. The rod M also passes through a chamber or cylinder Ọ
which is screwed or otherwise secured to the plate P said plate being attached to
the upper side of the counter.
The rod M is provided with a ball or projection R within the cylinder or
chamber O, which impinges against the strap spring S located within said cylinder
or chamber so as to hold the rod either in its raised or lowered position.
It will be noticed that when the rod M is raised, the valve Lis free to open
outward by the pressure of air from the bellows, but when this particular line is
not to be used, the rod. M is forced down, closes the valve and holds the same in
a closed position.
The transmitting standard or tube B connects with the nozzle I as already stated
and is curved at its upper end as shown in Fig. 3 terminating in head T having an
opening U passing therethrough.
To the upper end of the head T is secured the line of pipe V said pipe being
made of glass or other transparent material.
The lower end of the head T is adapted to be closed by the valve W when the
carrier is to be transmitted to a station, a suitable cushion A¹ of rubber or felt
being secured to the standard to prevent the valve from striking against said

page_text: standard. The head T is provided with an interior annular recess, a, to receive
the skirt of the cash carrier when the same is inserted in. the head as will more
fully appear hereinafter.
B¹ is the cash carrier composed of a cylinder of any suitable material the ends
of which are oval or egg shape as shown in order that it may readily conform to
the curves of the tubes forming the line.
The carrier B¹ is divided into two parts and hinged at. b. see Fig. 5, the top or
lid C being provided with a projection'c which impinges against a spring & secured
to the inside of the main body of the carrier and by which means the top is held
either in an open or closed position the front end or lid of the carrier being covered
with felt. e. to protect it from injury. D¹ is a skirt or apron of felt or other
suitable material secured around the rear end of the carrier, and is arranged to
flare outwardly so as to impinge against the inside of the tube to prevent the
air from passing by the carrier.
In practice the carrier is placed in the head T and pushed up until the skirt D¹
rests on the ledge, a, the valve W is now closed and the treadle operated to work
the bellows, the air from the bellows passing up through the standard B comes in
contact with the carrier B¹ and forces it rapidly to the station or other end of the
line of tubing when it is caught by the receiver E¹. F¹ indicates the sales counter
or station to which the glass tube V leads from the cashier's desk one tube for each
station. The tube V at this end of the line is supported by a suitable standard or
support in which are pivoted the movable tube sections, g and said tube
sections being joined together and both adapted to be brought under the end of the
pipe V.
The tube section. g. communicates with the bellows G', located under the
counter F while the tube section. h. communicates with the pipe V and the
chute E at all times except when it is desired to transmit the carrier to the
cashier's desk, then the tubes are swung on their pivot to bring the section. g. in
communication with the pipe V.
As before indicated, the tube section g is pivoted to the nipple of the bellows G¹
so as to form a communication between the bellows and the tube V so that when
the carrier is inserted in this end of the pipe V, and the tube section. g. raised to
register with the pipe V, said carrier will be forced to the cashier's desk by the
simple operation of the bellows G¹. The upper ends of the tube sections g and h
are made heavy so that when they are freed from the hand of the operator they
will automatically drop back to bring the curved pipe h under the end of the
tube V.
The chute E¹, consists of a curved metallic shell open at the top but having the
upper edge projecting over to prevent the carrier from jumping out of the same,
said chute being secured to the counter at the end of the tube section h and is
adapted to stop or gradually break the force of the carrier.
As the carrier emerges from the tube section. h. it impinges on the curved inside
of the trough which breaks its force and permits it to fall gently on to the counter.
H' is a wire basket adapted to fit close against the standard B the rear side of said.
basket being made higher than the front side as shown.
The bottom of the basket H¹ is open and adapted to receive a pocket or bag I
of leather or other suitable material said pocket being filled with lead shot to
break the force of the carrier as it is sent from the station to the cashier's desk.
In practice we have found that the lead shot contained in the pocket or bag is
very effective in stopping or resisting the force of the carrier as it emerges from
the tube and does not injure or break the carrier, and furthermore the shot does
not pack solid as is the case with sand and other material.
In practice we may find it desirable to use the transmitting standard B at both
ends of the line, ie at the various stations as well as at the cashier's desk or central
station.
j

page_text: As before indicated the tubes V are made of glass, so that any number of said
pipes may be arranged within the store or other apartment without obstructing the
light and as the tube is made up of sections of any convenient length, should the
carrier become clogged or stopped within the tube, the point of obstruction can
be seen at once and this section removed to take the carrier therefrom, without
having to take down the entire line of tubing as is the case with metallic tubes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is
1. Pneumatic tubes for use in stores etc for conveying cash boxes or carriers or
other packages, said tubes being made of glass or other transparent material as set
forth.
2. In cash carriers for store service and other purposes, a tube leading from the
salesman's counter or other station to the cashier's desk adapted to be engaged with
a bellows at either end as described whereby the cash box or carrier is made to
travel in either direction toward or from the cashier's desk as set forth.
3. In pneumatic cash carriers for store service and other purposes, the trans-
mitting standards B located on the cashier's desk or at the central station, said
standards being connected to a common bellows, by means of air passages adapted
to be opened or closed at the will of an operator as set forth.
4. In pneumatic cash carriers, the bellows C provided with a series of nozzles
communicating with the transmitting standards B said nozzles being provided
with valves L in combination with the rods M whereby any one of the series of
nozzles may be brought into working communication with its corresponding tube
as set forth.
5. In pneumatic cash carriers, the standards curved as described and termi-
nating in an open head T, the upper portion of said head being connected to the
line of pipe leading to a station, the lower portion of said head being adapted to
be closed by a suitable valve whereby the carrier is readily inserted and transmitted
to its destination as set forth.
6. In pneumatic cash carriers the head T provided with the groove or recess, a,
in combination with the carrier B¹, having the skirt D¹ whereby said carrier is
held in position in the tube until the valve W is closed and the air current is applied
as set forth.
7. A cash carrier for pneumatic tubes consisting of a metallic cylinder having
both ends oval, as described, whereby said carrier adapts itself to the curves of the
tube as set forth.
8. A cash carrier for pneumatic tubes, consisting of a metallic cylinder with oval
ends hinged in two sections as described and provided at its rear end with a felt
skirt or apron D¹ as set forth.
9. A cash carrier for pneumatic tubes, consisting of a metallic cylinder with oval
ends hinged in two sections in combination with the spring. d. and lug, c, as set
forth.
10. A receiver for cash carriers consisting of a sack or other suitable receptacle
filled with lead shot placed under the receiving opening of the standards B as set
forth.
11. The plate P having the cylinder attached thereto said cylinder being
provided with a spring S, in combination with the rod M provided with the
projection R whereby the rod is held in position as set forth.
12. The rod M provided with the projection R and working against the spring S
in the cylinder or chamber O in combination with the nozzle I and valve Liras set
forth.
13. In a cash carrier, the combination of the bent tube section. . with the curved,
chute or trough E¹ as set forth.
B

page_text: 14. The counter F1 having a bellows G¹ located thereunder provided with a
pivoted section g adapted to be brought under the tube V when sending the carrier
to the cashier's desk as set forth.
15. The tube sections, g, h, secured together and pivoted as described, whereby
the section. h. registers with the pipe V at all times except when the carrier is
being sent to the cashier's desk.