Improvements in Apparatus for the Conveyance of Cash, Memoranda, or Goods from one Part of a Shop or other Building to another Part thereof.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 7th Oct., 1887
Improvements in Apparatus for the Conveyance of Cash,
Memoranda, or Goods from one Part of a Shop or other
Building to another Part thereof.
I JOSEPH CHAPMAN MARTIN of Florence, in the County of Hampshire, and State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 a conveying apparatus for store service and is embodies
in an apparatus of that kind in which carriers or receptacles for cash or for the good
that are to be transported back and forth between the sales counters and a cashiers
desk or a packing station, are propelled along a way or line of transportation com-
prising two tracks or guide ways extending between the main station, such as the
cashiers desk or a packing station, and a number of stations along the counters of the
store, by a propelling cord or belt and the carriers are disengaged from the said
propelling cord and switched off from the track automatically at the point where each
is to be delivered.
The present invention consists mainly in various details of construction of the
several appliances by which the efficiency and convenience of operation of the
apparatus is increased.
A portion of the improvements relate especially to the construction of the tracks
and consist in appliances by which the propelling cord and tracks or guide-way may
be turned at any desired angle enabling the tracks to have any desired direction so as to
reach all the points that may be needed. The direction of the propelling cord is
changed by means of wheels or pulleys around which the said cord runs, the tracks
and cord being substantially straight between the said pullies; and various devices
have to be employed to enable the boxes to be carried around the wheels or pullies
by means of the propelling cord while themselves guided by the tracks, without
becoming disconnected from the propelling cord or throwing the propelling cord off
from its support or guiding pullies.

page_text: The invention also consists in appliances for maintaining the proper tension in the
propelling cord and also for automatically relieving the pressure of the cord on its
actuating pulley so that it will stop running without breakage of any of the parts in
case ono of the carriers should be obstructed.
The invention also consists in details of construction of the appliances at the
different stations for facilitating the operation of applying the carriers or boxes to the
tracks and connecting them with the propelling cord; and also in appliances for
facilitating the detachment of the carriers from the propelling cord at the cashiers
desk or a terminal station to which all the carriers placed upon one of the tracks
are sent.
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the general construction and arrangement
of the way or line of transportation.
Figure 2 is a plan view, and
Figure 3 a vertical section representing the construction at an angle in the tracks
such as used where the plane of the bottom of the box coincides with the plane in
which the angle of the tracks lies.
Figures 4 and 5 front and side elevations of the devices employed at an angle in
which the plane of the bottom of the box is at right angles to the plane in which the
tracks lie.
Figure 6 a detail showing the construction of the bearing of the cord guiding
pullies shown in Figure 4.
Figures 7 and 8 front and side elevations of other devices employed at an angle in
which the plane of the bottom of the box is at right angles to that in which the
tracks lie.
Figures 9 and 10 a side elevation and plan view of the devices employed at the end
of the tracks remote from the cashiers desk.
Figure 11 a perspective view of one of the boxes in full size.
Figures 12 a detail of the cord guiding clutch of the box in the position occupied
when the cord is gripped by it.
Figure 13 a similar detail representing the clutch in the act of picking up the cord
to grip the same.
Figures 14 and 15 a side elevation and plan view of the parts constituting the
terminal station at the cashier's desk.
Figure 16 a transverse section on line x, x Figure 14.
Figures 17 and 18 a side elevation and plan view of the parts constituting one of
the stations along the return track.
Figure 19 a transverse section of the tracks showing in elevation the brackets used
between stations, and
Figure 20, a transverse section of the tracks showing in elevation the brackets used
between stations.
The line of transportation or way A Figure 1, consists of a series of parallel rods
or wires arranged to cooperate with cash boxes B, see Figure 11. The way A comprises
two separate tracks on which the said cash boxes B travel in opposite directions and
each track consists of three rods, two of which, marked a on the return track, and b
on the forwarding track, engage the under surface or bottom of the cash box B when in
its normal position and may be called the supporting rods, while the third wire a¹ of
the return track, and 6 of the forwarding track engage notches c in the ends of the
cash boxes and thus holds the said cash boxes in engagement with the other two rods
of the track and prevents lateral movement of the box with relation to the track.
The three rods of each track practically embrace each box and restrain it from
movement in any direction except lengthwise of the track. The guidance of the box
is thus substantially the same as if it were enclosed in a tube, and gravity is not
depended upon to keep the box on the track, and the box may run in direction
and may be in any position that the direction of the track may require.
any
The boxes are propelled along the tracks by an endless cord or belt C, C'; driven
by a suitable motor indicated at C* Figure 1, the said cord running through guide
grooves d¹ in the brackets d see Figure 20 that support the rods forming the tracks

page_text: wherever the tracks run in a straight line, and passing around guide pullies or wheels
at the various angles in the tracks.
The cash boxes B are provided with clutches ", r¹, the construction and operation of
which will be hereinafter more fully described, which seize the propelling cord and
cause the boxes to be carried along therewith. The jaws r, r, of the clutch when
engaged with the cord are slightly above the cord guides d' which they pass over
freely as shown in Figure 12. The greater portion of the tracks will usually be in a
substantially horizontal direction with the cash boxes upright and resting on the
wires a, a, and b, b, beneath them, and the one track vertically over the other.
When, however, it is desired to turn the tracks from the horizontal direction
downward at any considerable angle as indicated at A Figure 1, the construction of
the tracks and the guides for the cords may be as shown at A' Figure 1 and on a
larger scale in Figures 7 and 8.
e,
At these points one of the tracks is moved laterally with relation to the other as
shown in Figure 7, and the brackets do that support the wires or rods of the tracks
and hold them in proper position with relation to one another are provided with an
el
extension d¹² below the lower rods of both tracks, having bearings dls for wheels
The three rods forming each track
properly grooved to receive the propelling cord.
are curved concentrically with the axis of the said wheels, the two supporting rods of
each track a, a, and b, b, being at the same distance from the axes of the respective
wheels e, e', while the third or guide rods a¹, and are at greater distances from the
axes. The wheels are of such diameter that the boxes B will follow around their
peripheries without binding in the tracks.
In this construction the plane of the bottom of the box is at right angles to the
plane of the guide wheel in which the axis of the track at either side of said wheel
fies, and the propelling cord comes between the box and wheel as it should.
The said wheels e, el, have V grooves to receive the propelling cord and are
provided with flanges e projecting beyond the V grooves which are just wide enough
to receive the jaws r, 1 of the clutches on the box when closed on the cord as shown
in Figure 12 thus positively preventing the said clutches from opening and releasing
the cord in going around the wheel, and the clutches merely lift the cord slightly from
the grooves of the wheel at a single point as shown in Figure 7" and have no tendency
to throw the cord off from the wheels.
When the tracks have to make a second angle in a vertical plane in the opposite
direction to an angle such as last described and shown for instance at A² Figure 1, it
is obvious that the guide wheels such as just described, cannot be used without
inverting the boxes as the guide wheels must be above the propelling cord, and if the
boxes were also above the propelling cord they would come between the said cord
and the periphery of the wheel thus throwing the cord off from the wheel. An angle
like that at A might be passed using guide wheels such as employed at A¹ by giving
the tracks between A' and A' a twist half around so that the boxes would be inverted
in passing from A¹ to A³, and the tracks and boxes would in such cases be inverted
from the normal position after passing from the horizontal part of the track beyond
the angle at A2 and would have to be twisted half round again to bring the
track and boxes to their normal upright position preferred for the delivery of the
boxes at the stations.
It is generally preferable in passing angles of this kind to use the cord guiding
arrangement shown at A' Figure 1 and in Figures 2 and 3 this arrangement also
being employed where the way is to change its direction or turn toward either side in
a horizontal plane as shown at A³ Figure 1. For this purpose the tracks have to be
twisted about their longitudinal axis through a quarter turn between the points A¹, A³
or so that the bottoms of the boxes when arriving at A2 will be at right angles to the
position they had when leaving wheels at A¹ and such a quarter turn of the track is
shown in Figure 1 between the points A1, A2 and also beyond the point A² so that the
track is restored to its normal position with the boxes thereon right side up before the
latter reach the next angle A³ which is in this case in the horizontal plane. The
twists are made by graudually bending the six wires forming the two tracks helically

page_text: around the longitudinal axis of the way, which can be done without material change
in the position of the three wires forming each track with relation to one another at
any point along said track, so that they continue to sustain and guide the boxes the
same as if no such twist were made. At these points the brackets do Figures 2 and 3
that support the guide rods, instead of extending wholly around the path of the boxes
like the ordinary brackets d such as shown in Figure 20 used between stations, have
their upper and lower horizontal members d¹¹, d, extending laterally towards the
centre of curvature of the way and connected with bearing pieces e¹³, 14 for a
stationary spindle e¹s see Figure 3 the wheels e¹0, e¹ that support and guide the
propelling cord C, C¹.
The upper horizontal member of the bracket is provided with a downwardly
extended arm d³ that supports the inner rod of the two supporting rods for the boxes
and around the periphery of the guide wheels the inner supporting rods are flattened
as shown at a², 62 Figures 1 and 3 so as to permit the wheels eles to come very close
to the bottoms of the boxes so that the cord holding grooves of the said wheels and
the cord thereon is at the same distance from the track as the point in the cord held
by the clutch of the box, as shown in Figure 3, so that the said clutch will approach,
pass around, and leave the guide wheels without any tendency to throw the cord off
from the grooved wheel.
The flattened portions a² 62, of the track can be rivetted to the round portions as
shown at a, b, Figures 2 and 3.
The inner rod 62 of the lower track instead of being supported on the lower hori-
zontal member of the bracket as in the straight portion of the track, is supported
on an arm d extending inward from the outer vertical member of the bracket below
the periphery of the upper guide wheel e¹0 and above the periphery of the lower guide
wheel e, the said arm also supporting the outer lower rod af of the upper track, and
the upper or guide rod 6' of the lower track.
In order to facilitate the passage of the boxes around the curve and prevent binding
on the upper or guide rods a¹, 61, the latter are flattened at their sides.
The terms horizontal and vertical as used in this description apply to the parts
when in the position shown at a³ Figure 1.
To facilitate the construction of the way the rods composing the tracks thereof may
be made in convenient lengths and bored at one end to receive corresponding tenons
of the adjoining piece, and the corner pieces such as shown in Figures 2 and 3 may
be made, complete, with the rods all bored at their ends to receive corresponding
tenons in the straight pieces leading from such corners or angle pieces, and the parts
at stations are also made separately so that by providing a number of the angle pieces,
station pieces, and other special parts which will be hereinafter described, together
with lengths of the straight rods and the brackets used between stations the tracks
may be set up to conform to almost any desired conditions.
It is obvious that special corner pieces could be made with the same general
construction for greater or less angles, if desired, as indicated at A*, figure 1, where
the said corner pieces are at an angle in the vertical plane, and the way makes a
quarter twist at either side of the said angle, so that the boxes pass the said angles
with their bottoms in a vertical position the same as at A³.
The twists are made in the way without changing its direction so that the propelling
cord runs substantially straight from the periphery of one guide wheel to that of the
next and the twisted portion should occupy sufficient length of the way so that the
helical turn of the track rods will be gentle and will not interfere with the movement
of the boxes.
The outer sides of the jaws r, rl, of the clutches that connect the boxes with the
cord are recessed just above the cord holding portion as shown at ³, figure 12 to
receive the upper flanges of the cord guiding wheel as shown in figure 3, so as to
permit the cord to remain close to the periphery of the wheel as the box passes around
the wheel.
By having the clutches at the middle of the boxes the construction of the corner
piece may be just the same whether the box is to turn to the right or to the left.

page_text: When the track is to make a small angular deviation in a vertical plane as at A
where the track is shown as rising above its normal level and forming an archway to
afford a free passage below the track supporting brackets do see figures 4 and 5 may
be lengthened vertically making a somewhat greater space between the upper and
lower tracks than in the main portion of the way. In this space is placed a guide
pulley for the propelling cord C for the upper track, which guide pulley is wholly
above the lower track.
The bracket also has an extension d" below the lower track provided with bearings
for a pulley that guides the lower cord.
The construction of the bearings for the pulleys 20, 21, is shown in figures
4, 5, and 6, The axles fare reduced in diameter at their ends, which have a bearing
in tubes containing porous material saturated with a lubricant.
At the ends of the tracks remote from the cashiers desk the construction is as
shown at A figure 1 and in figures 9 and 10, this part of the tracks being beyond
the last station towards and from which the carriers or boxes travel. At these points
the propelling cord C, C', passes around a pulley g so arranged that the upper part of
its periphery is just below the supporting rods a of the upper track and the lower
part of its periphery is just below the supporting rods of the lower track, so that
the cord passos around the said wheel moving in one direction as indicated by the
arrow, in proximity to the upper track, and in the other direction in proximity
to the lower track. The said pulley runs in bearings supported on a carriage g¹
itself supported on and free to slide along the rods a and b of the upper and lower
tracks.
In order to maintain the propelling cord C, C', at the proper tension and to
prevent changes in tension by the shrinking or stretching of the said cord, the
carriage g is drawn towards the end of the track by a cord passing over a fusee
or spirally grooved winding drum g actuated by a spring g that owing to the spiral
form of the winding drum maintains a substantially uniform pull on the carriage g
insuring a uniform tension on the cord C, C. If a box should be obstructed on the
upper track, which is the track on which obstructions are most likely to occur, it
would simply stop the upper member (of the cord and the further propulsion of the
said cord by the motor would tend to take up or increase the tension on the lower
member of the cord, which would draw the pulley g forward from the end of the
track until it slackens the cord sufficiently to allow it to slip on the driving pulley
of the motor so that the cord would merely stop moving and no injury would result
to the apparatus.
At the stations where the boxes are delivered along the line the construction of
the upper or return track and mode of operation in delivering the boxes is indicated
at A', figure 1 and shown clearly in figures 17, 18, 19. The station apparatus is all
supported from three of the brackets do, d1, d2, as clearly shown in figures 17 and 18
which hold the supporting rods a and b of the track the same as at other points.
The guiding rod a¹ of the upper track is, however, discontinued between the two
endmost brackets do, d, at the station so that it no longer engages the notches c
of the boxes which may thus be removed from the track unless retained thereon by
other means.
The boxes are provided at their tops with pins or projections c² shown as made
integral with the end plates of the boxes and the said projections are placed at
different distances from the side of the box on boxes belonging to different stations.
Those for instance on the boxes belonging to the station nearest the cashier's desk
are nearest the side of the boxes on the side of the track towards which the boxes
inove when being delivered, and those on the boxes belonging to the second station
are one space further from that side and so on.
The boxes are shown in this instance as adapted to have pins in five different
positions on each side of the notch c, making ten different positions in all, or ten
stations that a single way or line of track can accommodate, and it is to be understood
that as many lines as may be required may radiate out from the cashier's desk, all
having substantially the same construction as the one herein described and shown,

page_text: it being understood that by the means described for turning angles in the track in any
direction the said tracks may be carried into different stories of a building and in fact
into all desired parts of a building with the same facility that piping can be carried
for the purpose of supplying gas or water.
At the stations, see figures 17 and 18 the space between the endmost brackets do, d
is spanned by a series of guide strips i that are fastened to the brackets by pins k
passing through lugs k¹ on the upper members of the brackets, the said strips being
separated from one another by a space sufficient to receive the pins c³ of a box, and
being held thus spaced by means of washers placed between them on the pins k¹.
The lower edges of the strips i extend down far enough to bear upon the top of
the boxes and thus prevent them from rising up from the supporting rods a of the
track, and the spaces or grooves between the pairs of adjacent parallel strips i
constitute guides which receive the pins of boxes belonging to stations beyond the
station in question, and thus guide the said boxes straight across the space at the
station where the guiding rod a is discontinued, the groove receiving the pins of the
box before the latter leaves the guide rod a¹ at one side of the station and directing
its notches over the guide rod a¹ at the other side of the station before the pins leave
the groove so that the box is positively guided at the station the same as at other
points.
At each station the guide strips that receive the pins of the box belonging to that
station are inclined towards one side of the track as shown at 1, 2, figure 18 and
consequently immediately after the pins of the box enter the groove between the said
strips,, and the notches of the box leave the end of the guide rod a' the box is
moved laterally from its normal path towards the side of the track at which it is to
be delivered.
The jaws r, r, of the clutches on the boxes, see figure 11 are operated by a lever t
fulcrumed in lugs t¹ extending from the rear of the box and acted upon by a spring t
tending to raise the lever t which extends across the end of the box and projects
slightly beyond the front thereof as shown in figure 13. The said lever is provided
with a pint engaging cam slots in the jaws r, r, which are pivoted upon the end
of the box in such a manner that the upward movement of the lever t tends to raise
and close the jaws and the downward movement of the said lever tends to lower and
open the jaws as shown in figure 13. When left free the lever t rises sufficiently far
to raise the jaws wholly above the level of the bottom of the box, as shown in
figure 11, so that it can rest ovenly on a flat surface, and with the jaws in this posi-
tion can slide laterally off from the supporting rods of the track. The lateral move-
ment of the box that is to be delivered at a given station, which movement is
produced by the inclined guides ¹, , is sufficient to bring the end of the clutch
operating levert of the box into engagement with a clutch disengaging cam m
supported on the intermediate station bracket d the upper part of which is slightly
wider than the other station brackets as shown at d³ figure 19 and in the forward
movement of the boxes while guided by the strips 1, 2, the cam m causes the said
levert to be depressed and thus opens the clutch jaws of the box so that the propelling
cord C is released therefrom.
The guides d¹ for the portion of the cord that propels the boxes along the upper
track are as shown in figure 19 considerably lower down than the position with
relation to the bottom of the box at which the clutch holds the cord as shown in
figure 12 so that as soon as the jaws of the clutch are separated by the action of the
cam m the cord at once drops by gravity out from the jaws and is not again engaged
by them when they close after passing the cam m, and the box then continues to move
forward by the momentum it has acquired while being propelled by the cord. The
strip beyond the cam m is curved sharply outward as shown and by bearing on the
i¹
guide pins of the box throws the latter laterally completely off the supporting rods a
of the track so that it falls on a shelf E at the side of the track.
The said shelf E is supported on laterally projecting portions d¼, ½, of the
station brackets do, d", the former projection d being on a level with the upper
track, and the latter projection d" on the intermediate bracket, being at the level of

page_text: the lower track, and the shelf E inclines downward from the level of the upper track
to the level of the lower track at a point about midway between the projections d“, d",
being horizontal for the rest of the distance adjacent to the projection des
figure 17..
500
A rod or railing E' extends from the outer upper corners of the projections d", d*,
of the brackets in a direction substantially parallel with the shelf E and prevents the
boxes from falling or being thrown off from the shelf.
In order to apply the boxes to the lower track and connect them with the lower
member of the cord by which they are propelled towards the cashier's desk, the
guide-rail 6 of the lower track has a short gap 68, figure 17, slightly greater than
the length of the box, which permits the box to be inserted laterally with relation to
the track and placed on the supporting rails 6¹ thereof.
In order to insure that the notches in the top of the box when thus placed on the
lower track are in line with the guide rail b' thereof, which is pointed as shown at 6°
on the side of the gap towards which the boxes move, an additional guide rail n see
figures 17, 18, 19, is placed in position to engage the rear side of the box when
properly centred on the track with its notches in line with the guide rail b¹. The
said rail n is just above the lugs in which the clutch operating levert of the box
is pivoted as shown in figure 19, and prevents the box from tipping, or the rear side
from rising when the operator presses down on the said lever to open the jaws
Another guide rail n' engages the front lower edge of the box and assists in retaining
it with the notches in line with the guide rail b¹ and the rails n n', serve to properly
guide a box coming from a more remote station past the gap in the guide rail 6¹
of the lower track.
The said guide rails n, n¹, are pointed or turned outward on the ends where the
box first meets them see figure 18 so that the box cannot strike squarely against
them if it happens to be slightly out of line.
The jaws r, of the clutch, see figures 11, 12 and 13, are pivoted on the box B in
such manner that when opened by depressing the levert they move down below the
bottom of the box, and rise up in closing; and the guides d¹ for the lower
member C of the actuating cord at the stations support the cord at a slightly greater
distance below the bottom of the box than it is held by the jaws of the clutch, so that
the jaws when closed upon the cord will just clear the guides, as shown in figure 12
and consequently when the operator depresses the levert to open the jaws r,, they
pass down and by the sides of the cord in opening, and when widely separated as
shown in dotted lines figure 13 the cord springs up between them and is supported by
the guides d¹ so high that the jaws in closing will come below the middle of the cord,
as shown in full lines figure 13, and will catch and lift the cord as they close upon it,
moving from the position shown in figure 13 to that shown in figure 12.
When the box is to be sent to the cashier's desk it is placed on the track in the
gap and then if desired moved slightly along the track until engaged by the guide
rod as shown in dotted lines, figure 13, and when the box is on the track the
operator depresses the lever t, after which by releasing it, the jaws will spring
together and seize the cord and the box will at once start towards the cashier's
desk.
The construction of the track at the cashier's desk is best shown in Figures 14, 15
and 16. At this point the supporting rods a and b of the upper and lower tracks
terminate in a bracket or standard do which may be supported on the desk and is
provided with guide pullies e, e³ for the upper and lower members of the propelling
cord.
The guide rods a' 6' terminate before reaching the standard d and the end of the
guide rod a' is pointed as shown so as to readily receive the notches c of the boxes
which are placed by the operator on the supporting rods a and slipped along towards
the guide rod a' being guided in this movement by an additional guide rod n¹ that
operates like the one n on the lower track at the stations engaging the rear side of the
box just above the lugs t¹ in which the clutch operating lever is pivoted.

page_text: The upper member of the propelling cord is supported by its guides in such
position as to be seized by the jaws r, when they close after being opened by the
depression of the lever after the carrier has been placed on the upper track as
previously described in connection with the lower track at the stations. At the
cashier's desk the bracket do is provided with a disengaging cam m¹0 co-operating with
the boxes on the lower or forwarding track like the one m that co-operates with the
boxes on the upper or return track at the stations, but so located as to engage the
clutch operating levers t of all the boxes as they pass guided by the rod 6' of the lower
track thus opening the clutches and permitting the actuating cord to drop out. It
frequently happens that two or more boxes arrive at the cashier's desk in close
proximity to one another in which case the clutch of the following box might hold the
cord up while the clutch of the box first arriving was opened by the cam m10 and thus
prevent the cord from dropping out from the clutch of the box first arriving. In
order to prevent such an occurrence and ensure the disengagement of each box from
the cord upon its arrival at the cashier's desk a depressing cord guide P, see
figures 14, 15 and 16 is placed over the cord just beyond the cam m¹0 and throws the
cord down from the jaws of the clutch so that it will not be re-engaged by the said
jaws after passing the cam m, the jaws then immediately springing up so as to pass
above the depressing cord guide P. The guide rod of the lower track beyond the point
where the box is thus disengaged from the propelling cord is turned aside from the direct
line of the track as shown at 60 Figure 15 directing the box into a trough-like
shelf G of sufficient length to receive all the boxes that are likely to arrive during
the time occupied by the attendant in removing each box, making the proper
change and placing it on the upper track to return it to the station from which it
was sent.
The covers of the boxes are hinged to the body of the box and provided with
a spring e tending to open the cover which when closed rests on a seat or projection c
made by striking up a portion of the front of the box.
The cover when closed lies below the bottoms of the notches c that co-operate
with the guide rods a¹ b¹ and is held closed by a latch e pivoted on the top of the
cover and having its end movable to and fro with relation to a projection c³ on the
innerside of the end of the box.
The said latch is provided with an operating handle and is so arranged that
when engaged to fasten down the cover the said handle lies just at one side of
the position occupied by the guide rods a¹ or b₁ of the track, and the latch cª
cannot be disengaged without moving the handle es across this line. This arrangement
insures that the box cannot be applied to the track until its cover is properly fastened
down and when once applied to the track the cover cannot possibly be unfastened
until after the box leaves the track as the guide rod prevents the movement of the
latch required for unfastening.
Further than this, the guide rod itself would hold the cover down so that even if the
fastening should break the cover could not rise while the box was on the track
between the stations.
When the clutch of the box is disengaged from the cord, the clutch operating
bandle is sufficiently high to pass above the disengaging cams m, m10 and the
delivery of the box from the track at the proper station is independent of the action
of these cams which only serve to disconnect the boxes from the propelling cord and
if a box should be accidentally disconnected from the cord at the wrong station or at
any other point it would merely remain on the track until another box belonging to
its own station or to a station beyond, came along, when the other box would strike
the one that was disconnected and push it along in front of it until guided off at the
proper station.
The bottoms of the boxes that rest against the supporting rails are made of some
comparatively soft non-metallic material such as vulcanized fibre or wood, projecting
slightly below the metallic sides of the box, see Figure 13, and the ends of the boxes
around the notches are provided with pieces c¹ of similar material that engage the

page_text: guiding rods a¹, 6₁ of the track thus preventing metallic contact between the boxes
and track so that the boxes run with very little noise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make no claim to the
general construction of the track and carriers and devices for connecting the latter
with and disconnecting them from the propelling cord but what I claim is.
First In a conveying apparatus a track or guide way that engages the carriers
preventing movement thereof in any direction except lengthwise of the track; and
a propelling cord supported in guides adjacent to and substantially parallel with the
track, and wheels or pullies supporting the said cord at angles in the track the said
track being twisted axially at either side of said pulleys as described whereby the
plane of the wheel or pulley may be varied with relation to surrounding objects
without change with relation to the adjacent co-operating portion of the track
substantially as described.
Second A corner piece for a track of a conveying apparatus having two supporting
ways each composed of a series of parallel rods that embrace a carrier and restrain
the same from moving except lengthwise of the track and a propelling cord; the said
corner piece comprising two guide wheels e, el placed side by side, and the guide rods
of said track concentric with said wheels and supporting brackets that hold the said
rods and the bearings for the wheels which wheels have their plane at right angles
to the plane of the supporting part of the track substantially as described.
Third A corner piece for a track of a conveying apparatus having two supporting
ways each composed of a series of parallel rods that embraces a carrier and restrain
the same from moving except lengthwise of the tracks and a propelling cord, the said
corner piece comprising two guide wheels e, e¹ placed side by side and the guide rods
of said track concentric with said wheels and supporting brackets that hold the said
rods and the bearings for the wheels, one of said wheels being of larger diameter than
the other and extending radially beyond the track that co-operates with the other
smaller wheel, substantially as described.
Fourth A corner piece for a track of a conveying apparatus having two supporting
ways each composed of a series of parallel rods that embrace a carrier and restrain
the same from moving except lengthwise of the track and a propelling cord, and
carriers having clutches that engage the propelling cord; the said corner piece
comprising two guide wheels e, e' placed side by side and the guide rods of said track
concentric with said wheels and supporting brackets that hold the said rods and the
bearings for the wheels, which wheels have a cord receiving groove and flanges beyond
said groove that receive the clutch jaws between them, substantially as described.
Fifth A corner piece for a track of a conveying apparatus having two supporting
ways each composed of a series of parallel rods that embrace a carrier and restrain
the same from moving except lengthwise of the track and a propelling cord; the said
corner piece comprising two guide wheels elo, e¹ and the guides of said track and
supporting brackets that hold said guides and wheels which wheels have their plane
parallel with the plane of the supporting guides, the inner guide being flat and lying
close to the side of the wheel, substantially as, and for the purpose described.
Sixth A corner piece for a track of a conveying apparatus having two supporting
ways each composed of a series of parallel rods that embrace a carrier and restrain
the same from moving except lengthwise of the track and a propelling cord; the said
corner piece comprising two guide wheels 10, e¹ and the guides of said track and
supporting brackets that hold said guides and wheels which wheels have their plane
parallel with the plane of the supporting guides, the inner guide being flat and lying
close to the side of the wheel the carrier having clutches the jaws of which have cord
receiving depressions on one side and a recess on the other side that receives the
flanges of the cord supporting wheel, substantially as described.
Seventh-In a track comprising supporting ways each composed of a series of
parallel rods that embrace the carrier and guide the same lengthwise of the track,
T

page_text: the said rods being supported at intervals in brackets with one guide way over the
other, an angle bracket provided with cord guiding pullies e one corresponding
to either guide way and one being located between the two tracks and the other below
the lower tracks, substantially as described.
Eighth. In a conveying apparatus a track comprising two separate guide ways
each composed of a series of rods that embrace and guide the carrier and an endless
propelling cord, the two portions of which run in opposite directions in proximity to
the two guide ways, a terminal pulley for said cord at the end of the track having a
longitudinal movement on the said track and a straining device for the said terminal
pulley whereby the propelling cord or belt is maintained at the proper tension in its
normal operation and is relieved when accidentally obstructed, substantially as
described.
Ninth A conveying apparatus comprising a track and carriers supported and
guided thereon provided with clutches a propelling cord or belt moving in proximity
to said track in position to be engaged by said clutches, and a cord detacher located
between the cord and carrier for the purpose of removing the cord from the clutch,
substantially as described.
Tenth In a conveying apparatus a track or guide way and carrier longitudinally
movable thereon provided with clutches that engage the propelling cord and clutch
operating handles and disengaging cams supported near the track in position to engage
the handles of the carriers that are to be delivered at that point the said cams being
proportioned to the clutch operating handles as described whereby the said handles
pass the cams without engagement when the clutch is not connected with the cord but
are engaged by the said cams and operated to open the clutch when engaged by the
cord substantially as described.
Eleventh-The combination of the track and propelling cord moving in proximity
thereto, with a carrier supported and guided by said track provided with a clutch the
jawe of which move from the body of the box in opening, and towards it closing and
guides d for the propelling cord at the points where the carriers are to be connected
therewith that hold the said cord in position to be engaged by the jaws of the clutch
in closing, but, permit the jaws when closed upon the cord to pass clear of said guides
substantially as described.
Twelfth A conveying apparatus comprising a track and boxes movable therein,
the said track having a portion that engages and supports the boxes and a rod that
enters a groove in the box and holds it in engagement with the supporting portion of
the track and permits lateral movement of the box with relation to the track, the said
guide rod having gaps at points where the carriers are to be applied to the track com-
bined with auxiliary guide rods that engage the boxes at such gaps in the main guide
rod and guide the boxes over the gaps and into engagement with the main guide rod,
substantially as described.
Thirteenth A conveying apparatus comprising a track and boxes movable thereon,
provided with clutches and a clutch operating lever pivoted in lugs projecting from
the body of the box the said track having a portion that engages and supports the
boxes, and rod that enters the grooves in the box and holds it in engagement with the
supporting portion of the track and prevent lateral movement of the box with relation
to the track, the said guide rod having gaps at points where the carriers are to be
applied to the track, combined with auxiliary guide rods that engage the boxes at such
gaps in the main guide rod and guide the boxes over the gaps and into engagement
with the main guide rod the said auxiliary rods being located to engage the boxes
above the lugs for the clutch operating handle, substantially as described.
Fourteenth In a conveying apparatus the combination of a track with a carrier
movable on said track having a cover provided with a movable locking device, said
locking device being provided with a projection located as described to cooperate with
a portion of the track the said projection being placed in proximity to a portion of the
track and when the cover is unlocked lying in the position occupied by the said
portion of the track when the carrier is on the track which arrangement prevents the

page_text: carrier from being placed on the track until the cover is locked and prevents the
cover from being unlocked while the carrier remains on the track, substantially as
described.
Fifteenth The combination of the track having two guide ways and a propelling
cord moving in proximity thereto, and supporting guides d', for said cord, those co-
operating with the cord at one track being further from said track than those
co-operating with the cord at the other track, and a carrier co-operating with the said
guide ways having a clutch the jaws of which move from the carrier in opening and
towards it in closing whereby they will seize and grip the cord when opened and
closed upon the track when the cord guides are nearer, but will release and be dis-
engaged from the propelling cord when opened and then closed on the other track
where the cord guides are more remote substantially as described.
11
101 1
L 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.