Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Pressure Tubes for Elevating or Transmitting Light Articles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Pressure Tubes for
Elevating or Transmitting Light Articles.
I, WILLIAM RAINE, of 5, Portland Place, Darlington, in the County of Durham,
Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pneumatic pressure tubes to be used for elevating
or transmitting light articles such as cash, cheques, telegrams and the like, from
one level to another.
In pneumatic pressure tubes at present in use the door of the tube is pivotally
mounted on the spindle of the air valve, so as to open outwards and when closed
up embraces the half circle of the 'air tube. By this arrangement it is found
very difficult to obtain an air tight contact between the tube and the door and
a good deal of noise is produced due to the escape of air.
The object of my invention is to remedy this defect and to substitute for the
hinged flap or door a circular slide cover so arranged that the closing of the slide
opens the passage of the tube, and vice versa, thereby effecting a better sealing
of the air and dispensing with noise altogether. A turther object of my inven-
tion is to furnish the pneumatic tube with a joint fitted up with flanges and
rubber packing instead of soldering as hitherto used.
In carrying my invention into effect I furnish the pneumatic tube with the
usual opening for the reception of the box containing the articles to be trans-
mitted. This tube is provided with a rubber seating and has a semicircular
conduit or opening formed in its base for the passage of air through the tube.
Surrounding this tube is a circular casing or slide cover furnished with a handle
and an opening corresponding to the opening in the tube. This slide cover is
furnished with a valve which slides between the valve seat of the fixed tube and
has a corresponding conduit or opening formed therein so that by closing the
slide cover the conduit comes in line with the conduit of the fixed tube and opens
the passage for the air, and by opening the slide cover the conduits are thrown
out of line and so the passage of the air in the tube is closed. These conduits
are so formed that the air passes gradually into the tube as the slide case closes.
The slide cover is provided with notches which engage with recesses formed on
the fixed tube so as to limit the travel of the slide cover corresponding to the open-
ing in the fixed tube and slide cover.
In order to effectually seal the joint between the pneumatic tubes I provide
a flange on each end of the tube which is furnished with bolt holes and slots
for adjustment by screw bolts. One end of the tube partially enters the end of
another tube, spigot and socket style, and a rubber packing is placed between
the flanges so that when tightened up by the bolts and nuts an air tight joint
is effected.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Pressure Tubes for
Elevating or Transmitting Light Articles.
I, WILLIAM RAINE, of 5, Portland Place, Darlington, in the County of Durham,
Plumber, 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 pneumatic pressure tubes to be used for elevating
or transmitting light articles such as cash, cheques, telegrams and the like from
one level to another.
In pneumatic pressure tubes at present in use the door of the tube is pivotally
mounted on the spindle of the air valve, so as to open outwards and when closed
up embraces the half circle of the air tube. By this arrangement it is found
very difficult to obtain an air tight contact between the tube and the door and
a good deal of noise is produced due to the escape of air. Furthermore the
joints of the pneumatic tubes are usually soldered together or furnished with
ordinary flanges which require skilled labour in fitting up.
The object of my invention is to remedy these defects and to substitute for the
hinged flap or door a circular slide cover so arranged that the closing of the slide
opens the passage of the tube, and vice versu, thereby effecting a better sealing
of the air and dispensing with noise altogether. A further object of my inven-
tion is to furnish the pneumatic tube with a joint on the spigot and socket
principle fitted up with the flanges and rubber packing instead of soldering as
hitherto used, which joint can be readily made by unskilled labour.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawing in which Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of a pneumatic pressure
tube constructed in accordance with my invention and furnished with my
improved joint; the door being shewn in the open position and the valve closed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but shewing the door closed and the valve open.
Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on line x z of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a plan
view of my improved joint.
In the drawing, a is the pneumatic tube which I furnish with the usual open-
ing b for the reception of the box c containing the articles to be transmitted.
This tube is provided with a rubber seating d supported on the seat e forming
part of or soldered to the fixed tube a and has a semicircular conduit or open-
ing el formed in its base for the passage of air through the tube. At a suitable
distance below this valve seat is another seat f secured to the fixed tube by
means of screws or the like and having a corresponding conduit or opening f
provided therein. Surrounding the fixed tube is a circular casing or slide
cover g furnished with a handle g¹ and an opening corresponding to the opening b
in the tube. This slide cover is furnished with a valve h which shares its move-
ment and slides between the valve seats e and f of the fixed tube and has a corre-
sponding conduit or opening h¹ formed therein so that by closing the slide cover g
as shown in Fig. 2, this conduit h¹ comes in line with the conduits of the fixed
tube and opens the passage for the air, and by opening the slide cover, as shown
in Fig. 1, the conduits are thrown out of line and so the passage of the air in the
tube is closed. These conduits are so formed that the air passes gradually into
the tube as the slide case closes. The valve h is limited in its travel by the set
screw i engaging in the slot a' which extends half the circumference of the fixed
tube a.
As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 the slide cover g is provided with

page_text: a catch g2 which engages with stops a² a³ formed on the fixed tube so as to limit
the travel of the slide cover corresponding to the openings in the fixed tube and
slide cover.
In order to prevent the box c flying out of the tube when it falls
on to the rubber seating d I attach a wire ; to the slide cover in front of the open-
ing which wire can be moved to one side when the box requires to be taken out.
Referring to the upper part of Fig. 1 and the plan view in Fig. 4, in order to
effectually seal the joint between the pneumatic tubes I provide a flange k on
each end of the tube which is furnished with bolt holes and slots for adjustment
by screw bolts. One end of the tube partially enters the end of another tube,
spigot and socket style, and a rubber packing is placed between the flanges so
that when tightened up by the bolts and nuts an air-tight joint is effected without
the employment of skilled labour.
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 what
I claim is:-
:-
1. In pneumatic pressure tubes for elevating or transmitting light articles, the
use of a circular slide cover connected to the air valve to share its movement and
in such relation thereto that the closing of the slide opens the passage of the tube,
and vice-versa, thereby effecting a better sealing of the air and dispensing with
noise altogether, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with pneumatic pressure tubes for elevating or transmitting
light articles, the use of a joint on the spigot and socket principle fitted with
Hanges and rubber packing instead of soldering as hitherto used so as to dispense
with skilled labour, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the pneu-
matic pressure tube device for elevating or transmitting light articles, substan-
tially as herein before described and illustrated.
Dated this 15th day of September 1899
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.