Improvement in Pneumatic Transmission Systems.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application 2nd My 99-Accepted, 9th Sept, 18'9
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Pneumatic Transmission Systems.
I, BIRNEY CLARK BATCHELLER, of 1518, North 15th Street, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to pneumatic transmission systems and has for its object
particularly to provide an improved system for automatically actuating a switch
which governs the course of a carrier through a tube or its branches, though
certain features of my new construction are adapted for independent uses.
In my Patent dated December 21st, 1897, No. 30,201, I have described and
shown a mechanism for switching or transferring carriers from a main tube to
other tubes or branches by automatic mechanism operated and controlled by
selecting mechanism connected with the carrier and in which provision is mad
for checking the impetus of the carrier in advance of its operation on the trip-
ping or selecting device upon which it acts, and a leading feature of my present
invention is the application of the general and leading principle of my said
prior patent to the actuation of a switch as distinguished from a transferring
apparatus such as is shown in my said patent.
The nature of my improvements will be best understood as described in con⚫
nection with the drawings in which they are illustrated and in which,
Figure is a sectional elevation showing a portion of a pneumatic trans-
mission tube system including a branch tube and provided with my improvements.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the tube and a cross section through
agate arranged to open and close said tube, taken as on the section line 2-2
of Fig. 3, and
Figure 3 is a cross section through the gate taken on the section line 1-1 of
Fig. 2.
A indicates the main tube of the system. B a branch tube leading therefrom
and the switch box or chamber formed at the junction of the main and branch
tubes. Dis the switch which, when in the lower position shown in full lines
in Fig. 1, closes the branch tube and guides the carrier through the box C, while
in the position shown in dotted lines, it closes the main tube and guides the car-
rier into the branch B. The switch is pivoted on a rock shaft D' from which
also extends a lever D² by which the switch is actuated at a point in advance of
the junction of the main and branch tubes. An opening E is formed in the
main tube to give passage to a sliding gate H. Fis an air by-pass leading
around the gate passage and connecting with the main tube on each side thereof
through slotted openings, as indicated at G G. The function of this air by-pass
is to permit the free passage of the air around the gate when it is closed and for
reasons which will be understood in connection with the further description.
The connection G with the main tube on the side from which the carrier advances
to the gate should be at such distances from the gate as to give ample room for
a carrier to lie between it and the gate. The sliding gate 1 is connected with a
piston rod I secured to a piston 1ª working in a cylinder 1³ having ports i and ♬

page_text: on top and bottom, said ports leading from the valve chamber I', the valve 15
working in which is connected with a stem 10 which in turn is attached to the
outer arm of a lever J pivoted at J and having attached to it an armature Ja
placed, as shown, between two electromagnets J and J. In the plan shown com-
pressed air is supplied to the valve box through a pipe 17 leading to the main
transmission tube and in the valve box an exhaust port is provided controlled.
like the inlet port, by the motion of the valve 1. The connection between the
gate and the piston rod is for reasons which will be described preferably not
made positive but effected by means of a slot in the end of the piston rod
though which passes the pin B secured in the upper part of the gate, see Fig. 2.
Turning next to the mechanism for actuating the switch shown at the right
hand of Fig. 1, the free end of the lever is connected by a link K to the
piston rod of a piston K², said piston working in a cylinder Kª having ports k
and leading into its end from a valve box K, K being the valve working in
said valve box and connected by the stem K with the free end of a lever L
pivoted at 1 and having attached to it an armature 12 lying between the two
electromagnets Land L. Compressed air is led from the tube to the valve box
by a connection Ki and the exhaust of the valve box is indicated at F. It is
obvious that the admission of air to either end of the cylinders P and K³ as
controlled by the valves appropriate to each cylinder will by the connections
described cause in the one case the opening and closing of the gate and in the
other case the movement of the switch D from one to the other of its two opera-
tive positions and that the movements of the valves are controlled by the ener-
gising of one of the two magnets arranged to operate the said valves in each case,
Returning now to the detailed construction of the mechanism immediately
connected with the gate: M is a head piece, so to speak, situated in a convenient
cavity in the gate having a rearwardly extending stem M' conveniently guided
as shown and a pin Mª extending through so as to form, what may be called
by analogy, trunnions which in turn are engaged by the lever arms P secured
in turn to a rock shaft. P and connected by a lever also secured to said rock
shaft. The head M supports the two tubes Mª and M' which extend from it for-
ward toward the front face of the gate and serve to hold the springs № which
press against plungers N³ secured to the rod conductors N and NT
parts of these rods extending backwards through the tubes M and M' and their
front portions extending forward out of said tubes and through insulated open-
ings nn in the front face of the gate. Both of these pins are connected in electric
circuits as illustrated in Fig. 1 and as will hereafter he described. On the stem M
of the head M is secured a bracket M³ having spring lips 0 arranged immediately
to the rear of rod N and in such position that when the said rod is pushed back-
ward it will be engaged by the spring lips which, like the rod itself, are connected
in electric circuit, as indicated in Fig. 1. Qis a rod extending vertically through
the gate as shown and having a slofted opening Q' at its upper end into which
passes a pin secured on a bracket Rextending out from the side of the slotted
end of the piston rod 1. To a pin indicated at Q" in the rod Q is connected by
means of a slot the free end of the lever arm P¹. A similar slot and pin connec-
tion is made between the said rod and the free end of a lever U, to be hereafter
described, as indicated at Q' and the lower end of the rod Q is as shown made
hollow as indicated at Q and Q forming upper and lower spring eases between
which is formed a slot Q27. q and q indicate the springs situated in the spring
cavities or enses referred to. S is a bracket extending into the cavity in the gate
in the rear wall thereof and holding at its outer end a pivot pin Si upon which
is pivotally secured the bell crank lever S 82, the arin S lying immediately
beneath a slotted end 1 of the rod and the arm normally drawn toward the
rear by a spring S is arranged to engage with the shoulder Q formed on the
upper part of the rod Q when the said rod is raised to a sufficient height. T is
a guide way as shown of cylindrical form formed in the lower part of the gate
and in which moves a head Tattached to a sirm T upon which is formed a
The rear

page_text: retaining lip T3 beyond which lip the body T of the stem is adapted to give pass-
age to the forked arms of the lever U. Upon the forward end of the stem T
is secured a valve, as it may properly be called, T T which, in the particular
instance illustrated, is a piston working in a companion air passage Te formed
through the front face of the valve and connecting with a passage T8 leading
through the lower part of the gate and by which air is permitted to escape
through the same. T is a spring arranged in a convenient cavity on the rear
side of the gate to act against the head T and press it and the valve T outward.
The slotted armis already mentioned are attached to a ruck shaft to which
is also attached the lever arm connected as before described at Q with the
rod Qis a catch lever adapted when in the position shown to engage with
the lip T on the stem T said catch lever being secured to a rock shaft C to
which is also attached a lever arm which said last mentioned arm extends
through the slot Q in the rod Q and lies between the springs q and q
The electrical connections of my preferred construction are indicated in Fig. 1.
Y and Y indicate batteries, W a finger circuit closing devices extending into the
main tube A and arranged, when pushed backward by an advancing carrier, to
come in contact with a spring WW2 is a similar circuit closing finger arranged,
when pushed backward by a carrier passing through the branch B, to come in
contact with the spring W. The circuit wiring is as follows: A wire connects
with the rod N and then by means of branches with the circuit closing finger W
and the battery Y from which connection .r branching at leads in the one case
through the electromagnet L and thence by the circuit wire to the rod N',
while in the other branch the connection is through the electromagnet L and the
circuit wire with the spring W Another circuit wire connects with the
spring fingers in the gate and branching connects through one branch with
the finger Wand through the other branch with the battery Y, thence
branching, as indicated at r, it connects either through the electromagnet
and wire with the spring Wor through the electromagnet and wire r?
with the line wire already described. Vindicates the carrier having at its
front end a selecting disc similar to those described in my former patent
already referred to.
The operation of the device is readily followed. The gate It is normally closed,
a free passage for air however through the tube A being provided through the
by-pass F
A carrier approaching the gate after passing the first connection G
compresses the air in front of it and has its motion gradually checked as it
approaches the gate H. The compression of the air in front of the carrier acting
upon the valve T pushes it inward to a sufficient extent to free the lip T3 from
its engagement with the catch lever ³ and the spring resting on the upper end
of the lever pushes this and the catch lever down out of the plane where the
catch lever would engage with the lip T. Upon a relaxation of the air pressure
which may occur either through the leakage of air or by a slight backward move-
ment of the carrier the spring T acting on the head T pushes the valve T out-
ward opening a passage for the air through the valve closed passage T and its
connection T whereupon the pressure in the rear of the carrier will bring it
gradually and without destructive shock forward against the front of the gate.
where in all cases it will engage the centrally disposed rod X and push it in
compressing the spring № until the rear end of the rod engages with the spring
fingers electrically connecting the wires and and closing the circuit, which
can be traced as follows: Beginning with the springs through the wire and
its branch to the battery Y, thence through the branch and the electro-
magnet J to the wire which connects with the wirer leading to the rod N.
The magnet being thus energised attracts the armature J and moves the
|lever J upward, the said lever acting through the valve rod I moving the valve 15
upward so as to open a passage for compressed air through the port to the
under side of the piston 1. the same movement of the valve opening the port z
to the exhaust passage. The upward motion of the piston 12 acting through

page_text: the piston rod I draws said rod upward, the pin R¹ engaging with the top of the
slotted end of the rod Q (see Figs. 2 and 3) first of all raises the said rod
through a distance equal to the length of the slot at the end of the piston rod.
In moving through this distance the rod first of all carries with it the end of
the lever P which through the rock shaft and the arms P' moves the head M
backward retracting the rods N and N until their ends lie within the front face
of the gate and so as not to interfere with the raising of the said gate. In the
second place the upward motion of the rod Q acting on the lever U moves the
arms inward and the said arms pressing against the annular lip on the
rod press the said rod and the valve T back to or in the rear of the position
which they occupy in Fig. 2. The upward motion of the rod Q also brings
the spring into contact with the lever arm 1** raising it and the catch lever 173
connected with it to a position such as that shown in Fig. 2 where it will engage
with a lip T The further upward motion of the piston rod I geting on the
pin mises the gate H opening a free passage through the main tube A where
upon the pressure of air behind the carrier will force it past the gate and into
the portion of the main tube to the right of the gate bringing it into contact
with the finger W and moving said finger so as to make contact between it and
the spring W. This contact closes the circuit which can be traced as follows.
riz: from the finger W through the wire and the wire to the battery Y³
thence through the branch through the electromagnet and the wire 20 to
the spring W. The emergising of the magnet causes it to act upon the arma-
fure J drawing the lever d down and bringing the valve 1 to the position shown
in Fig. whereupon the compressed air beneath the piston 12 will escape while
motive fluid is supplied on top of said piston to force it and the gate II down.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be observed that the catch lever 82 will, as
the rod moves upward, be moved under its shoulder Q by the notion of the
spring Sand upon the descending motion of the rod I the said catch lever 82
will hold the lever Q in its raised position which, as already explained, involves
the retraction of the head M and the rods N and N until the gate has again
closed the main tube, whereupon the further descent of the rod 1. acting on the
lever S will retract the catch lever S2 and permit the rod Q to move down to the
position shown in Fig. 3, the effect of which is to thrust the head M and the rods
carried by it out to the position shown in Fig. 2.
The plate on the front of the carrier Vis a selecting device as explained
in my former application, the size of the plate determining whether or not it
will come in contact with the rod N in any particular gate. If the plate is of
such a size as not to make contact with this rod the switch D, remains in the
position shown in Fig. 1 and the carrier passes along over it through the main
tube A. If, on the other hand, the selecting plate is of such sizo as to
make contnet with the rod N as well as the rod N this contact closes the circuit
which is to be traced as follows: from the rod N through the wire to the bat-
ery thence through the wire and its branch to the electromagnet L
thence through the wire to the rod X and thence through the selecting plate VI
to the rod N. The energising of the magnet L' attracts the armature 12 and
moves the lever I toward the right, said lever in turn nefing on the valve rod K
moves the valve K to the right admitting compressed air to the left hand side of
the piston K and permitting it to exhaust from the other side of the cylinder K³.
the piston therefore moves to the right and acting through its rod K and link K
nets upon the lever 19 and raises the switch D to the position shown in dotted
lines in Fig. so that the carrier is switched into the branch line B. After pass-
ing the switch the carrier comes in contact with the finger Wand moves it so
ns to make contact with the spring W closing the circuit through line .r, the
battery Y, the line its branch leading to the magnet 13 and thence through
the wire to the spring W the energising of the magnet Lacting on the arma-
ture 12 and lever moving the valve back to the position shown in Fig. 1 and

page_text: causing a motion of the piston K which returns the switch D to the position
shown in full lines in Fig. 1.
My invention as above described is embodied in the mechanism which I con-
sider best adapted for its successful application but is obviously capable of em-
bodiment in various modifications of apparatus. Except therefore where my
claims are specifically limited to the detailed construction shown I wish it to
be understood that such limitations are not to be implied and that such claims
are intended to cover not only the specific mechanism illustrated but all modi-
fications of such mechanism which are in substance equivalent thereio.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is
1. In a pneumatic transmission system, a main tube and a branch tube extend-
ing therefrom in combination with means for checking the motion of a carrier
as it approaches the junction of the tubes, a switch at the junction of the tubes
and means arranged to be engaged and actuated by the carrier after its motion
is checked for automatically moving said switch.
2. In a pneumatic transmission system a main tube and a branch tube extend-
ing therefrom in combination with a gate arranged in advance of the junction of
the tubes to close and open the main transmission tube, an air by-pass conduit
connecting with the main tube on each side of the gate, the front connection
being such as to leave a dead air space in front of the gate, and means for open-
ing the gate having actuating devices situated in the dead air space aforesaid
and arranged to be set in operation by a carrier as it approaches said gate.
3. In a pneumatic transmission system, a main tube and a branch tube extend-
ing therefrom in combination with a gate arranged in advance of the junction
of the tubes to close and open the main transmission tube, an air by pass conduit
connecting with the main tube on each side of the gate the froni conarction
being such as to leave a dead air space in front of the gate, means for opening
the gate having actuating devices in the dead air space aforesaid and arranged
to be set in operation by a carrier as it approaches said gate, and means for
closing the gate arranged to be set in operation by the carrier as it recedes from
The gate.
4. In a pneumatic transmission system, a main tube and a branch tube extend-
ing therefrom in combination with a gate arranged in advance of the junction of
the tubes to close and open the main transmission iube, an air by-pass conduit
connecting with the main tube on each side of the gate the front connecting being
such as to leave a dead air space in front of the gate, a switch at the junction of
the tubes, means for actuating the gate having actuating devices situated in
the dead air space aforesaid and arranged to be set in motion by the carrier and
means for actuating the switch arranged to be set in motion by a selecting
device on the carrier.
5. In a pneumatic transmission system, a main tube and a branch tube extend-
ing therefrom in combination with a gate arranged in advance of the junction
of the tubes to close and open the main transmission tube, an air by-pass conduit
connecting with the main tube on each side of the gate the front connection
being such as to leave a dead air space in front of the gate, a switch at the junc-
tion of the tubes, means for opening the gate having actuating devices situated
in the dead air space aforesaid and arranged to be set in motion by a selecting
device on the carrier, and means for closing the gate and switch arranged to be
set in operation by the carrier as it recedes from said gate and switch.
6. In a pneumatic transmission system, a main tube and a branch tube leading
therefrom. a normally closed gate situated in the main tube in advance of the
junction, an air by-pass leading around the gate, a switch at the junction of the
main and branch tubes, means for opening and closing the gate in the main tube,
an electromagnet arranged to actuate said means to open the gate, a normally

page_text: open circuit including said electromagnet, means for closing said circuit actuated
by the approach of a carrier to the gate, means for operating the switch, an
electromagnet arranged to actuate said means, a normally open circuit including
said electromagnet and means for closing said eircuit arranged to be operated
by a selecting device on the carrier.
7. In a pneumatic transmission system, the combination with a tube of a
sliding gate arranged to close the same, a passage, as T, through said gate which
when open permits the air to escape through it, a valve arranged to close said
passage, means as spring Q tending to open said valve, a catch arranged to hold
said valve closed and means actuated by an increase of pressure in front of the
gate for releasing said catch.
8. In a pneumatic transmission system, the combination with a tube of a slid-
ing gate arranged to close the same, a passage, as T6, through said gate which
when open permits the air to escape through it, a valve arranged to close said
passage, means as spring tending to open said valve, a catch arranged to hold
Said valve closed, means actuated by an increase of pressure in front of the gate
for releasing said catch, and means actuated by the movement of the gate in
opening arranged to close the valve and reset its catch.
9. In a pneumatic transmission system, the combination with a tube of a
sliding gate arranged to close the same, a passage, us T, through said gate
which when open permits the air to escape through it, a vulve arranged to close
said passage, means as spring Qtending to open said valve, a catel aanged
to hold said valve closed, means actuated by an increase of pressure in front of
the gate for releasing said catch, means for opening the gate and mechanism for
setting said means in operation arranged to be actuated by a carrier and placed
close to the front face of the gate.
10. In a pneumatic transmission system, the combination with a tube of a
sliding gate arronged to close the same, a retractable head, as N, situated in the
gate, rois as N N supported on said head and arranged to project beyond the
lace of the gate when the head is in the forward position, sand rods constituting
part of the gate actuating mechanism, means as rod I for actuating the gate.
means for retracting the head M and a connection from said last mentioned means
to rod whereby the motion of said rol first retracts the head and then raises
the gate.
1
"
1
1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.