AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CON- VEYANCE AND TRANSPORTATION IN PNEUMATIC TUBES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Armand Gilbee, of the General Patent
Office, 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CON-
VEYANCE AND TRANSPORTATION IN PNEUMATIC TUBES."-A communication
from abroad by Albert Brisbane, of New York, in the United States
of America.
Sealed the 23rd November 1869, and dated the 10th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Armand Gilbee
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th June 1869.
I, WILLIAM ARMAND GILBEE, of the General Patent Office, 4, South
Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
CONVEYANCE AND TRANSPORTATION IN PNEUMATIC TUBES," to be as follows, that
is to say :-
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of conveying
and transporting goods, wares, and merchandise by means of hollow

page_text: .
spheres which are propelled by atmospheric pressure within pneumatic
tubes. The tube is constructed of wood, iron, or any suitable material
of any desired size or capacity for practical purposes, ranging, say, from
two to ten feet in diameter. It will be provided with the ordinary means
of exhausting the air within or forcing it into it for operating upon the
hollow spheres by atmospheric pressure in the same manner that cars
are propelled within pneumatic tubes. The hollow sphere or spherical
shell is made of iron or steel formed in sections, or provided with a man-
hole for charging or discharging cargo. In the bottom of the tube is a
smooth hard track on which the hollow sphere rests and rolls when in
motion. And for securing greater steadiness of motion the sphere may
rest upon or against a double track of slightly raised bearings on each
side of the centre of the bottom of the tube. The tracks or bearings
should be made of polished steel, and the periphery of the sphere which
comes in contact with the track or tracks should also be made of polished
steel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Armand Gilbee in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ARMAND GILBEE, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street, Fins-
bury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Armand Gilbee, Her special licence that
I, the said William Armand Gilbee, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Armand Gilbee, my execu.
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF CONVEYANCE AND TRANSPORTATION IN PNEUMATIC TUBES," (a com-

page_text: munication from abroad by Albert Brisbane, of New York, in the
United States of America) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Armand Gilbee, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Armand Gilbee, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto.
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of conveying
and transporting goods, wares, and merchandise by means of hollow
spheres or balls which are propelled by atmospheric pressure within
pneumatic tubes. The tube is constructed of wood, iron, or any suitable
material of any desired size or capacity for practical purposes, ranging,
say, from two to ten feet in diameter. It will be provided with the
ordinary means of exhausting the air within or forcing it into it for
operating upon the hollow spheres or balls by atmospheric pressure in
the same manner that cars are propelled within pneumatic tubes. The
hollow sphere or ball is made of iron or steel formed in sections, or
provided with a man-hole for charging or discharging cargo.
bottom of the tube is a smooth hard track on which the hollow sphere
rests and rolls when in motion. And for securing greater steadiness of
motion the sphere may rest upon or against a double track of slightly
raised bearings on each side of the centre of the bottom of the tube. The
tracks or bearings should be made of polished steel, and the periphery of
the sphere which comes in contact with the track or tracks should also.
be made of polished steel.
In the
Articles to be transported are placed inside of the hollow spheres or
balls. The weight of the load bears upon the periphery of the hollow
spheres or balls, and as they revolve on their own or imaginery axes
there is no axle friction, but only rolling friction; hence the motive
power needed to move a load enclosed in hollow spheres or balls is
much less than that required for moving it on trucks or carriages

page_text: mounted on wheels, which has to overcome axle friction. The hollow
spheres or balls acted upon by atmospheric pressure will move with
great velocity and safety, and effect a great saving of motive power:.
They are simple and cheap in construction. The first cost of trucks
and wheels of carriages will be saved, as well as the great expense
incurred for wear and tear of rolling stock required, for railway
transport.
But in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I will
now proceed to describe the manner of performing the same by refer-
ence to the several Figures of the accompanying Drawing,. in: which
similar letters. of reference represent corresponding parts, in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a part of a pneumatic tube
shewing the hollow spheres. or balls enclosed therein and the operation
of the valves for the passage of the spheres, or balls at way stations or
relays of motive power..
Figure 2. is a cross section of a pneumatic tube containing a hollow:
sphere or ball..
Figure 3. represents a pneumatic tube with, its. terminus. and a relay
station.
Figure 4 represents a rectangular tube shewing a modified application
of the system by means of cylinders.
In these Figures A is a pneumatic tube; B is a terminus station; and
C, C, are relays of motive power or way stations where the air is
exhausted from the tube or forced into it to. propel the hollow spheres or
balls D, D, by atmospheric pressure. Pneumatic tubes for this purpose
may be constructed of planks and timber or of masonry, all thoroughly
cemented and rendered waterproof and air-tight either above or under-
ground. The hollow spheres or balls should be made of cast iron or
steel in sections; they are provided with doors or man-holes for
receiving and discharging their loads, which are stowed firmly inside
of them. The air may be exhausted from or forced into the tube by
means of pumps or fans, or in any of the usual modes of operating
pneumatic tubes. The hollow spheres or balls are made to fit loosely
and roll freely within the tube, running upon a smooth iron or steel rail
laid down in the bottom and having a concave surface slightly excentric
with their periphery; or the hollow spheres or balls may run upon two

page_text: rails placed in the tube below their centre and projecting from the
inner surface of the tube just enough to receive and bear the spheres or
balls as they roll along in the tube. Hollow cylinders E, E, Figure 4,
may be used instead of spheres or balls to run upon two rails in the
bottom of rectangular pneumatic tubes, but they have not equal
advantages.
At relay or way stations placed at proper distances for operating the
pneumatic tube advantageously, say ten to fifteen miles. apart, on the
main line will be arranged a valve a, Figure 1, provided with automatic
apparatus to open when the hollow spheres or balls approach and arrive
and close when they pass; the tube is thus operated in sections, while
the hollow spheres or balls move forward through the tube without
interruption. In this manner the hollow spheres or balls follow each
other in quick succession. The hollow spheres or balls may be stopped
at any station when desired by means of suitable throttles or brakes b, b,
Figure 1, made to bear upon their surface, while at the same time the
atmospheric pressure is relieved, and this operation may be performed
either by the direct action of an attendant or automatically.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, what I claim as new and desire to be
protected is, the employment of hollow spheres or balls propelled by
atmospheric pressure in pneumatic tubes for the conveyance and
transport of goods, wares, and merchandise enclosed in such hollow
spheres or balls, substantially as herein-before described and represented.
in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Armand Gilbee, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-