Improvements in Pneumatic Tube Apparatus for the Despatch of Letters and other Objects.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar.,
1890
Improvements in Pneumatic Tube Apparatus for the Despatch of
Letters and other Objects.
I, THOMAS RICHARD SHILLITO of 89 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
a communication to me from abroad by Josef Wildemann jr. of Kronprinzen Ufer,
Berlin, in the German Empire, Merchant, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the despatch of letters and other objects by
the agency of compressed air.
Apparatus of the kind hitherto in use presents the disadvantages of complication of
construction and working; expensiveness in first cost and repairs, and of large space
requirement, and the object of the invention is to render the apparatus more simple
so as to do away with the aforesaid disadvantages. It consists mainly of an arrange-
ment which allows of the employment of only one organ for the purpose of shutting
off, passing through, discharge and admission of air instead of one for each of the said
operations as is usually the case.
The receiving and despatching chamber is fixed to an upright-a wall for instance.
Two air tubes open at the end lead into it their extensions communicating with
adjacent offices. The door of the receiving and despatching chamber is closed against
elastic packing by means of a hand lever. A stop or shut off cock is intercalated
in the air despatch tube for shutting off or opening communication with the chamber.
In addition to the straight orifice in the plug of the cock in communication with the
said air tube there is another orifice at the end of the plug which is in connection
with a pipe leading to the atmosphere. The cock is operated by a hand lever and
toothed wheel work. It may be placed in three positions respectively for opening
communication through the despatch tube to the chamber at the same time opening
communication with the atmosphere; for shutting off the despatch tube from the
chamber; and for opening communication through the despatch tube without com-
munication with the atmosphere. A manometer shiews the air pressure within the
apparatus, which works as follows:-
When an object is to be transmitted through the despatch tube to the receiving
chamber the cock is placed in the first of the aforesaid positions the object driven
by the compressed air arriving at the chamber just after the despatch tube has been
placed in communication with the atmosphere. The operator then places the cock in
the shut off position to prevent further passage and discharge of compressed air, the
air remaining behind in the chamber and end of the despatch tube being then drawn
off. The door is now opened when the object just arrived may be either taken away
or sent on further by the second tube after reclosing the door, the compressed air for
the purpose passing past the cock and through the chamber from one despatch tube
to the other, the outer atmosphere being shut off.
The receiving and despatching chamber is formed round at top so that the object in
course of conveyance may slide thereon without making any noise or not sufficient
to cause inconvenience.
The noise is further lessened by suitably lining the chamber.
T. R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.

page_text: COMPLETE, SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tube Apparatus for the Despatch of
Letters and other Objects.
I, THOMAS RICHARD SHILLITO of 89 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
a communication to me from abroad by Josef Wildemann jr. of Kronprinzen Ufer,
Berlin in the German Empire, Merchant, 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 apparatus for the despatch of letters and other objects
through tubular conduits by the agency of compressed air and more especially to a
means consisting of one organ only for shutting off, passing through, withdrawal and
admission of air and the object to he forwarded.
Apparatus of the kind hitherto in use presents the disadvantages of complication of
construction and working; expensiveness in first cost and repairs and large space.
requirement, and the object of the invention is to render the apparatus more simple.so
as to do away with the aforesaid disadvantages.
In the accompanying drawing Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a sectional view and a,
front elevation of the apparatus of this invention.
The
The receiving and despatching chamber A is fixed to a wood plate bolted to an
upright—a wall for instance. P, P, are supports to chamber A and table N. D, E,
are two air tubes open at the end leading into chamber. A. their extensions therefrom
communicating with adjacent offices. The door B of the receiving and despatching
chamber A is closed against elastic packing by means of a hand lever C. A stop
cock or shutting off organ Fis intercalated in the air tube D, D', it may be either
above or underneath the floor of the. building. It serves for shutting off or opening
communication with the chamber A. In addition to the orifice f in the plug of the
cock there are lateral orifices and orifice f" for the purpose when necessary of
communication with the outside air through a suitable aperture or pipe L.
cock is operated by means of a hand lever H fixed on a vertical shaft carried
through column G and carrying at its lower end a toothed wheel engaging in a cor-
responding wheel on the cock spindle. The proper throw. or adjustment of hand
lever H is insured by means of stops or indicating points, on column G. The cock. F
may be set in three different positions, respectively, for, open communication through
despatch tube D to the chamber A, at the same time opening communication, with
the atmosphere, when the lever H is turned to the right; for shutting off the
despatch tube D from chamber A when the lever. His in the middle position; and
for opening communication through the despatch tube D, without communication
with the atmosphere when the lever H is turned to the left. Amanometer M serves
for indicating the pressure of air within the.apparatus, which works as follows:-
When an object is to be transmitted through tube D,, D, to,chamber A the
cock is adjusted to the first of the aforesaid positions, that is, such a one as will
allow of through communication past orifice of the, cock. between the two
divisions D, D of the despatch tube and at the same, time of communication with the
outer atmosphere through ff, f" and L. The, air in front of the driven object
can now escape and the object arrives in chamber A to the floor of which it, falls.
The cock F is now adjusted to. shut off D from D. and prevent any, further
passage and exit of compressed air, when cock I may be opened, to. discharge the
air present in. D and; A. This being done the door B is opened, the object, which
may be supposed to be a box or case containing letters, is taken out, those for
that particular station removed, the box or case with the remaining letters and it
may be additional letters placed in the open end of tube E, the door B closed,
communication opened past cock F between D and D' without communication with
the atmosphere, the third of the aforesaid positions. The compressed air then drives
the box or case through tube E in the same manner as through D, D' and so on.

page_text: The receiving and despatching chamber A is formed round at top so that the
object in course of conveyance may impinge against it without making so much
noise as to cause inconvenience. The noise is also diminished by providing the
chamber A with a suitable lining, so that there will only be that which is requisite
to serve as an indication to the attendant of the arrival of an object that he may
act accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:
In pneumatic tube apparatus of the kind referred to the arrangement of a single
organ such as F of such construction that conduits D, D' may be placed in communi-
cation past an orifice with chamber A and at the same time conduit D' in
communication past orifices," and conduit L with the outer atmosphere, and
conduits D, D', in communication past orifice with each other, with chamber A,
and with the further conduit E, in combination with a receiving chamber or receiving
and despatching chamber having a round form at top for the prevention of shocks
and noise substantially as described and shewn,
Dhe oth
1900
T. R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.
T. R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.