Improvements relating to the Dispatch or Transmission of Messages, Parcels, and the like, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Dispatch or Transmission of Messages,
Parcels, and the like, and to Apparatus therefor.
I, JEROME CARTY of 919 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Attorney and Counsellor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
My invention relates generally to pneumatic dispatch or transit systems for
messages parcels and the like and particularly to that system comprising a central
or main station having one or more separate tube circuits or mains leading from
and back to the main station and each tube circuit having connection with the
receiving and transmitting devices of all the local or sub-stations connected to or
included in each tube circuit which tube circuits have at the sub-stations and at
other suitable places switches, electrically controlled or set from the main station
for diverting the carriers from the main line to the sub-stations which switches are
reset and locked in their normal positions by the movement of the carriers passing
them.
The first part of my invention has for its objects mainly to provide a complete
system of pneumatic dispatch or transit in which any number of carriers may be
sent successively from the main station to any one of the sub-stations or from any
one of the latter to the main station which carriers simultaneously travel through
the main line tube to their destination without interfering with one another and at
substantially the same rate of speed from end to end of their path of travel
in the tube; to provide for inserting the carriers into and delivering them from
the system at any main or sub-station without permanently stopping the travel
of any of the carriers in the tubes and without breaking or intercepting the
continuity of the motive power in the tubes and without permitting any part of
the said power to escape from the tubes at the stations where the carriers are
inserted into and delivered from the system to provide for shunting the motive
power in the tubes of the travelling carriers around a broken or faulty carrier
diverting-switch in a main or other tube and for repairing said faulty switch
without necessitating stoppage of traffic on any part of or on the whole line as
has heretofore been the case; to provide for preventing a carrier about to pass
out from a sub-station into the main line, blocking or jamming a carrier travelling
in the main line and approaching the junction of said outlet of the sub-station and
main line; and to provide flowing air currents for the motive power for propelling
the carriers in contradistinction to vacuum or air pressure force heretofore used
which flowing air currents have the same power from end to end of the line to
propel the carriers at the same rhte of speed from their initial to their terminal
point of travel, and flow through all the sub-station tubes as well as the main line
to admit of any number of carriers being inserted into the system and following
one another at a uniform speed without gaining upon one another.
For the accomplishment of these objects one end of each tube circuit at the
central station is connected to an air reservoir or tank which in turn has a pipe
connection with air pump or blower and the other end of each of the said circuits
is open to the external air and if desired may be provided with a governor for
regulating the escape of the air from or its admittance to said open end for
effecting a continuous flow of air or circulation through the main and sub-station
tubes from end to end of the circuit for propelling the carriers. At the main
station and at the sub-stations are separate transmitting and receiving devices.
The transmitting devices are so constructed that they operate to convey a carrier
into the current or flow of air in the tube without interfering with or cutting off

page_text: the said flow of air to the sub-station and without permitting any part of the flow
of air to escape from the tube. The receiving devices are so constructed that as
soon as a carrier enters the receiver it ceases to be subject to the propelling force
of the air currents and its velocity is utilized to actuate mechanism for closing or
scaling the receiver to prevent the escape of any part of the air current from the
tube and also to effect the delivery of the carrier from the receiver.
At the junction of the main tube and the inlet tube for a sub-station or for a
branch tube are located carrier diverting switches controlled from the main or
central station and are reset to normal position by the carriers as they pass by
said switches.
At the junction of the main tube and the outlet tube from the sub-stations are
pivoted levers operated by a carrier either in the main tube or in the outlet tube
to prevent locking of carriers at the junction of the main tube and the sub-station
outlet tube. In the main tube between the junctions with it of the inlet and
outlet tubes of a sub-station is inserted a suitable valve which is normally closed
but offers little resistance to the passage of the carriers which valve is employed
to divert or shunt the flow of air from the main tube to and through the sub-station
and back again to the main tube in order that the flow of air through the main
and sub-station tubes and that a carrier diverted into the sub-station may be
propelled through the inlet pipe thereof to the receiver at the said station at the
same velocity or speed that it is propelled through the main tube.
At the junction of the main tube and the sub-station inlet and outlet tubes or at
any other suitable places in the circuit are located shunt plugs or valves connected
also by a separate or bridge pipe for shunting the path for the carrier and flow of
air from the main tube through said plugs and bridge tube when the switches
levers or other part of the main tube between said plugs are faulty or need
repairing or replacement of parts. The first part of my invention accordingly
consists of the pneumatic dispatch tube system, method of propelling the carriers,
and the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as hereinafter
described in the Specification.
The second part of my invention relates to pneumatic dispatch tube systems
having sub-lines leading out from a central station and the sub-lines having
subscribers stations; and it has for its object the transmission of carriers from the
central station to any of the sub-line stations and from the latter to the former
through a single tube and controlled from the central office so that no manipulation
of parts of the system at the subscribers station by the subscriber is required to
transmit or send a carrier except to place the carrier in the tube when sending it.
The second part of my invention consists of the method of operating and the
combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts comprising the system as
hereinafter described.
The said invention comprises a main or central station from which the tube
circuit leads out of and returns to, and the said tube being practically continuous
from end to end and ineluding any number of sub-stations. The outgoing end of
a single tube circuit is connected to or includes an air reservoir or chamber which
has a pipe connection with a pump or blower or air current producing mechanism.
This mechanism may be located immediately at the central or main station or
otherwise, as desired. Included in the outgoing end is the main station carrier
transmitter to be hereinafter described. The other end of tube is connected with
the main station carrier receiving and delivery device to be hereinafter explained
and said end is open to the atmosphere. If desired it may be provided with any
suitable form of governor or valve for the purpose hereinafter explained but which
is not essential and can be dispensed with.
The sub-stations are arranged for and have the following described devices.
The outgoing pipe and incoming pipe thereof are connected to or form a loop
from the main tube by coupling boxes through which tube and the sub-station
tubes are continued, the latter curving in opposite directions into the former and
containing an air current diverting valve in the line of tube, a carrier diverting

page_text: Switch at the junction of tube and sub-station incoming tube and carrier anti-
blocking or jamming lever devices at the junction of the tube and sub-station
outgoing tube together with the electrical or other actuating devices for the carrier
diverting switch as hereinafter explained. To the end of sub-station incoming
tube is attached a receiving and delivery device and the sub-station outgoing tube
connects with its incoming tube in advance of the receiving and delivery device
and includes a sub-station transmitting device. All the sub-stations are similarly
equipped and the receiving and delivery devices for the sub and main stations are
alike, while the transmitting devices for the main station differs from that for the
sub-stations in detail as hereinafter explained. In the main tube adjacent to the
ends of the coupling boxes are included shunt plugs connected by a separate or a
bridge tube for shunting the air current and carrier around a faulty place in the
line as hereinafter more fully set forth.
In order that the general construction and operation of the entire system may be
more readily comprehended 1 will first describe the above noted parts and their
operation in detail.
The main station transmitter consists essentially of a cylindrical casing having
preferably diametrically located coupling ends for connection with and continuing
tube through the said casing, a side opening intermediate of the said coupling ends,
a removable cap or cover in which and in the bottom of the casing is journalled a
skeleton plug the upper end of the shaft of which projects through a stuffing box on
the top of cover and is provided with a turning handle or lever.
The skeleton plug has a diametrical passage way or channel of a diameter equal
to the bore of tube.
At one end of said passage way on each side of said end are peripheral flanges
which flanges are provided to seal the side opening in the casing when the skeleton
plug is rotated in the casing as hereinafter described. Upon the top of cover at
any suitable location are two stops for limiting the movement of the plug-lever
with its handle against the stop, the plug-opening is turned out of the line of tube
and registers with the casing opening, but this position of the plug does not
interfere with, nor stop the flow of air or motor power through the transmitter,
because such flow passes through the skeleton part of the plug. Such described
position of the plug is the one which it is caused to assume when a carrier is to be
inserted into its plug-way preparatory to moving it into the line of way of the tube.
As soon as the carrier is inserted through the casing opening into plug-way the
plug is reversely turned until its handle impinges against stop. The plug-way is
then brought into alignment with tube and the carrier is in the path of said tube
and instantly partakes of the motion and velocity of the air flowing through said
tube. In moving the plug to either of the said described positions the plug-flanges
move across the casing-opening to keep it sealed when the plug-way is not in
registration therewith. A transmitter so constructed and operated, it will be
noted, admits of rapidly delivering any number of successive carriers to tube
without permitting any escape of air or motive power and without interfering with
the flow of air currents and the travel of the carriers in tube; the normal position
of the said plug-way being in alignment with the tube.
The sub-station transmitter consists of a casing with diametrical openings to
complete the passage of the outgoing tube to the casing, a side opening intermediate
of said openings, a removable cap, a plug having a lever or handle passage way or
channel, flange or wall for sealing, casing, opening, and limiting stops substantially
the same as described for the main station transmitter, except that the bottom of
the casing is depressed and a way or channel at right angles to plug way is formed
in the plug to form an air conducting passage through the transmitter when its
plug is turned to bring its way into registration with casing opening for inserting
the carrier. As the way is simply an air passage the wall or flange of the plug
between the ways admit of momentarily checking the flow of air in the sub-station
during the very small interval of time that the plug is being moved to place an
inserted carrier in alignment with said tubes so that a slight accumulation of air in

page_text: the said tubes is obtained to impart to the carrier its full initial movement directly
it enters or is placed in the path of the tube or the air current therein, and hence
the air channel has no function except during the insertion of the carrier into the
system at the sub-stations, the normal position of the plug-way being in alignment
with the sub-station tube.
The sub-station transmitter it will be noted has the same advantages as that of
the main station transmitter with the addition that it provides for imparting a full
initial movement to the carriers, as soon as they are inserted into the system.
The main station and sub-station receiver and delivery device are alike in
construction and a description of one answers for both. It consists of a coupling
having inlet and outlet openings to which the main or sub-station tubes are
connected the said openings being preferably located at an angle to one another.
The continuation of the inlet tube opening in the said coupling is perforated,
surrounding which perforated part of said inlet is a duct or way leading to the
outlet tube so that the current of air entering the tube is diverted or passes
through the perforations into the way and thence on to the outlet tube to continue
its travel through the system. At the terminal end of the inlet tube is an annular
flange or seat and surrounding this seat is a box or chamber in the outer end of
which is an opening having a flanged inner end or seat closed by a pivoted gravity
valve.
The coupling is firmly secured to brackets in which are mounted parallel guide
rods upon one end of each of which preferably are spiral springs acting against a
suitably constructed carriage mounted and sliding on the said guide rods. Another
carriage is similarly mounted and operated and if desired these carriages are
separated from each other by buffer springs. These carriages may have roller
bearings on the guide rods to diminish their friction bearing on the guide rods, or
they may be otherwise mounted thereon as desired. Upon the carriage is pivoted
a tube or barrel the end of which is weighted to cause the barrel to normally assume
a horizontal position. Upon one of the carriages is a hollow head block having a
handle. In the bore of the head block is a piston, a reaction spring for the said
piston, which has a link connection with a pawl or catch lever pivoted to carriage
for engagement with a fixed stop. The inner face of the head block is provided
with a seat which has an opening leading into the bore of the head block. The
barrel or tube when in its normal position is in line with the opening in chamber
of the coupling and when not in use it and the carriages are in the other position that
is to say, the carriages are moved to the left to withdraw the end of barrel out of
the chamber of the coupling and the opening of said chamber is closed by the valve
which then closes by gravity upon the inner flange of the opening to prevent the
escape of air from said coupling. When a carrier is to be received, the carriages
are moved to the right the operator doing so by means of the handle causing the
end of barrel to enter the opening of the chamber raising the valve from the said
opening as it enters the latter. The barrel is moved into the chamber until it
engages with the flange therein at which time the pawl has moved into engagement
with the stop to hold all of said movable parts in their adjusted position. In coming
to this position the face or seat is moved up into sealing contact with the outer end
of the barrel and to effectually seal the joint between the face or seat and barrel
the one carriage is separate from the other and the springs are interposed between
the said carriages so that at the terminal movement of the former carriage it alone
moves against the resistance of the springs to cause the face or seat to exert
a pressure on the adjacent end of barrel after it has been fully moved to its
position.
A carrier arriving at the box inlet tube is propelled by the air into the barrel
until the carrier passes the perforations where the air is then deflected or continues
its onward movement to the outlet tube. But the momentum of the carrier causes
it to continue through the barrel. In its movement therein it compresses the air
ahead of it to a sufficient degree so that when it reaches the outer end of the barrel
there is enough power to operate or slide the piston backward or to the left. This

page_text: movement of the piston releases the pawl from the stop and the reaction of springs
moves both carriages to the left until the barrel is withdrawn from coupling chamber
at which time its valve falls to seal its opening to prevent escape of air. As the
said carriages and barrel come to the terminal end of the said last described move-
ment, the reaction of the springs between said carriages act to slightly move the
carriages apart to release the outer end of barrel from the seat and the barrel is
free to be tilted by the weight of the carrier in its outer end which then over-
balances the end of the said barrel. As soon as the latter is tilted the carrier
drops out and the weight of the end of the barrel returns it to its normal
position.
The foregoing described receiving and delivery device admits of receiving a
carrier and automatically delivering it from the system without interfering with
the flow of air therein and without escape of air therefrom. The carrier is checked
within a limited space by the air cushion formed ahead of it in the barrel which
cushion is utilized to release the locking mechanism for the said device and when
released the carrier is automatically ejected from the system.
If it is desired to cushion the action of the springs a suitably formed and
located air piston and cylinder device may be placed in connection with the
carriage.
In one modification the gravity acting valve for the chamber opening of coupling
is removed therefrom and located to seal the annular flange opening in the said
chamber. In this case the said valve is provided with a crank and link connection
with a pivoted bell crank lever, the free end of which engages with an inclined lug
or cam on carriage as it is moved to insert the end of the barrel into the chamber
the said lug and the end of the lever being so located that the contact between them
is made and the lever moved to raise said valve out of the way of the end of the
barrel as it enters the chamber. The coupling boxes may be of any desired form,
but for the purpose of facilitating connection of the sub-station inlet and outlet
tubes with the main tube as well as to locate at their junctions the carrier diverting
switch and the anti-blocking lever and the air current diverting valve between said
junctions, I prefer to construct the said boxes in two halves each half having
Hanges for bolting them together and the passages through the coupling boxes
for continuing the main and sub-station pipes therethrough are made as heretofore
described.
The valve may be of any suitable construction it is located within a casing forming
part of coupling section or box and in which casing the line of the tube passage
through the box is broken to form an end which the said valve seals or closes.
The valve is composed of two semi-cone shaped halves suitably pivoted and having
springs for closing them together which is their normal position in order to deflect
the air current from the tube of the circuit to the inlet tube of each sub-station,
the said air currents passing through the sub-stations by way of the passages
in the receiver couplings and thence through the outgoing tube back to the
main tube.
The said valves however do not obstruct the passage of the carrier through them,
as a carrier travelling in the main-tube successively opens and passes through the
valves which automatically close, the momentum of the carriers continue them from
the valves to the junction of the tube and outgoing sub-station pipe whereat they
again meet the air current, and hence it is preferable to locate the said valves as
near to the said junction as possible in order that the carrier may almost instantly
meet the air currents from the sub-stations after passing through the valves. The
use of the latter admits of an air current through the main tube and through all
the sub-station tubes for delivering the carriers to and sending them from any one
of the sub-stations by way of the circuit tube.
To indicate at the main station the passage of a carrier through a valve an
electric signal indicator or registering circuit is provided for each valve, which is
normally open and has one of terminals in casing adjacent to one section of the
valves which section is suitably rounded or connected to the other end of the said

page_text: circuit so that when a valve is opened by the passage of a carrier, the opened
circuit for the said valve is closed to actuate the indicator signal or register.
The carrier diverting switches consist of a pivoted lever the outer end of which
when in position to do so aligns with the tube so as not to obstruct the passage
of a carrier through the circuit tube and when moved into the latter it diverts the
carrier from the said tube into the sub-station tube. The lever has a tail piece
which may be integral with the said lever or separate therefrom mounted on the
same pivot, and engaging with the said lever as desired.
This tail piece has an indent or recess for engagement with the end of an armature
lever for electro magnets and upon the armature lever is pivoted a lever which
engages with the lever or its tail piece and the said levers are connected by a spiral
or other spring. The electro-magnets are in an electric circuit including a switch
at the central or main station, so that said switches are operated from the central
station, as freely set forth in United States Letters Patent granted to
November 4th 1884 No. 307,437.
me
When any one of the switches are in their normal position to admit of carriers
passing through the main tube the tail piece of the lever is in locking engagement
with armature lever to maintain the said switch in such position.
When the electro magnets are energized from the central or main office the
armature lever is attracted to release it from tail piece and the spring then acts
through the medium of lever to throw the pivoted lever across the main tube and
move the tail piece of the said lever into the sub-station inlet-tube to divert the
carrier from circuit tube to inlet tube and as the carrier travels through the latter
tube it meets and raises the tail piece to move the pivoted lever into its normal
position or into locking engagement with the armature lever. The object of using
the separate armature lever and the lever connected by the spring is to obtain a
quicker movement of the pivoted lever and a better or more secure locking engage-
ment for the said lever which engagement is not liable to be accidently released.
The anti-blocking carrier device consists of two separate pivoted levers the one
lever being shorter and is located back of and resting upon the other lever suitable
cam faces being formed on the contiguous parts of said levers. The said levers
describe different radii and hence when moved by a carrier passing out of sub-station
pipe the short lever is raised or thrown across the tube in advance of the long lever
and stops any carrier that 'may be travelling in that part of tube at the time a
carrier is passing out of the outgoing pipe.
As the stopping of the carrier in the tube is effected by the short lever and as
the longer lever is still free to move owing to the cam faces on said levers the
carrier in the tube pushes the long lever aside independently of the short lever and
passes into the tube whereupon the said levers fall to admit of the onward move-
iment of the carrier in the tube temporarily checked or held up by the short lever.
It will be noted therefor that blocking of carriers at the junction of the main
tube and the sub-station outgoing tubes is avoided..
The shunt plugs consist of coupling boxes having passage ways for continuing
therethrough the tubes of the system to which they are connected and also for a
separate bridge pipe connecting two of such shunt plugs said couplings being
provided with suitable casings for the plugs having actuating handle and ways.
When the said plugs are moved in one position the way is brought into alignment
with the tubes of the system to permit the carriers to pass therethrough and this
position is the normal one for the shunt plugs. A movement in an opposite direction
brings the plug way into connection or alignment with the bridge pipe and the tubes
of the system cutting out that part of the latter between the shunt plugs and
diverting around it the air current and the carriers: The shunt plugs are only
used when a fault occurs in the tubes of the system between the plugs and as such
fault necessitates repairing or replacement the same can be quickly and promptly
effected without stopping or closing the whole line of traffic; the only part of the
system not then in service is that part in which the repairs are being effected.
From the foregoing it will be noted that each sub-station is provided with a

page_text: coupling box a carrier diverting switch, an air current diverting valve a carrier
anti-blocking devices a transmitter, a receiving and delivery device and shunt plugs
with bridge that the air current passes from the main station successively through
cach sub-station so that there is a constant flow from end to end of the line, the
said air current escaping from the end of the tube circuit. If a governor is applied
to said end the escape of the air may be regulated as desired but such governor is
not essential and need not be used.
The reservoir prevents the pulsations of the pump being felt in the tubes or in
other words it provides for a steady and continuous current of the desired velocity.
A carrier tube be transmitted from the central station is inserted in the trans-
mitter and by it is moved into the air current in tube and is carried or propelled to
the sub-station desired, the switch for the latter being electrically released from
the central or main station, the carrier is diverted from the tube to the said sub-
station and is delivered by the receiver. A carrier sent from a sub-station is
placed in its transmitter and passes out of its tube into the main tube to the receiver
at the main station.
Any number of carriers can be successively inserted into the system at the main
and sub-station without interference and all travel at the same speed and normally
follow each other without gaining upon one another as the velocity of the air
current or circulation in the system is constant and without permitting such air to
escape at any of the transmitting and receiving devices.
The single tube circuit hereinbefore described is the simplest form of my system
but it is evident that the improvements are equally applicable to various arrange-
ments of single tube circuits having separate outgoing and ingoing tubes common
to all the sub-station as fully shown described and claimed in my aforesaid United
States Letters Patent, as well as to other systems heretofore known.
Another form hereinbefore described comprises a more complex system in which
one tube circuit is connected to the pressure side of the pump, and another tube
circuit is connected to the suction side of the pump. The air currents in the
said circuits are in reverse directions and this form is especially applicable for
use with sub-line circuits as fully set forth in a pending application of even date
herewith.
Any suitable form of carriers may be used, thus the usual telescoping cylindrical
carrier which in addition thereto their section may have bayonet joints for firmly
holding them together so as not to become separated as the carrier is propelled
through the tubes.
Instead of electrically releasing the locking mechanism for the carrier diverting
switches, such release may be pneumatically or hydrostatically effected. In this
modification the electro magnets and armature are dispensed with and a cylinder
and piston connected to locking lever and under control of similar cylinder and
piston at the central office are substituted.
In this case the tail piece of the pivoted lever does not extend into the tube and
in lien thereof an air or water piston projects into tube and is actuated by the
carrier as it passes to in turn actuate a second piston connected to the pivoted lever
for returning it to its normal position.
Similar pneumatic or hydrostatic devices operated by the carriers may be con-
nected with valves wherein the piston or spring supported plunger projects into the
tube to be depressed by the carrier and which actuates the plunger to raise the
valve before the carrier reaches the same. In this case the valve may be a tubular
one and provided with a gate or leaf for closing it to divert the air current to the
sub-stations.
In place of using the form of receivers above described I sometimes use a form
in which no sliding and tilting barrel is used and in lieu thereof the tube is con-
tinued on, and is provided with a slide gate or valve to prevent escape of air. This
gate has a connection with two pivoted levers which are also pivoted to one another
the lever carrying an armature for electro magnets and a tail piece to project. into
the pipe for the carriers to engage with. An attraction of the magnet oscillates the

page_text: levers to depress the tail piece on one of them, into pipe and to cause the other
lever to raise the gate and allow the incoming carrier to pass by the same and
travel through the pipe. The carrier in passing through the said pipe engages
with the tail piece and reversely moves levers to close the gate. When the carrier
reaches the end of pipe it rests on a tilting valve which the weight of the carrier
tilts to allow the said carrier to either drop out of the system, or drop upon a
second tilting plate which may be correspondingly actuated while the first named
plate is closing and the carrier escapes from the system.
If desired however the said two tilting plates may be connected together and
have locking devices but this is not essential.
From the foregoing, it will be noted that a main line tube passes out from and
returns to the central station, so that each tube leading therefrom forms a complete
circuit in itself and all the sub-stations connected thereto have their inlet and outlet
pipes, joined to the one or the same side of said main tubes and not to different
sides or to the outgoing and returning sides of the same; and to effect this the said
sub-station inlet and outlet tubes have reverse curved junctions with the main tubes.
Such construction admits of the provision of any desired number of sub-stations or
branch lines from end to end of the main tube. It will be further noted that, by
locating the valves for each sub-station in the main line between the inlet and
outlet ends of the sub-station tubes joined to the main line, only a single valve need
be used for each sub-station for causing the motive power to successively pass to
each of the sub-stations throughout the tube-circuit.
Another modification of my invention comprises devices and arrangement of
tubes for operating in conjunction with the foregoing described system a single
tube having sub-stations.
This system consists of a central office station and sub-line leading out of said
station and having branches for the subscribers stations. The said subscribers
stations are provided with combined carrier receiving and transmitting devices
which form part of the tube of the system. At the junction of the sub-line and its
branches are located carrier diverting switches. At the end of tube at the central
station is the carrier receiving device for that station and beyond the said receiver
is a carrier transmitting device and between the said transmitting and receiver
devices and at the junction of the main tube and a branch tube is a valve which
cuts off the air pressure or force from the central office station receiver after a
carrier has been received and directs such pressure or force into the sub-line as and
for a purpose hereinafter explained. In the branch tube is located the air or
pressure reversing valve having pipes leading respectively to the suction and
pressure sides of a pump or other suitable device for creating a suction and a pressure
or two separate currents of air in opposite directions as above described.
Operators electrical keys are provided at the central office for controlling the
transmission of carriers from the central station to the subscribers stations; there
being one of the said keys for each of the said stations except the last or terminal
station.
The combined carrier receiving and transmitting device for the subscribers
stations comprises a fixed tube which is in practice the end of branch pipe having
an elongated side opening which is opened and closed so that a carrier can be
inserted into the pipe by a sleeve on the said pipe and having a corresponding side
opening for registration with opening in such pipe. The sleeve has an operating
handle by means of which said sleeve is moved to open or close the opening in pipe
when inserting the carrier into it. The lower end of this pipe is preferably
provided with a skeleton box to which is pivoted a plate or valve for normally
closing the said end of the said pipe and if desired between the said plate and the
edge of the end of branch pipe may be inserted an elastic or other suitable gasket
secured in any suitable way to box in such a manner that an annular space is
formed around the end of the branch pipe which space is in communication there-
with by way of perforations near the end of the said pipe. This construction of
gasket is used to more effectually seal the end of the pipe when used in conjunction

page_text: with the plate or valve when it is in its normal or closed position. To one side of
the end of branch pipe is secured or formed a lower chamber and a vertical upper
chamber which communicate with the said pipe. In the chamber is located a
sliding piston having an arm projecting through an elongated slot in the wall of the
lower chamber which arm forms a bar for the locking plate or valve in its closed
or normal position and which must be released before the said plate can drop or
open. In the upper chamber is a tubular slide having an upper skeleton head, a
middle partition with central opening and a lower skeleton head. In the
central opening of the lower head is a spring supported valve which closes
upwardly against the lower side of the middle partition. In the central
opening of the upper head is a rod having at its lower end a valve which
closes against the upper side of the middle partition and the said rod at its
upper end is secured to the upper skeleton head at the top of the vertical
chamber. The upper part of the said chamber is always open to the atmosphere
by way of its skeleton head and when both valves are open the branch pipe is
in communication with the atmosphere by way of the tubular slide. The upper
part of the said slide is provided with a catch for engagement with a pivoted
pawl under the control of the sleeve for holding the slide in its raised or normal
position, in which position both valves are closed and only the upper part of
the vertical chamber is in communication with the atmosphere so as to shut off
the combined receiver and transmitter to the atmosphere by way of the vertical
chamber and slide. In this position carriers are received from the central
station at the sub-stations or in opening the sleeve to insert a carrier into the
branch tube the act of opening the said sleeve causes it to act upon the pawl
to release catch on the slide which then drops and its valves open to put the
said tube into communication with the atmosphere to admit of the suction in the
same the inserted carrier from the said tube into and through the main pipe
or tube to the central station as hereinafter explained. When the slide is in
its raised position and its valves are closed, a carrier coming from the main
tube into the branch tube and travelling to the end of the latter compresses
the air ahead of it to cause such compressed air to move the piston in the
chamber to release the arm from the plate so that it can drop and the carrier
escape, the compression of the air as described, by the carrier, also diminishes
its velocity so that when ready to pass out of the receiver its velocity is
practically nothing and it drops from the end of the branch pipe. The plate
is weighted or otherwise constructed to automatically return to its normal
position, and the piston is returned to its normal or locking position with the plate
by a spring or other suitable device.
The plate or its weight is included in a circuit or forms one terminal or contact
thereof and is adapted when the valve drops or opens to break contact with
another terminal as and for a purpose hereinafter described.
Each carrier receiving and transmitting device is also provided with an escape
valve, and it comprises a casing projecting from the branch pipe and communicating
therewith said casing having at its outer end a pivoted closing plate forming the
valve which has an arm engaging with the armature lever of an electro magnet
secured to the said casing and in circuit connection with the central office as here-
inafter described. When the said magnet attracts its armature the valve is released
and this is done as hereinafter set forth, when a carrier is sent to the subscribers
station from the central office, and when the armature lever of the said magnet is
not attracted the said lever automatically engages with the said valve or its arm to
close the same.
The receiver for the central station is merely provided with a pivoted plate or
valve and a skeleton box the said valve having if desired a flexible seat or surface
for more effectually sealing the end of its receiving pipe. The said valve is
weighted or otherwise constructed to automatically return to its normal position,
and it has an insulated arm with two projections for contact with electrical circuit
terminals or switches when the said valve drops and returns to its normal position,
B

page_text: as hereinafter explained. The central office transmitter may be of any suitable
construction but I prefer to use the form of the same as hereinbefore described.
The carrier diverting switches are enclosed in suitable couplings or boxes joining
the main and branch tubes wherein the switch is pivoted so that its end will swing
across the path of the tube and across the inlet of the branch pipes. The tail
piece of the switch lever has a slot which engages with a pin on another lever
pivoted at or on the switch pintle and having a movement independent of the
switch lever when free to do so. The said lever has a side pin against which
impinges another pivoted lever which if desired may be loosely pivoted on the
pintle for the armature lever for the magnets. The armature lever and the pivoted
lever have a spring connection. Another pivoted lever at its forward end engages
with the tail piece of the switch in any suitable manner, and the tail piece of the
said pivoted lever is so arranged that it will move into and out of the branch pipe
when caused to do so, as hereinafter explained. The switch lever is controlled
through the medium of the magnets from the central station, and when in a certain
position, the switch is locked in position by the armature lever and the switch is
across the inlet end of the branch tubes to provide a free passage of the carriers
through the main tube. In this position the tail piece of the lever projects into
the path of the branch tubes and a carrier passing out of the said branch tubes
into the main tube must first strike the said tail piece of the lever to depress its
outer end and in doing so the said lever also depresses the tail piece of the switch
to raise it to the upper position or across the path of tube to divert the carrier
from the branch tube to the said main tube. Such described movement of the
switch is effected.independently of the locking lever owing to the slot in the tail
piece of the switch and when the carrier passes by the switch the lever returns the
switch to its former position.
The switch therefore is always normally locked by the armature lever of the
magnets to keep the main line open, but such locking does not interfere with a
carrier passing out of a branch line actuating the switch without affecting the
position of the locking levers for the switch in order that the said carrier may be
properly diverted from the branch tube to the main tube.
The cut off valve for the central station receiver consists of a pivoted skeleton
or grating valve adapted to be thrown into the path of the main tube to find its
seat against the walls of the tube to seal the edges of the valve and the said walls.
Secured to the valve opposite its openings and in front of the same is a plate
sliding on guides having heads between which and the plate and surrounding the
guides are spiral springs which act when free to do so, to move the plate to the
valve and seal its openings. The normal position of the valve is out of the bore
of tube and its plate is away from the valve to uncover its openings.
The air current or pressure reversing valve consists of a tubular body having
perforations in two series one on each side of a partition in a casing to which the
pipes are connected. The valve has its seat in a corresponding chamber in the said
casing and having corresponding perforations on each side of the partition so that
whenever said valve is moved it will alternately come into position to have one set
of its perforations register with one set in the chamber while the other set of
perforations in the valve and in the chamber are out of registration, so that one side
or other of the valve will be always open to the pump or like device. The valve is
open to the suction side of the pump and the movements of valve the same are
controlled by means of magnets and a common armature lever for the said magnets,
which have circuit connections which are operated as hereinafter explained.
The operators electric keys for each subscribers station at the central station
consists of a pivoted key having pin contacts at the front end which are normally
opened or out of contact and a pin and spring contact respectively at the opposite end
which are normally closed. The latter elastic contact consists of a spring so that when
released or broken from its pin contact it will close upon an adjustable contact.
Each key contact has, or is connected to a local battery suitably grounded so that each
of the keys has its own local battery. The contacts of each of said keys are.in

page_text: multiple arc relation with one side of a battery or circuit and the adjustable
contacts of the said keys are in like relation with the other side of the said battery
circuit, which also includes an electro magnet of preferably high resistance, and a
contact of a current reversing switch for the magnets controlling the movements of
valve. Each one of the keys has a wire leading to the magnets for the carrier
diverting switches and from the said magnets to other magnets for the valves and
the contacts for the plate of the combined receiver and transmitters at the
subscribers stations so that a separate circuit is provided for the electrical appliances
at each subscribers station and the respective appliances therefor at the central
office. The current reversing switch may be of any suitable kind and may be
provided with a suitably arranged system of contacts. The circuit connections are
set to open the valve to the suction side of the pump which is their normal position as
the sub-line is normally filled or provided with suction currents or has vacuum pressure.
It will be seen from the foregoing that only a single tube is used to send the
carriers from the central station to the subscribers station, and from the latter to
the former that the carriers are so sent by pressure or suction that the subscribers
have nothing to do but to move the sleeve at their stations to put the carrier into
the system, that the carriers are received at their stations without any work or care
on their part, and the operation of sending the carriers to their stations is controlled
from the central station and that all the parts of the system operated from the
central station as well as others actuated by the carriers automatically return to
their normal position.
It is evident that the parts comprising the system may be variously arranged and
the construction of the parts and actuating mechanism therefor may be variously
arranged without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Dated this 16th day of July 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Dispatch or Transmission of Messages,
Parcels and the like and to Apparatus therefor.
I, JEROME CARTY of 919 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Attorney and Counsellor, 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 generally to pneumatic dispatch or transit systems for
messages parcels and other matter and particularly to that system comprising a
central or main station having one or more separate tube circuits or mains leading
from and back to the main station, and each tube circuit having connection with the
receiving and transmitting devices of all the local or sub-stations connected to or
included in each tube circuit which tube circuits have at the sub-stations and at
other suitable places switches, electrically or otherwise controlled or set from the
main station for diverting the carriers from the main line to the sub-stations which
switches are reset and locked in their normal positions by the movement of the
carriers passing them.
The first part of my invention has for its objects mainly to provide a complete
system of pneumatic dispatch or transit in which any number of carriers may be
scut from the main station to any one of the sub-stations or from any one of the
latter to the main station which carriers simultaneously travel through the main line
tube to their destination without interference with one another and at substantially
the same rate of speed from end to end of their path of travel in the tube; to
provide for inserting the carriers into and delivering them from the system at any
main or sub-station without permanently stopping the travel of any of the carriers
in the tubes and without breaking or intercepting continuity of the motive power in

page_text: the tubes and without permitting any part of the said power to escape from the
tubes at the station where the carriers are inserted into and delivered from the
system; to provide for shunting the motive power in the tubes of the travelling
carriers around a broken or faulty carrier diverting-switch in a main or other tube
and for repairing said faulty switch without necessitating stoppage of traffic on any
part of or on the whole line as has heretofore been the case; to provide for
preventing a carrier about to pass out from a sub-station into the main line,
blocking or jamming a carrier travelling in the main line and approaching the
junction of said outlet of the sub-station and main line; and to provide flowing air
currents for the motive power for propelling the carriers in contradistinction to
vacuum or air pressure force heretofore used which flowing air currents have the
same power from end to end of the line to propel the carriers at the same rate of
speed from their initial to their terminal point of travel, and flow through all the
sub-station tubes as well as the main line to admit of any number of carriers being
inserted into the system and following one another at a uniform speed without
gaining upon one another.
For the accomplishment of these objects one end of each tube circuit at the
central station is connected to an air reservoir or tank which in turn has a pipe
connection with an air pump or blower and the other end of each of the said circuits
is open to the external air and if desired may be provided with a governor for
regulating the escape of the air from or its admittance to said open end for
effecting a continuous flow of air or circulation through the main and sub-station
tubes from end to end of the circuit for propelling the carriers. At the main
station and at the sub-stations are separate transmitting and receiving devices.
The transmitting devices are so constructed that they operate to convey a carrier
into the current or flow of air in the tube without interfering with or cutting off the
said flow of air to the sub-station and without permitting any part of the flow of air
to escape from the tube. The receiving devices are so constructed that as soon as
a carrier enters the receiver it ceases to be subject to the propelling force of the air
currents and its velocity is utilized to actuate mechanism for closing or sealing the
receiver to prevent the escape of any part of the air current from the tube and also
to effect the delivery of the carrier from the receiver.
At the junction of the main tube and the inlet tube for a sub-station or for a
branch tube are located carrier diverting switches which are controlled from the
main or central station and which are reset to normal position by the carrier as they
pass by said switches.
At the junction of the main tube and the outlet tube from the sub-station are
pivoted levers operated by a carrier either in the main tube or in said outlet tube
to prevent locking of carriers at the junction of the main tube and the sub-station
outlet tube. In the main tube between the junction with it of the inlet and outlet
tube of the sub-station is inserted a suitable valve which is normally closed but
offers little resistance to the passage of the carrier which valve is employed to
divert or shunt the flow of air from the main tube to and through the sub-station
and back again to the main tube in order that the flow of air will be through the
main and sub-station tubes and that a carrier diverted into the sub-station may be
propelled through the inlet pipe thereof to the receiver at the said station at the
same velocity or speed that it is propelled through the main tube.
At the junction of the main tube and the sub-station inlet and outlet tubes or at
any other suitable places in the circuit are located shunt plugs or valves connected
also by a separate or bridge pipe for shunting the path for the carrier and flow of
air from the main tube through said plugs and bridge tube when the switches,
levers, or other part of the main tube between said plugs are faulty and need
repairing or replacement. The first part of my invention accordingly consists of
the pneumatic dispatch tube system, method of propelling the carriers, and the
combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as hereinafter described.
The second part of my invention has relation to pneumatic dispatch tube systems
having sub-lines leading out from a central station, the said sub-lines having

page_text: Figure 22 is a plan view of a single plug switch similar to those shown in
Figure 5.
Figure 23 is a view similar to Figure 12 showing detail modifications.
Figure 24 is an elevation of the same showing the delivery tube in two positions
as in Figure 13.
Figure 25 is a view similar to Figure 14 showing detail modifications.
Figure 26 is a section on line 8, 8 Figure 25.
Figure 27 is a section on line 9, 9 Figure 25, and
Figure 28 is a plan of valve at the inlet end of the receiver shown in
Figure 25.
Figure 29 is a sectional view of another modified form of air current diverting
valve with pneumatic controlling devices operated by the movement of the carriers
in the main tube.
Figure 30 is a section on the line 10, 10 Figure 29.
Figure 31 is an end view of same looking in the direction of arrow in
Figure 29.
Figure 32, shows elevations from different points of view of the valve shown in
Figure 29.
Figure 33 is a diagrammatic view of a sub-line with subscribers station and
central office appliances embodying my invention the pumping or like devices for
the tubes at the central office being shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 34 is an elevation, partly sectional, of the carrier receiving and trans-
mitting device for the subscribers stations.
Figure 35 is a like view from another point of view.
Figure 36 is a plan, partly sectional on the line 11-11 Figures 34 and 35.
Figure 37 is a sectional elevation of the air controlling valve shown in Figure 34
and is indicated in its closed position.
Figures 38 show a sectional plan on the line 12-12 Figure 34 and a vertical
central section partly in elevation near the line 12-12.
Figures 39 show like views on and near line 13-13 Figure 34.
Figures 40 show similar views on and near line 14-14 Figure 34.
Figure 1 is a section of the casing on line 15-15 Figure 34.
Figure 42 is a sectional elevation of the current or pressure controlling valve at
the central station for reversing the direction of the air flow or pressure in the
sub-lines.
Figure 43 is a section on the line 16-16 Figure 42.
Figure 44 is a section of the valve at the junction of the sub-line and the tube or
pipe leading from said current or pressure reversing valve.
Figure 45 is an elevation of the same.
Figure 46 is a plan of the same.
Figure 47 is a view of part of said valve detached.
Figure 48 is a sectional elevation of the lower part of the central office receiver.
Figures 49 and 50 show elevations from different points of view, the latter figure
being partly broken away; of a flap valve for a terminal subscriber's station.
Figure 51 is an elevation of escape valve or air vent at the subscribers stations.
Figure 51 is a perspective view of a detail of Fig. 51.
Figure 52 is an elevation of Fig. 51 partly broken away.
Figure 53 is an elevation of the same from another point of view.
Figure 54 is a plan of the same.
Figure 55 is an edge view of the coupling boxes or casings for the carrier diverting
switches.
Figure 56 is a plan view of the carrier diverting switches for the system.
Figure 57 is a plan view of part of said switch detached from the coupling box.
Figures 58 show respectively an elevation, a plan and an edge view of the
armature lever for said switch.
Figure 59 shows an elevation of said armature lever and the tail piece for the
switch.

page_text: Figure 60 is an edge view of the parts of the switch combined.
Figure 61 is an elevation of the electrical key at the central office or station
controlling the air or current reversing valve at said station and the carrier
diverting switches, and electrical devices at the sub-stations.
Figure 62 is an end view of the same.
Figure 63 shows a plan of said electrical key at central office, a plan of air
current reversing valve, a plan of operators electrical key at central station, and a
plan of part of the carrier receiver at central station, the same being shown in
electrical connection with each other as indicated by dotted lines for the purpose of
more plainly exhibiting such connections.
Figure 64 is an elevation of the operators key at the central station and
Figure 65 is an end view of the same.
A Figures 1 and 2 represents the main or central station from which the tube
circuit A leads and to which the said tube circuit returns, a being the outgoing end
and a the incoming end, and said tube being practically continuous from end to end
and including any number of sub-stations AA2. The out-going end a of a single
tube circuit A' as shown in Figure 1 is connected to or includes an air reservoir or
chamber A³ which has a pipe connection with a pump or blower or air current
producing mechanism A This mechanism may be located immediately at the
central or main station or otherwise as desired. Included in end a of tube A' is the
main station carrier transmitter C to be hereinafter described. The other end a¹ of
tube A is connected with the main station carrier receiving and delivery device D
to be hereinafter explained and said end a' is open to the atmosphere. If desired
at end a may be provided any suitable form of governor or valve al for a purpose
hereinafter to be explained but which is not essential and can be dispensed with.
The sub-stations A2 are arranged for and have the following described devices.
The outgoing pipe a² and incoming pipe a³ thereof are connected to or form a loop
from the main tube A' by coupling boxes E through which tube A' and the sub-
station tubes a 3 are continued, the latter curving in opposite directions into the
former, see Figure 3, and containing an air current diverting valve F, in the line
of tube A', a carrier diverting switch G at the junction of tube A¹ and sub-station
incoming tube and carrier anti-blocking or jamming lever devices H at the
junction of the tube A¹ and sub-station outgoing tube a² together with the electrical
or other actuating devices for the carrier diverting switch G as hereinafter
explained. To the end of sub-station incoming tube is attached a receiving and
delivery device D and the sub-station outgoing tube a² connects with its incoming
tube in advance of the receiving and delivery device D as indicated at a and
includes a sub-station transmitting device 1. All of the sub-stations are similarly
equipped and the receiving and delivery devices D for the sub and main stations are
alike, while the transmitting devices for the main station differs from that for the
sub-stations in detail as hereinafter explained. In the main tube A' adjacent to
the ends of the coupling boxes E are included shunt plugs K connected by a bridge
tube K for shunting the air current and carrier around a faulty place in the
line A as hereinafter more fully set forth.
In order that the general construction and operation of the entire system may be
more readily comprehended I will first describe the above noted parts and their
operation in detail.
The main station transmitter C shown more plainly in detail in Figures 9 to 11
inclusive consists essentially of a cylindrical casing c having preferably diametrically
located coupling ends c' for connection with and continuing tube A' through said
casing, a side opening intermediate of said coupling ends, a removable cap or
cover c³ in which and in the bottom of the casing is journalled a skeleton plug e the
upper end of the shaft of which projects through a stuffing box on the top of
cover and is provided with a turning handle or lever co.
The plug c has a diametrical passage way or channel of a diameter equal to the
bore of tube A'.
At one end of said passage way on each side of said end are peripheral flanges

page_text: one of which is lettered & see Figure 9 which flange is provided to seal the side
opening in the casing when the skeleton plug e is rotated in the casing as herein-
after described. Upon the top of cover at any suitable location are two
stops for limiting the movement of the plug-lever c. When the plug is in
the position indicated in Figures 9 and 10 with its handle e against the stop the
plug-opening is turned out of the line of tube A and registers with the casing
opening as indicated, but this position of the plug does not interfere with nor stop
the flow of air or motor power through the transmitter, because such flow passes
through the skeleton part of the plug as indicated by the arrows in Figure 10.
Such described position of the plug is the one which it is caused to assume when
a carrier is to be inserted into its plug-way preparatory to moving it into the line
of way of the tube A' the insertion of a carrier in said plug way being indicated by
dotted lines c in Figure 9. As soon as the carrier is inserted through the casing
opening into the plug-way, the plug is reversely turned until its handle & impinges
against stop. The plug way is then brought into alignment with the tube A¹
and the carrier is in the path of said tube and instantly partakes of the motion and
velocity of the air flowing through said tube. In moving the plug so as to bring
the plug-way into alignment with the tube circuit the plug flange c moves across
the casing-opening and keeps the said opening scaled when the plug-way is not
in registration therewith. A transmitter so constructed and operated, it will be
noted, admits of rapidly delivering any number of successive carriers to tube A¹
without permitting any escape of air or motive power and without interfering with
the flow of air currents and the travel of the carriers in tube A' the normal
position of the said plug-way being in alignment with the tube A'.
The sub-station transmitter I see Figures 6 to 8 inclusive consists of a casing i
with diametrical openings i¹ to complete the passage of the out-going tube a² to the
casing, a side opening intermediate of said of enings, a removable cap ³, a plug
having lever or handle passage way or channel and limiting stops and
substantially the same as described for the main station transmitter, except that the
bottom of the casing is depressed as shown at 0 Figures 7 and and a way or
channel at right angles to plug-way is formed in the plug to form an air
conducting passage through the transmitter when its plug is turned to bring its
way into registration with casing opening for inserting the carrier as indicated
in Figures 6 and 7. As the way is simply an air passage the wall or shell of the
plug between the ways and admits of momentarily checking the flow of air
in the sub-station during the very small interval of time that the plug is being
moved to place an inserted carrier in alignment with said tubes so that a slight
accumulation of air in said tubes is obtained to impart to the carrier its full initial
movement directly it enters or is placed in the path of the tube a² or the air current
therein, and hence the air channel 7 has no function except during the insertion of
the carrier into the system at the sub-stations, the normal position of the
plug-way being in aligument with the sub-station tube a*.
The sub-station transmitter it will be noted has the same advantages as that of
the main-station transmitter with the addition that it provides for imparting a full
initial movement to the carriers, as soon as they are inserted into the system.
The main station and sub-station receiver and delivery device D are alike in
construction and the following description of one answers for both reference
being had to Figures 12 and 13. It consists of a coupling & having inlet and
outlet openings d', d², to which the main or sub-station tubes are connected said
openings being preferably located, at an angle to one another.
The continuation of the inlet tube opening din said coupling is perforated
as indicated at d Figure 12, surrounding which perforated part of said inlet d
is a duct or way d leading to the outlet tube d so that the current of air
entering tube is diverted or passes through the perforations d³ into
and thence on to the outlet tube d to continue its travel through the system,
as indicated in Figure 4. At the terminal end of the inlet tube is an annular
flange or seat d³ and surrounding this seat is a box or chamber do in the outer end
way d

page_text: of which is an opening & having a flanged inner end or seat closed by a pivoted
gravity valve d
The coupling d is firmly secured to brackets in which are mounted parallel
guide rods d upon one end of each of which preferably are spiral springs acting
against a suitably constructed carriage mounted and sliding on said guide rods.
3 is another carriage similarly mounted and moving and if desired these carriages
are separated from each other by buffer springs These carriages may have
rollers bearing on the guide rods to diminish the friction, or they may be
otherwise mounted thereon as desired. Upon the carriage dis pivoted a tube or
barrel the end of which is weighted to cause the barrel to normally assume
a horizontal position. Upon the carriage 13 is a hollow head block is having
a handle ". In the bore of the head block is a piston 20 a reaction spring d" for
said piston, which has a link connection with a pawl or catch lever pivoted
to the carriage 13 for engagement with a fixed stop or catch 4. The inner face
of the head block is provided with a seat which has an opening 26 leading into
the bore of the head block 18. The barrel or tube 16 when in its normal
position is in line with the opening d' in chamber d of coupling d and when
not in use the said barrel and the carriages and are in the position
shown in full lines of Figures 12 and 13, that is to say, the carriages must be
moved to the left of said figure to withdraw the end of barrel out of the
chamber of coupling and the opening of said chamber is closed by the
valve ³, which then closes by gravity upon the inner flange of opening d² to prevent
the escape of air from said coupling. When a carrier is to be received, the
carriages and d are moved to the right the operator effecting this by means of
the handle causing the end of barrel d to enter opening of chamber (6
raising valved from said opening as it enters the latter. The barrel is moved into
chamber until it engages with the flange therein at which time the pawl 23
has moved into engagement with the stop to hold all of said movable parts in
their adjusted position. In coming to this position the face or seat (25 is moved up
into sealing contact with the outer end of the barrel d¹ and to effectually seal the
joint between face or seat 25 and barrel the carriage (13 is separate from
the carriage and the springs are interposed between said carriages so that at
the terminal movement of carriage it alone moves against the resistance of the
springs to cause the face or seat to exert a pressure on the adjacent end of
barrel after it has been fully moved to its position, see Figure 12.
A. carrier arriving at the box inlet tube is propelled by the air into barrel (18
until the carrier passes the perforations where the air is then deflected or
continues its onward movement to the outlet tube 2 but the momentum of the
carrier causes it to continue through barrel do. In its movement therein it com-
presses the air ahead of it to a sufficient degree so that when it reaches the outer
end of the barrel there is enough power to operate or slide the piston d backward
or to the left of Figure 12. This movement of the piston, releases the pawl 23 from
the stop and the reaction of springs "moves both carriages to the left of
Figure 12 until the barrel do is withdrawn from coupling chamber at which time
its valve falls to seal its opening to prevent escape of air. As the said carriages
and barrel 6 come to the terminal end of said last described movement, the reaction
of springs d between said carriages act to slightly move the carriages apart to
release the outer end of barrel from the seat (25 and the barrel is then free to
be tilted by the weight of the carrier in its outer end which then overbalances the
end of said barrel as shown in Figure 4. As soon as the latter is tilted as
indicated in said figure and by dotted lines Figure 13 the carrier drops out and the
weight of the end of the barrel returns it to its normal position.
The foregoing described receiving and delivery device admits of receiving a
carrier and automatically delivering it from the system without interfering with
the flow of air therein and without escape of air therefrom. The carrier is checked
within a limited space by the air cushion formed ahead of it in the barrel which

page_text: cushion is utilized to release the locking mechanism for said device and when
released the carrier is automatically ejected from the system.
If it is desired to cushion the action of the springs a suitably formed and
located air piston and cylinder device D' may be placed in connection with the
carriage as indicated in Figure 12. In Figures 23 and 24 the gravity acting
valve for chamber opening of coupling dis removed therefrom and located to
seal the annular flange opening in the chamber .. In which case said valve is
provided with a crank and link connection 2 and 3 with a pivoted bell crank
lever the free end of which engages with an inclined lug or cam 30 on
carriage as it is moved to insert the end of the barrel d¹ into chamber d' said
lug and end of lever being so located that the contact between them is made
and the lever moved to raise said valve out of the way of the end d of barrel
as it enters chamber 6.
The coupling boxes E may be of any desired form, but for the purpose of
facilitating connection of the sub-station inlet and outlet tubes with the main tube
as well as to locate at their junctions the carrier diverting switch G and the anti-
blocking lever H and the air current diverting valve F between said junctions, I
prefer to construct said boxes in two halves cach half having flanges for bolting
them together as shewn and the passage through the coupling boxes for continuing
the main and sub-station pipes therethrough are made as illustrated and herein-
before described sec Fgures 3, 18 and 55.
The valve F may be of any suitable construction, in Figure 3, it is shown located
within a casing f forming part of coupling section or box E aud in which casing f
the line of the tube passage A through box E is broken to form an end f' which
said end the valve F seals or closes. The valve as shown is composed of two
semi-cone shaped halves suitably pivoted and having springs for closing them
together which is their normal position in order to deflect the air current from
tube A to the inlet tube a³ of each sub-station, the air currents passing through
the sub-stations by way of the passages d, d', d in the receiver couplings (see
Figure 12) and thence through the outgoing tube back to the main tube A
Said valves F however do not obstruct the passage of the carrier through
them, said carrier travelling in the main tube A¹ successively opens and passes
through the valves which automatically close behind it, and the momentum of the
carrier carries it from the valves F to the junction of the tube A and outgoing
sub-station pipe a² whereat it again meets the air current, and hence it is preferable
to locate said valves as near to said junction as possible in order that the carrier
may almost instantly meet the air currents from the sub-stations after passing
through the valves F. The use of the latter admits of an air current through the
said tube and through the sub-station tubes for delivering the carriers to and
sending them from any one of the sub-stations by way of tube A
To indicate at the main station the passage of a carrier through a valve Fan
electric signal indicator or registering circuit is provided for each valve, sec
Figure 3, which is normally open and has one of its terminals in casing F adjacent
to one section of valves F which section is suitably grounded or connected to the
other end of said circuit so that when a valve F is opened by the passage of a
carrier, the opened circuit for said valve is closed to actuate the indicator signal
or register.
The carrier diverting switches G see Figures 3 and 18 consist of a pivoted lever g
the outer end g of which when in position to do so aligns with the tube A, so as
not to obstruct the passage of a carrier through tube A and when moved into the
latter as shown in Figures 3 and 18 it diverts the carrier from the tube A¹ into the
sub-station tube a³. The lever has a tail piece which may be integral with
lever or separate therefrom mounted on the same pivot and having an engagement
with said lever as desired.
This tail piece
armature lever
has an indent or recess ³ for engagement with the end of an
see Figure 18 of electro magnets g and upon the pivot of

page_text: armature lever g is pivoted a lever which engages with the lever g or its tail
piece and said levers and are connected by a spiral or other spring plainly
indicated in said Figure 18. The electro magnets are in an electric circuit
including a switch at the central or main station, so that said switches are operated
from the central station, as fully set forth in United States Letters Patent granted
to me November 4th 1884 No. 307,437.
When any one of the switches G are in their normal position to admit of carriers
passing through the main tube A', the tail piece of lever g is in locking
engagement with the armature lever to maintain said switch in such position.
When the electro magnets are energized from the central or main office the
armature lever is attracted to release it from the tail piece and the spring gi
then acts through the medium of lever to throw lever across the main tube A'
and move the tail piece of said lever into the sub-station inlet tube a³; the
lever diverts the carrier from tube A' to tube a³ and as the carrier travels
through the latter tube it meets and raises the tail piece g² to move the lever into
its normal position or into locking engagement with the armature lever The
object of using the separate armature lever and lever connected by the spring g
is to obtain a quicker movement of the lever and a better or more secure
locking engagement for said lever which engagement is not liable to be accidently
released.
The anti-blocking carrier device H consists of two separate pivoted levers h
the lever being shorter and is located behind and rests upon the lever ', suitable
cam faces being formed on the contiguous parts of said levers, as shown in
Figures 3 and 18. Said levers describe different ares and when moved by a carrier
passing out of sub-station pipe a the short lever is raised or thrown across the
tube A¹ in advance of lever and stops any carrier that may be travelling in that
part of tube A at the time a carrier is passing out of tube .
As the stopping of the carrier in tube A is effected by the short lever hand as
the larger lever is still free to move owing to the cam faces on said levers the
carrier in the tube a² pushes lever ' aside independently of lever and passes into
tube A whereupon said levers fall to admit of the onward movement of the carrier
in tube A temporarily checked or held up by the short lever h.
When I apply these anti-blocking levers I so arrange that a slight flow of air is
permitted through all the parts of the valve thereby enabling a carrier that has
been stopped to renew its movement.
It will be noted therefore that blocking of carriers at the junction of the main
tube A. and the sub-station outgoing tubes a³ is avoided.
The shunt plugs K see more plainly Figures 5 and 22 consist of coupling boxes
having passage ways for continuing therethrough the tubes of the system to
which they are connected and also for a separate bridge pipe K connecting two of
such shunt plugs as shown in Figure 5.
Said couplings are provided with suitable casings for the plugs K which have
actuating handles and ways kl.
When said plugs are moved in one position the way is brought into alignment
with the tubes A¹ of the system, see Figure 22, to permit the carriers to pass
therethrough and this position is the normal one for the shunt plugs. A movement
in an opposite direction brings the plug way into connection or alignment with
the bridge pipe K, see Figure 5. And the tubes.of the system cutting out that
part of the latter between the shunt plugs and diverting around it the air current
and the carriers: the shunt plugs Kare only used when a fault occurs in the tubes
of the system between the plugs K, and as such fault necessitates repairing or
replacement the same can be quickly and promptly effected without stopping or
closing the whole line to traffic; the only part of the system not then in service is
that part in which the repairs are being effected.
From the foregoing it will be noted that each sub-station Figure 1, is provided
with a coupling box E a carrier diverting switch G, an air current diverting
valve F carrier anti-blocking devices H, a transmitter I, a receiving and delivery

page_text: device D and shunt plugs K with bridge K², that the air current passes from the
main station successively through each sub-station so that there is a constant flow
from end to end of the line, said air currents escaping from the end a of the tube
circuit. If a governor a is applied to said end a', the escape of the air may be
regulated as desired but such governor is not essential and need not be used.
The reservoir A³ prevents the pulsations of the pump being felt in the
tubes A. or in other words it provides for a steady and continuous current of the
desired velocity.
A carrier to be transmitted from the central station is inserted in the trans-
mitter C and by it is moved into the air current in tube A and is carried or
propelled to the sub-station desired, the switch G for the latter being electrically
released from the central or main station, the carrier is diverted from the tube A¹
to the said sub-station and is delivered by the receiver D. A carrier sent from a
sub-station is placed in its transmitter I and passes out of its tube ² into the
tube A to the receiver D at the main station.
Any number of carriers can be successively inserted into the system at the main
and sub-stations without interference and all the carriers travel at the same speed
and normally follow each other without gaining upon one another as the velocity of
the air current or circulation in the system is constant. The air as above described
is not permitted to escape at any of the transmitting and receiving devices.
The single tube circuit shown in Figure 1 represents the simplest form of my
system, but it is evident that the improvements are equally applicable to various
arrangements of single tube circuits or circuits having separate outgoing and
ingoing tubes common to all the sub-stations as fully shown described and claimed
in my aforesaid United States Letters Patent as well as to other systems
heretofore known.
In Figure 2 a more complex system is shown in which one tube circuit is shown
connected to the pressure side of the pump and another tube circuit is connected to
the suction side of the pump. The air currents in said circuits as indicated in the
figure are in reverse direction. Or the suction return circuit and apparatus may
be dispensed with and a pressure return circuit be provided by turning the pressure
circuit parallel with itself as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.
Any suitable form of carriers not likely to jam in the tubes or other parts of the
apparatus may be used.
It is obvious that the construction of the above described parts as well as their
mode of operation may be greatly varied in detail within the spirit of my invention
and hence I do not limit myself to the same as shown and set forth.
Thus for instance Figures 18, 19 and 20, show a modified form of air current
diverting valve F and closing springs therefor which is substantially a reversal of
that shown in Figure 3, so too instead of electrically releasing the locking
mechanism for the carrier diverting switches G, such release may be pneumatically
or hydrostatically effected. A. form of which modification is shown in Figure 21,
wherein the electric magnets and armature are dispensed with and a cylinder and a
piston m connected to locking lever and under control of similar cylinder and
piston at central office are substituted.
In this case the tail piece of lever y does not extend into the tube a³ and in lieu
thereof an air or water piston end m² projects into tube and is actuated by the
carrier as it passes by to in turn actuate a second like piston m³ connected to the
lever for returning it to its normal position.
Similar pneumatic or hydrostatic devices operated by the carriers may be con-
nected with valves F as shown in Figure 29 wherein is the piston or spring
supported plunger projecting into the tube A' to be depressed by the carrier and
which by means of the fluid contained by pipe actuates the plunger a to raise
the valve F before the carrier reaches the same. In this case the valve which is in
its normal position is shown as a tubular one and provided with a gate or leaf for
closing it to divert the air current to the sub-stations. The detail parts of said
valve are fully shown in Figures 30, 31 and 32. Figure 30 is an end view of the

page_text: valve F and its chamber looking in the direction of the arrows in Figure 29.
Figure 31 is an end view of Figure 29 looking in the opposite direction to that of
the arrow in the said Figure 29 and Figure 30 shows a view of the valve F alone
in side elevation, flanked by elevation of the same from opposite ends, a plan view
of the valve being immediately under the side elevation.
Again instead of using the form of receivers D shown in Figures 12 and 13 and
23 and 24 modifications of same indicated in Figures 14 and 25 may be substituted.
In that shown in Figure 14 no sliding and tilting barrel is used, but in lieu
thereof the tube is continued and is provided with a slide gate or valve 7 sce
Figures 14 and 17 to prevent escape of air. This gate has a connection with two
pivoted levers q', 72 which are also pivoted to one another the lever carrying an
armature for electro magnets and a tail piece to project into the pipe di for
the carriers to make contact with. An attraction of the magnet oscillates the
levers q', to depress the tail piece q on one of them into pipe d' and to cause the
other lever to raise the gate q, and allow the incoming carrier to pass by the same
and travel through the pipe d. The carrier in passing through the pipe makes
contact with the tail piece and reversely moves the levers 72 to close the gate q.
When the carrier reaches the end of pipe d' it rests on a tilting valve, and the
said valve on being tilted by the weight of the carrier allows the carrier to either
drop out of the system, as in the arrangement shown in Figure 26 or drop upon a
second tilting plate Figure 15 which may be correspondingly actuated while
the first named plate is closing so that the carrier. escapes from the system.
For this purpose the said two tilting plates 7 q' are connected together by
gearing as shown. Both laps open downwards, and are actuated by the weight of
the carrier.
From the foregoing, it will be noted that a main line tube passes out from and
returns to the central station, so that each tube leading therefrom is or forms a
complete circuit in itself and all the sub-sta ions connected thereto have their inlet
and outlet pipes joined to the one or the same side of said main tubes and not to
different sides or to the outgoing and returning sides of the same; and to effect this
the said sub-station inlet and outlet tubes have reverse curved junctions with the
main tubes as shown, such construction admits of the provision of any desired
number of sub-stations or branch lines from end to end of the main tube. It will
be further noted, that by locating the valves F for each sub-station in the main line
between the inlet and outlet ends of the sub-station tubes joined to the main line
only a single valve F need be used for each sub-station for causing the motive
power to successively pass to each of the sub-stations throughout the tube circuit.
In Figure 33 and following figures 1 have represented devices and arrangement
of tubes for operating in conjunction with the foregoing described system a single
tube having sub-stations forming the second part of my invention.
A in Figure 33 represents the central office station A³ the sub line leading out of
said station and having branches A for the subscribers stations of which in the
drawing four branch subscribers stations are shown and one other subscribers
station is shown at the end of the line A which last named station does not need to
be in a branch from the line A³ as it the terminal of said line. Said subscribers
stations are respectively lettered A A A A A" and are provided with combined
carrier receiving and transmitting devices S which form part of the tube of the
system. At the junction of the sub-line A and its branches A are located carrier
diverting switches G. At the end of tube A Figure 33 at the central station is
the carrier receiving device T for that station and beyond said receiver is a carrier
transmitting device I and between said transmitting and receiver devices and at the
junction of the main tube A' and a branch tube is a valve U which cuts off the
air pressure or force from the central office station receiver after a carrier has been
received and directs such pressure or force into the sub-line A³ as, and for a
purpose, hereinafter explained. In the branch tube I is located the air or pressure
reversing valve W having pipes W and W leading respectively to the suction and
pressure sides of a pump or other suitable device for creating a suction and a

page_text: pressure or two separate currents of air in opposite directions as fully described
above, said pumps or like devices being shown in Figures 1 and 2. VVV and
V3 are the operators electrical keys at the central office for controlling the trans-
mission of carriers from the central station to the subscribers stations; there being
one of said keys for each said stations except the last or terminal station A".
As the operation of sending and receiving the carriers either at the central or
subscribers station will be more easily understood by first describing all the parts
of the system and their operation separately I shall proceed to do so and will then
describe the general operations of the system.
The combined carrier receiving and transmitting device S for the subscribers
stations plainly shown in Figures 34 to 41 inclusive comprises a fixed tube which is
in practice the end of branch pipe A having an elongated side openings to admit
of a carrier being inserted therein which opening may be closed by a sleeve s¹
rotating on pipe A the sleeves has a side opening for registration with the
opening in the pipe A. The sleeves moreover has an operating handle ² by
means of which said sleeve is moved to open or close the opening in pipe A when
inserting the carrier into it. The lower end of pipe A is preferably provided with
a skeleton box to which is pivoted a plate or valve for normally closing the
said end of said pipe A and if desired between said plates and the edge of the
end of pipe A may be inserted an elastic or other suitable gasket secured
to the box in such manner that an annular space is formed around the end of
pipe A which space is in communication with said pipe A by way of perforations &
near the end of said pipe. This described construction of gasket s is used to
more effectually seal the end of pipe A" when used in conjunction with the plate st
when, it is in its normal or closed position as shown in Figure 34.
To one side
of the end of pipe A is secured or formed a lower chamber and a vertical upper
chamber which communicate with pipe A as shown, or in any other suitable
manner. In chambers is located a sliding piston having an arm s projecting
through an elongated slot in the wall of chamber which arm forms a bar for
locking the plate in its closed or normal position and which must be released
before said plates can drop or open. In the upper chamber is a tubular slide st
having an upper skeleton head, a middle partition with central opening and
a lower skeleton head $15 In the central opening of the lower head is a spring
supported valve s which closes upwardly against the lower side of the partition $14.
In the central opening of the upper head 3 is a rods having at its lower end a
valve 18 which closes against the upper side of partition and said rod at its
upper end is secured to the skeleton head for the top of chamber. The upper
part of chamber is always open to the atmosphere by way of its skeleton heads
and when both valves si 18 are open the pipe A is in communication with the
atmosphere by way of the tubular slide. The upper part of said slides" is
provided with a catch at one side thereof for engagement with a pivoted pawls,
see Figure 36, under the control of the sleeve for holding the slide 12 in its
raised or normal position as shown in Figure 37 in which position both valves 118
are closed and only the upper part of chamber is then. in communication with
the atmosphere so as to shut off the combined receiver and transmitter from the
atmosphere by way of chamber and slide 1. In this position carriers are
received from the central station at the sub-stations. In opening the sleeve s¹ to
insert a carrier into tube A the act of opening said 'sleeves causes it to act upon
pawl to release catch son slide which then drops and its valves open to put
the pipe A into communication with the atmosphere to admit of the suction in
pipe A propelling the inserted carrier from the pipe A into and through the pipe
or tube A to the central station as hereinafter expirined. When the slide ¹ is in
its raised position and its valves 18 are closed, a carrier coming from the line A³
into the branch A and travelling to the end of the latter compresses the air ahead
of it and such compressed air moves the piston 10 in chamber 8 to release the
arm from plate so that the latter can drop and the carrier escape, the com-
pression of the air as described by the carrier also diminishes its velocity so that
14

page_text: when ready to pass out of the receiver the carrier is practically at rest and it
merely drops from the end of pipe A. The plate is weighted or otherwise
constructed to automatically return to its normal position when the carrier is
discharged and the piston is returned to its normal or locking position with
the plate by a spring or other suitable device as shown in Figure 34.
The plate or its balance weight is included in a circuit or forms one
terminal or contact thereof and is adapted when the valve drops or opens
to break contact with another terminal 3 as and for a purpose hereinafter
described.
Each device S is also provided with an escape valve Y shown more plainly in
Figures 51 to 54 inclusive, and it comprises a casing projecting from the pipe A6
and communicating therewith, said casing having at its outer end a pivoted closing
plate forming the valve Y which has an army retained in position as shown in
Figure 51 and in the perspective view 51 the armature lever of an electro-
magnety secured to said casing and in circuit connection with the central office
as hereinafter described. When said magnet attracts its armature the weighted
outer end of the lever y² is raised, freeing the lever and valve Y is released and
this is done as hereinafter set forth. When a carrier is sent to the subscribers
station from the central office, and when the armature lever of said magnet is
not attracted said lever automatically engages with said valve Y or its army' to
retain the valve in its closed position.
The receiver T for the central station, is merely provided with a pivoted plate
or valve, Figure 48 and a skeleton box t', said valve having if desired a flexible
seat or surface for more effectually sealing the end of its receiving pipe. Said
valve is weighted or otherwise constructed to automatically return to its normal
position, and it has an insulated arm with two projections and for making
contact with electrical circuit terminals or switches to and to respectively when said
valve drops and returns to its normal position, as to be hereinafter explained.
The central office transmitter may be of any suitable construction but I prefer to
use the form of the same as hereinbefore shown and described.
The carrier diverting switches G are enclosed in suitable couplings or boxes
joining the line A and branch tubes Asce more plainly Figures 55 to 60 inclusive,
wherein the switch is pivoted at g so that its end will swing across the path of
the tube, as shown in dotted lines Figure 56, and across the inlet of the branch
pipes as shown in full lines in said figure. The tail piece 2 of the switch lever G
has a slot see more plainly Figure 57, which engages with a pin on another
lever pivoted at or on the switch pintle and having a movement independent
of the switch lever G when free to do so. Said lever has a side pin against
which impinges another pivoted lever which if desired may be loosely pivoted
to the pintle for the arinature lever of the electro-magnets 9º. The armature
lever and the lever have a spring connection gas shown. " is another lever
pivoted at gand its forward end engages with the tail piece of switch G in
any suitable manner or as shown and the tail piece g¹³ of lever g is so arranged
that it will move into and out of the branch pipe A when caused to do so, as
hereinafter explained. The switch lever is controlled through the medium of
the electro-magnets from the central station, and when in the position illustrated
by full lines Figure 56. the switch is locked in position by the armature lever g³
and the switch is across the inlet end of the branch tubes to provide a free passage
of the carriers through the tube A³. In this position the tail piece of lever g
projects into the path of the branch tube A, and a carrier passing out of said
branch tube into the tube A³ must first strike said tail piece or lever g" to
elevate the tail piece and to depress the outer arm gil of the lever and in doing
so said lever also depresses the tail piece of switch G to raise it to the position
indicated in dotted lines Figure 56 or across the path of tube A³ to divert the
carrier from the branch A to said tube A'. Such described movement of the
switch is effected independently of the locking lever owing to the slot g³ in
the tail piece of switch G and when the carrier passes by the switch the lever g¹¹

page_text: permits the switch to return to its former position as shown in full lines Figure 56.
The switch G therefore is always normally locked by the armature lever g³ of
magnets to keep the line A open, but such locking does not interfere with a
carrier passing out of a branch line actuating the switch without affecting the
position of the locking levers for the switch in order that the said carrier may be
properly diverted from the branch tube A to the line A³.
The cut off valve U for the central station receiver is shown more plainly in
Figures 44 to 47 and consists of a pivoted skeleton or grating valve adapted to be
thrown into the path of the tube A as shown in dotted lines in Figure 44, to find
its seat against the walls of the tube A to seal the edges of the valve and said.
walls. Secured to the valve opposite its openings and in front of the same is a
plate u sliding on guides a having heads u between which and the plate u and
surrounding the guides are spiral springs which act, when free to do so, to move
the plate to the valve and seal its openings. The normal position of the valve U
is as shown in full lines Fig. 44 or it is normally out of the bore of tube and its
plate is away from the valve to uncover its openings, as and for the purposes
hereinafter explained.
The air current or pressure reversing valve W is shown more plainly in Figures 42
and 43, and it consists of a tubular body having perforations in two series on
each side of a partition win a casing to which the pipes I'W W³ are connected
as shown. The valve W has its seat in a corresponding chamber w³ in said casing
which chamber has corresponding perforations on cach side of the partition w so
that whenever said valve is moved it will alternately come into position to have
one set of its perforations register with one set in the chamber w³ while the other
set of perforations in the valve and in the chamber are out of registration, so that
one side or other of the valve will be always open to the pump or like device.
As shown in Figure 42 the valve W is open to the suction side of the pump. The
movements of valve W are controlled by means of magnets w³ and wand a
common armature lever w' for said magnets which have circuit connections and
are operated as hereinafter explained.
The operators electric keys VVV V³ for each subscribers station at the
central station are more plainly shown in Figure 64 and consists of a pivoted key
having contacts and at one end which are normally opened or out of contact
and contacts and 3 at the opposite end which are normally closed.
The contact consists of a spring which when released or broken from contact v²,
will close upon a contact . Each key contact has, or is connected to, a local
battery, Figure 63 suitably grounded so that each of the keys VVVV³ has
its own local battery . The contacts of each of said keys are in multiple arc
relation with one side a see Figure 33 of a battery or circuit v and the contacts t
of said keys are in like relation with the other side of said battery circuit which
also includes an electro magnet 7 of preferably high resistance and a contact o of
a current reversing switch Ŏ for the magnets and we controlling the movements of
valve W. Each one of the keys V VV and V³ has a wire 23 a respectively
leading to the magnets Figure 56 for the carrier diverting switches G and from
said magnets to the magnet for valves Y Figure 51 and the contacts s
Figures 34 and 35 for the plates of the combined receiver and transmitter S at
the subscribers.stations. A separate circuit is thus provided for the electrical
appliances at each subscribers station and the respective appliances therefor at the
central office. The current reversing switch O may be of any suitable kind in
the drawing (see also Figures 61 and 62) it is shown provided with contacts o
and o which are normally open, an insulated contact of normally in contact,
contacts o³ and of which are normally open and an insulated contact of for contact
with o normally closed and also another contact of for contact with of normally
closed, as more plainly shown in Figure 33. The magnets w' and w' for the
valve W see Figure 63 and the contacts to t t to see Figures 48 and 63 for the
plate or valvet of the central office receiver T are in divided circuits 2. z. and ¹¹
of a battery as plainly shown in Figure 33 and in dotted lines joining Figure 63,

page_text: said circuit connections as shown are set to open the valve W to the suction side
of the pump which is their normal position as the sub-line A is normally filled or
provided with suction currents or has vacuum pressure.
The general operation is as follows, the valves or plates st of the devices S at
the subscribers stations being normally closed, as shown in Figure 34 the cut-off
valve U being normally open as indicated in full lines Figure 44 the reversing
valve W being set to the suction side of the pump and the escape valves Y at the
subscribers stations being closed and the carrier diverting switches G being in
their normal position, as indicated in full lines Figure 56, a suction or vacuum is
formed in line A. To send a carrier from the subscribers station all that is
necessary is to move the sleeve s at the subscribers station desired. As the
sleeves is moved, the pivoted pawls" is oscillated or moved out of engagement
with the catch $20 on tubular slide in chamber s which slide 12 drops opening its
valve 18 and the vacuum in pipe A opens the slide valve s16 to put the pipe A. in
communication with the atmosphere whereat the carrier previously inserted
through the opening of pipe into the latter is at once subject to the pressure or
current in said pipe A and is propelled by the same through the pipe A to the
line. The opening of the sleeve s¹ the dropping of the slides and the opening
of its valves, the insertion of the carrier into pipe A° and the closing of
sleeves are almost instantly performed in practice so quickly do they occur that
as soon as the carrier is brought in line with the opening s in pipe AⓇ the suction
therein draws the carrier from the hand of the subscriber and it is sent through
the pipe whereupon the sleeves¹ is closed. When the carrier as it travels in the
pipe meets the tail piece " Figure 56 of lever g" it moves the latter to cause it
to throw the switch G across the path of tube A to allow the carrier to press into
said tube and such switch is so moved without affecting the locking mechanism
for the switch as hereinbefore described. When the carrier arrives at the
receiver T at the central station said carrier strikes the valve t thereof to open
the same, and as the valve opens, its insulated projection 3 leaves the contacts to
and which open, and its projection leaves the contact which contact then
closes against contact to complete the circuit of battery 10 through magnet w
which actuates the armature lever w' to throw the valve W open to the pressure
side of the pump and cut it out or close it to the suction side of the same, the
magnet w being previously made inactive by the opening of its battery circuit
by the opening of the contacts to and to as the valve t is dropped or opened by the
carrier. As soon as the reversing valve W is opened to the pressure side of the
pump the pressure from the latter passing through pipe T in the direction
the opposite of that of the suction first presses the plate u against the valve U
and moves both the plate and the valve together to the position shown in dotted
lines Figure 44 to seal the receiver end of the pipe A at the central station,
so that such pressure cannot escape thereat but is directed by valve U into the
line to travel through the same to the subscribers station from which the carrier
was sent as above described, and such pressure passing into chamber thereat
closes the valves in slides and then raises the slide to its normal position
closing valve 18. All of these operations are so quickly performed that they
take place before the central office receiver valve t returns to its normal position
after being opened by the carrier so that when it does return to such position
its projection opens the contacts to open the circuit of the magnets to
and its projection t closes the contacts to t to close the circuit of the magnets w
which actuates the armature lever to throw the valve W to the suction side
of the pump, whereupon the cut-off valve U is by such suction returned to its
normal position to place the tube A' in its normal condition. All of snid
operations take place whenever a carrier is sent from any subscribers station to
the central office so that when the tube is normal any number of carriers can
be sent from different stations to the central stations desired.
To send a carrier from the central station to a subscribers station, the key V for

page_text: that station is depressed by the operator which closes contacts to throw the
local battery for said key and subscribers station into the circuit 3 or
therefor as the case may be and opens the contacts 23 and closes the con-
tacts through said key to close the circuit of battery to energize the
reversing current switch magnet w to actuate its armature lever to open the
circuit of magnet and close the circuit of magnet w in order to throw
the reversing valve W from the suction to the pressure side of the pump whereupon
the cut off valve U is moved to seal the receiver end of pipe A at the central
station as before described and such air pressure travels through pipe A. Mean-
while the action of the local battery has energized the magnets go and the
magnets in the line at the subscribers station, and the magnets actuate the
armature lever gs to release it from the locking lever for switch G so that lever g²
is free to act to swing the switch G across the path of the tube A' to divert a
carrier therefrom to the branch of the subscribers station and the magnets y³ release
the armature lock y from the escape valves Y.
The closing of the circuit of the battery by the contact and operates the
magnet of the switch G and the valve Y, at the same time opening the contact
of 2 and 3 and permitting the contact of 3 with 4 thereby energizing the magnet v
which operates the electrical switch O to change the condition of the air in the
tube A from vacuum to pressure by energizing the magnet w thereby attracting
the arm of the reversing valve W.
A carrier now inserted in the transmitter I at the central office, travels or is
propelled by the air pressure in tube A through it and is diverted by the
switch G into the receiver end of pipe AB. As the carrier in passing into the
pipe A impinges against the tail piece g² of the switch G the carrier resets
the switch to its normal position and then travels on to compress the air ahead
of it in end of pipe A or device S to move the piston to release the lock
arms from the valve s which drops, and the carrier falls from the system. The
arm of the reversing valve W is retained in position until the carrier is delivered
as aforesaid when the circuit is opened momentarily. As the valve s drops it
breaks or opens the contacts 22 and 23 and they in turn open the line circuit for
said station whereupon the key V at the central station is retracted by the usual
springs employed for that purpose to open contacts c, ' to cut the local battery out
of the line and to also open contacts and in turn the circuit of battery the
reversing current switch magnet w is then retracted to cut the magnet out of
the circuit of battery and place the magnet te in the circuit of said battery to
change the reversing valve W from the pressure side of the pump to suction or the
normal condition of the tube A. Meanwhile the locking of the carrier diverting
switch and of the escape valve at the subscribers stations has been effected as
hereinbefore described. When a carrier is sent from the central station to the
terminal subscribers station A which is not in a branch from tube A none of the
above described operations take place as the carrier does not have to be diverted
and hence said station, has no carrier diverting switch and in lieu of the electrically
controlled escape valve Y the flap valve shown in Figures 49 and 50 are used at
such stations and all the electrical devices employed at the other stations are
dispensed with at station A".
It will be noted from the foregoing that only a single tube is used to send the
carriers from the central station to the subscribers station and from the latter to
the former that the carriers are so sent by pressure or suction that the sub-
scribers have nothing to do but to move the sleeves at their stations to put the
carrier into the system that the carriers are received at their stations without any
work or care on their part; and the operation of guiding the carriers to their
stations is controlled from the central station and that all the parts of the system
operated from the central station as well as others actuated by the carriers auto
matically return to their normal position.
It is evident that the parts comprising the system may be variously arranged and

page_text: the construction of the parts and actuating mechanism therefor may be modified in
detail without departing from the spirit of the invention and hence I do not limit
myself thereto as shown and described.
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: :-
1st. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a line of main tubing, sub-station inlet
and outlet tubes joined to the said main tubing, and devices substantially as
shown and described for normally causing the motive force to travel or act
through said main tubing and into and through each sub-station and back again
to the main tubing successively throughout the line of said main tubing, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2nd. In a pneumatic dispatch system a circuit of main tubing leading from
and back to a central or main station, a series of sub-stations in connection with
the main tubing separate carrier transmitting and receiving appliances at said
main station and at each sub-station, and devices for normally causing the motive
force to travel or act through said main tubing and into and through each sub-
station and back again to the main tubing successively on the same side of said
tube from end to end of the same, substantially as set forth.
3rd. In a pneumatic dispatch system, the combination of a single tube circuit
having at one end an air current creating device and a transmitter for inserting
carriers into said tube, the other end of said tube being open to the atmosphere and
having a receiving device for delivering carriers from said tube, sub-station inlet
and outlet tubes joined to same side of said main tube and carrier transmitting and
delivery devices for said sub-stations, substantially as set forth.
4th. The method herein described for transmitting carriers to and delivering
them from a line of pneumatic dispatch tubes system having sub-stations, consisting
in causing the air power to normally travel or How through said main line and into
and through the sub-stations and back to the main line successively on the same side
of said tube from end to end of the line substantially as set forth.
5th. The method herein described for transmitting carriers to and delivering them
from a line of pneumatic dispatch tube system having sub-stations without permitting
the escape of air from the transmitting and delivery devices of the system, which
consists in causing the air power to propel the carriers from the main line to inlet of the
sub and other station receiver, then causing the momentum of the carriers to move them
into and deliver them from the receivers, then shunting said air around the inlet opening
of the receivers and conducting it back to the main line substantially as set forth.
6th. The method herein described of producing continuous flowing air current in
pneumatic dispatch tube systems for transmitting carriers into and delivering them
from the system at main and sub-stations; consisting in continuously and successively
deflecting the air current from the main line into and through the sub-stations back
again into the main line from end to end of the same and then allowing the air
currents to escape from the main line at its end opposite to that at which the air
currents are produced substantially as set forth.
7th. A pneumatic dispatch tube system comprising a main station, a number of
sub-stations means for causing a continuous flow of air to continuously pass
through all the sub-stations successively on the same side of said tube and from end
to end of the line without escaping at said sub-stations and an open end for one evd
of the system from which said current escapes substantially as set forth.
8th. In a pneumatic tube dispatch system, a line tube, inlet and outlet sub-station
tubes joined to said line tube and to each other, on the same side of said line tube,
valves in the line tube constructed to allow the passage of carrier through them
and to deflect the air current from the line tube through the sub-station tubes back
to the line tubes substantially as set forth.
9th. In a pnuematic dispatch tube system the combination of a line tubing having
a branch tube, a valve in the line tubing which allows the passage through it of a

page_text: carrier and which deflects the air from the line tubing into and through said branch
tube, and a carrier diverting switch at the junction of the branch and line tubing
substantially as set forth.
10th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the combination of a line tubing
having sub-station inlet and outlet tubes, a valve in the line tubing between said
sub-station inlet and outlet tubes, which allows the passage of a carrier through it.
and deflects the air from said line tubing to and through the sub-station tubes back
to the line tubing and a carrier diverting switch at the junction of said line and
sub-station inlet tube substantially as set forth.
11th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system, the combination of a line tubing
having sub-station inlet and outlet tubes, a valve in the line tubing between said
sub-station tubes, which allows the passage through it of a carrier and which
deflects the air from the line tubing into and through said sub-station tubes back
again to the line tubing, a carrier diverting switch at the junction of the line and
sub-station inlet tubes, and carrier anti-jamming levers at the junction of the line
and sub-station outlet tube, substantially as set forth.
12th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system, the combination of a line tube, a
branch tube, a valve in the line tube which allows the passage of a carrier through
it and deflects the air into the branch tube, an electric circuit, an indicator operated
by said valve when a carrier passes through it substantially as set forth.
13th. In a pneumatic dispatch system the combination of a tube and a branch
tube, a normally closed valve which is opened by the passage of a carrier through
it, and which deflects the air from one to the other of said tubes, and an electric
circuit and indicator actuated by said valve when opened, substantially as set forth.
14th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the combination of a main line tube
open at one end, a carrier receiving device near to but closed against said open end,
an air current generating device, an air reservoir and a carrier transmitting device
at the opposite end of said tube, sub-station or branch inlet and outlet tubes joined
to said main line, and carrier transmitting and receiving devices in said sub-station
or branch tubes substantially as set forth.
15th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system main and branch or sub-station tubes,
valves in said tubes which allow the passage through it of the carriers and which
deflect the air from one to the other of said tubes, carrier diverting switches at the
junction of said tubes, and carrier transmitting and receiving devices and anti-
blocking switches substantially as set forth.
16th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the combination of a line tube, shunt
plugs joined to said tube, and a bridge tube connecting said shunt plugs whereby
the air and carriers can be shunted from the line tube to the bridge tube and from
the latter to the former, substantially as set forth.
17th. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube, a carrier transmitter
comprising a casing secured to the tube, a rotating plug having a carrier opening
and air passages separate from the carrier opening, whereby the carrier can be
inserted into the transmitter and placed into the line of the dispatch tube without
escape of air from the transmitter and without affecting the flow of air in the tube
substantially as set forth.
18th. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube, a carrier transmitter
comprising a casing and a rotating skeleton plug having a separate carrier opening
substantially as set forth.
19th. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube, a carrier receiving device
having a longitudinally movable and tilting tube actuated by the carrier for effecting
its delivery from said tube substantially as set forth.
20th. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube, a carrier receiving device
having an air inlet end a shunt or outlet pipe communicating with said inlet end, a
movable valve for the latter, and a longitudinally moving and tilting tube actuated
by the carrier for effecting its delivery from said tube, substantially as set forth.
21st. In combination with a pneumatic dispatch tube, a coupling box having
communicating inlet and outlet passages, and chamber d with opening a

page_text: movable valve in said chamber, a longitudinally sliding and tilting barrel or
receiver tube, locking mechanism for retaining said receiver-tube in position with
one of its ends in said chamber and devices actuated by a carrier passing its said
receiver tube to effect a release of said locking mechanism and a sliding and tilting
movement of said receiver tube to deliver the carrier therefrom substantially as
set forth.
22nd. In combination with a main and branch tube junction of a pneumatic
dispatch tube system, two separate levers co-acting together when actuated by a
carrier in either of said tubes for preventing jamming or blocking of said carriers,
and a receiver and transmitter in advance of said levers, substantially as set forth.
23rd. In a pneumatic dispatch system, the combination of two separate lines of
tubes both provided with carrier transmitting and receiving devices, and cach tube
having an open terminal end, the other end of said tubes being connected
respectively with the suction and pressure side of a pump or current generating
device so as to have in each tube à separate air flow, current or pressure in opposite
directions, substantially as shown and described.
24th. In a pneumatic dispatch system, the combination of two separate tubes
having carrier transmitting and receiver devices and means connected to said tube
for creating air currents or pressure in different directions in each said tube,
substantially as shown and described.
25th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the method of transmitting carriers
in different directions through the systems, which consists in automatically
changing the vacuum or suction to an air pressure substantially as set forth.
26th. In a pneumatic dispatch system having a single tube, the method of
transmitting carriers in different directions through the tube, which consists in
causing the carriers to travel or be propelled in one direction by vacuum or suction
and automatically changing the vacuum or suction to pressure to propel the carriers
in an opposite direction, substantially as set forth.
27th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the method of transmitting carriers
which consists in propelling the different carriers in different directions by vacuum
or pressure and controlling the movement of the carriers from the line to the sub-
stations from a central office substantially as set forth.
28th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the combination of a main line having
a main station, a carrier receiving device for the main station a carrier transmitting
device thereat, a cut off valve for said receiver end of the main station, a motive
power reversing valve connected to opposite sides of the pump or like device, sub-
station carrier diverting switches, a combined carrier receiving and transmitting
device with valves and clectrical devices at the sub-stations and main stations
substantially as set forth.
29th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the motive power reversing valve W
substantially as set forth.
30th. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the motive power reversing valve W
combined with a cut off valve substantially as set forth.
31st. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system a sub-station combined receiver and
transmitter for carriers and a carrier diverting switch at said stations substantially
as set forth.
32nd. The sub-station receiver and transmitter for carriers having an escape
valve, substantially as set forth.
33rd. In a pneumatic dispatch tube system the combination of a line of tube.
having a central office and a series of subscribers stations carrier transmitting and
receiver devices at said stations, carrier diverting switches at the subscribers
stations, motive power reversing valve, an electrical current changing switch and
operators keys at the central office, electrical appliances for said reversing valve
and for the carrier diverting switches and electrical connections between said
electrical devices, substantially.as and for the purpose set forth.
34th. In a pneumatic dispatch system, a sub or other line having a terminal

page_text: sub-station combined receiving and transmitting device and an escape valve at or.
on said device, substantially as set forth.
35th. In a pneumatic dispatch system, the combination of a tube and devices for
changing the direction of the motive power through the tube and devices for
automatically restoring the tube to its normal condition by the delivery of a carrier
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of April 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.