IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1885.
Complete Left, 14th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Feb., 1887
We, JOHN GEORGE WALKER of Gallowgate Iron Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Iron-
founder and JOHN NEWTON also of Gallowgate Iron Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBES," to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to pneumatic despatch tubes for the transmission of parcels.
letters, cash and other objects by compressed air; and our invention consists in the
employment, with the said tubes, of a main or supply tube or tubes to which the
despatch tubes are connected and from which main or supply tube or tubes the
necessary compressed air can be admitted at either end of the despatch or carrying
We are thus enabled, in
tubes so as to impel the carrier or object in either direction.
many cases, to operate an entire system of despatch tubes by a single blower.
In carrying out our invention we provide a main or supply tube or tubes, which
tubes may be provided with any desired number of branches. The said tube or tubes
and branches are kept constantly charged with compressed air by means of a blower
worked by steam or other motive power. The despatch or carrying tubes are con-
At the
nected at each end, either to the main supply tube or to one of its branches.
terminal points of each despatch tube or at those points between which the carrier or
other object is to be transmitted, are arranged valves which can be readily opened by
the operator, but which close automatically when released. By opening the valve at
either end of the despatch tube the compressed air is admitted from the main or
supply tube or branch thereof, and the carrier in the despatch tube is impelled in either
direction, as desired.
Thus when our invention is applied to a system of tubes used as cash-carriers in a
large establishment, a despatch tube, provided with a valve and connected to the main
supply tube, may be arranged at each counter. The tubes extend from the various

page_text: points of the establishment to the cashier's desk where they are each provided with a
similar valve and connected to a branch or branches of the main or supply tube. On
opening the valve at the counter end of the despatch tube the compressed air is
admitted to the said tube and impels the carrier to the cashier's desk, the valve closing
directly it is released by the operator. The return movement of the carrier to its
starting point is effected by the cashier opening the valve at his end of the despatch
tube. The entire system of tubes can, in this case, be operated from a single blower.
When the terminal points of the despatch tubes are at such a distance apart as to
render it necessary, we arrange a main or supply tube or tubes at each end of the said
despatch tubes, a separate blower and engine being provided for the supply of air to
each system of supply tubes at both terminal points.
T. N. PALMER & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
각
Improvements in Pneumatic Despatch Tubes.
We, JOHN GEORGE WALKER of Gallowgate Iron Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Iron-
founder, and JOHN NEWTON also of Gallowgate Iron Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Foreman 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification:-
Our invention relates to pneumatic despatch tubes for the transmission of cash-
carriers, parcels, letters and other objects by compressed air; and our invention.con-
sists in the employment, with the said tubes, of a main or supply tube or tubes to
which the despatch tubes are connected, and from which main or supply tube or tubes
the necessary compressed air can be admitted at either end of the despatch or carrying
tubes so as to impel the carrier or object in either direction. We are thus enabled, in
many cases, to operate an entire system of despatch tubes by a single blower.
In carrying out our invention we provide a main or supply tube or tubes, which
tube or tubes may be provided with any desired number of branches. The said tube
or tubes and branches are kept constantly charged with compressed air by means of a
blower worked by a steam engine or other motive power. The despatch or carrying
tubes are connected at each end either to the main supply tube or to one of its
branches. At the terminal points of each despatch tube, or at those points between

page_text: Figure is a longitudinal section showing the application of our invention as a cash-
carrying system in a warehouse or establishment of three floors.
Figure 2 is a plan of part of the first floor of the said warehouse or establishment.
Like letters indicate like parts in both figures.
The main supply tube a and its branches are shown in the drawings in solid black.
The said supply tube and its branches are kept constantly charged with com-
pressed air by means of the blower & worked by the engine or other motive power.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H are despatch tubes, each of which is connected at its lower end
to the main supply tube a or to a branch thereof. The said despatch tubes extend
upward at various counters or parts of the establishment to the cash desk, which in
the drawings is shown on the first floor. The end of each despatch tube is here con-
nected to a branch of the supply tube as shown in figure 1, both ends of each of the
said despatch tubes being thus in communication with the air supply. In each
despatch tube, at the points A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H respectively, or at such other
point in each tube as it may be desired to despatch the cash-carriers or other objects
from, is inserted a valve by which the compressed air can be admitted from the supply
tube to the despatch tube, or shut off as desired, the portion of the despatch tube
between the said valve and its junction with the supply tube or branch thereof, being
constantly charged with compressed air. On the opposite side of the said valve to the
air supply, each tube is formed with an aperture, closed by a shutter or cover, for the
insertion into the said tube or withdrawal therefrom of the cash-carrier or other object.
Similar valves and similar means for the insertion and removal of the cash-carrier are
fitted to each tube at the points A, B, C, D, E, F, G², H² respectively, at the
cash desk.
The operation is as follows:-The carrier having been inserted, say in the tube A,
at the point A', the aperture in the tube closed and the valve at that point opened,
compressed air is admitted from the supply,tube and impels the carrier to the point A
of the tube A at the cashier's desk. On the cashier replacing the carrier in the tube
at the point A and opening the valve at his end of the tube A, compressed air is
admitted from that end of the said tube and impels the carrier to its starting
point A¹.
When the terminal points of a system or number of despatch tubes are at such a
distance apart as to render it necessary or expedient, we arrange a supply tube, which
may have any number of branches, at each terminus of the said despatch tubes, a
separate blower and engine being provided for the supply of air to cach system of
supply tubes at both terminal points. To the said supply tube or to a branch or
branches thereof the ends of the said despatch tubes are connected, and the said
despatch tubes are provided with a valve at each end or terminal point, whereby com-
pressed air can be admitted from the supply tube or branch thereof at either end of the

page_text: despatch tube, or shut off as desired, so that objects can be impelled through each tube
in either direction.
Our invention may be applied to pneumatic despatch tubes for the transmission by
compressed air, of cash-carriers, letters, parcels or other objects. The valves for
admitting or shutting off the supply of compressed air to the despatch tubes may
be of any form or construction suitable for the purpose and any suitable means may
be used for the introduction into and removal from the despatch tubes of the cash-
carriers or other objects.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :
First The combination of a supply tube charged with compressed air and one or
more pneumatic despatch tubes, the said despatch tubes being connected at each end
either to the supply tube or to a branch thereof and provided with means whereby the
compressed air from the supply tube or branch thereof can be admitted from either
end of the said despatch tubes, or shut off as desired, substantially as herein set forth.
Second The arrangement for working a number or system of pneumatic despatch
tubes by compressed air from a supply tube arranged at each end or terminal point of
the said system of despatch tubes, substantially as herein set forth.
T. N. PALMER & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.