Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jen., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a conveying apparatus which is especially adapted for
carrying sheets of paper from one point to another, although it may also be used
for carrying other objects or material.
The invention is embodied in an apparatus comprising a track along which one
or more conveying devices are propelled by a continuously running cord or cable
said conveying devices being adapted to automatically seize and let go of the object
to be carried at definite points in their movement.
The apparatus also comprises one or more supports for the object to be carried,
arranged in suitable position with relation to the track; upon which supports the
said objects are laid by the operator and from which they are automatically taken
by the carrier at its next passage past the said support.
The carrier is provided with a clamp composed of a pair of jaws or clamp
members adapted to seize the object between them, and so arranged that with the
said object clamped between them they will pass the supports for the objects to be
carried without interference; and means are provided for opening the clamp or
separating the jaws as they approach the support from which the object is to be
taken in such manner that one jaw will pass at one side and the other at the
opposite side of the object sustained on the said support and during their passage
will close upon said object and thus seize and remove it from its support and carry
it to the point at which the object is to be delivered, where the clamp will again
be opened and the object permitted to escape therefrom.
The apparatus is adapted to be used in any place where papers or similar
objects are to be carried from point to point in the transaction of business, and
for convenience will be described as applied to the specific use of conveying
telegraph message sheets from one point to another in a distributing station
where messages are received from various points and again transmitted to various
other points.
As such stations, the messages are received and written on suitable blanks or
sheets of paper by the various different operators which sheets are then commonly
sent to a central distributing point and are there assorted and distributed each to
the proper transmitting operator to forward the same to its destination.
The conveying apparatus forming the subject of this invention is adapted to
take the telegraphic messages in the form in which they are ordinarily written,
from operators located at various different points or stations, and to convey the
messages thus taken to a central point; and then, if need be, to take the messages
from the central point of distribution and deliver them to their various different
stations throughout the office.
The support for the blank or blanks to be conveyed, consists essentially of a
flat plate or table having a large opening or recess over which the blank lies.
This table is so arranged that the two jaws of a conveyer, if. closed together or
upon the article held between them, may pass wholly above the same without

page_text: disturbing the blanks that may be resting thereon, but a conveyer that is intended
to take blanks from this particular support is so operated that one jaw will pass
above the table and blanks thereon, while the other jaw will pass below the table
and blanks lying thereon until it arrives at the recess in said table at which point
it will be quickly closed towards its co-operating member thus passing through the
recess in the table, engaging the underside of the blanks resting thereon and
lifting the same until arrested by the jaw which is passing above the table, when
the said blanks will be securely held between the said jaws and carried on until the
point of delivery is reached, when the jaws will be again separated and the blank
or blanks delivered therefrom.
Usually there will be a number of such supports or stations and a carrier
corresponding to each, any given carrier having its jaws operated only at the
corresponding station, so that each carrier will take the blanks from the support at
the corresponding station and will carry the same past all other stations except the
delivery station without being affected.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a conveying apparatus which is especially adapted for
carrying sheets of paper from one point to another, although it may also be used
for carrying other objects or material.
The invention is embodied in an apparatus comprising a track along which one
or more conveying devices are propelled by a continuously running cord or cable
said conveying devices being adapted to automatically seize and let go of the
object to be carried at definite points in their movement.
The apparatus also comprises one or more supports for the object to be carried,
arranged in suitable position with relation to the track; upon which supports the
said objects are laid by the operator and from which they are automatically taken
by the carrier at its next passage past the said supports.
The carrier is provided with a clamp composed of a pair of jaws or clamp
members adapted to seize the object between them, and so arranged that with the
said object clamped between them they will pass the supports for the objects to be
carried without interference; and means are provided for opening the clamp or
separating the jaws as they approach the support from which the object is to be
taken, in such manner that one jaw will pass at one side and the other at the
opposite side of the object sustained on the said support and during their passage
will close upon said object and thus seize and remove it from its support and carry
it to the point at which the object is to be delivered, where the clamp will be again
opened and the object permitted to escape therefrom.
The apparatus is adapted to be used in any place where papers or similar
objects are to be carried from point to point in the transaction of business, and
for convenience will be described as applied to the specific use of conveying
telegraph messages from one point to another in a distributing station where
messages are received from various points and again transmitted to various other
points. At such stations, the messages that are received by the various different
operators are commonly sent to a central distributing point and are there assorted

page_text: and distributed each to the proper transmitting operator to forward the same to
its destination.
The conveying apparatus forming the subject of this invention is adapted to
take the telegraphic messages in the form in which they are ordinarily written,
from operators located at various different points or stations, and to convey the
messages thus taken to a central point; and then, if need be, to take messages
from the central point of distribution and deliver them to their various different
stations throughout the office.
The support for the blank or blauks to be conveyed consists essentially of a flat
plate or table having a large opening or recess over which the blank lies. This
table is so arranged that the two jaws of a conveyor, if closed together or upon
the article held between then, may pass wholly above the same without disturbing
the blanks that may be resting thereon, but a conveyor that is intended to take
blanks from this particular support may be so operated that one jaw will pass
above the table and blanks thereon, while the other jaw will pass below the table
and blanks lying thereon until it arrives at the recess in said table at which point
it will be quickly closed toward its co-operating member thus passing through the
recess in the table, engaging the underside of the blanks resting thereon and
lifting the same until arrested by the jaw which is passing above the table, when
the said blanks will be securely held between the said jaws and carried on until
the point of delivery is reached, when the jaws will be again separated and the
blank or blanks delivered therefrom. Usually there will be a number of such
supports or stations and a carrier corresponding to each, any given carrier
having its jaws operated only at the corresponding station, so that each
carrier will take the blanks from the support at the corresponding station
and will carry the same past all other stations except the delivery station without
being affected.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a conveying apparatus embodying this
invention, slowing one of the supports and the conveying device approaching
the same.
Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof as seen looking from left to right,
Figure 1;
Figure. 3, a transverse section through the support at the point indicated by
line, Figure 1, illustrating the operation of the conveyor in taking the blanks
from their support;
Figure 4, is a detail illustrating the arrangement by which some and not others
of the conveyors are operated at any given station;
Figure 5, a plan view illustrating the construction at the end of the track by
which the actuating cable is maintained in the proper state of tension ;
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are sectional details on lines a, 7, 8, Figure 5;
Figure 9, a sectional detail on line ³, Figure 1.
The track or way upon which the carriers move may be of any suitable or
usual construction and is herein shown as consisting of a tube a having a
longitudinal slot a² the edges of which constitute longitudinal flanges or guide-
rails on which the carriers run, the remainder of the tube being merely a frame
work to support the said guides & in proper position with relation to one another,
and also enclosing and supporting the propelling cord c by which the carriers are
moved along the said way.
The carriers d are each composed of a carriage or slide block d' the greater
portion of which lies outside of the track tube a but is connected with a portion d³
that is contained within the said tube and is connected with the outside portion d²
by a neck which enters the slot as of the track tube, there being thus formed
between the outside and inside parts, a³, at each side of said neck, grooves
which receive the track flanges which thus guide the said slide block in its
longitudinal movenient along the said track.
The internal portion of the carrier is permanently fastened to the propelling

page_text: cord c which extends the entire length of the track, passing around guide pulley at
angles thereof and around a driving pulley located at any convenient point which
imparts a constant motion to the said cord and carriers connected therewith while
the apparatus is in operation.
The cord and track are endless, or in other words, form an inclosed loop or
circuit around which the carriers travel continuously, and means are provided for
taking up slack in the cord or maintaining it in a state of proper tension as will be
hereinafter described.
The carrier block is provided with flanges d' that are preferably located above
and outside of the grooves that receive the track flanges for a purpose that will
be hereinafter described. The carrier blocks d² are by means of the propelling
cord c with which they are permanently connected, caused to travel continuously
along the track, and they pass every station thereon at each course around the
track. The carriers also comprise a clamp jaw e shown as a loop of stout wire
rigidly connected to the block d' and constituting one member of the clamp, the
other member of which is pivotally connected with the said carrier block d² at e³
and is acted upon by a spring see Figure 1, tending to move the said clamp
member e up against the clamp member e as best shown in Figure 2.
The clamp members may be separated as shown in full lines Figure 3, by moving
the member on its pivote against the force of the spring et; but when the said
member is left under the action of said spring it is pressed against the opposite
member e as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or against any material that may be inter-
posed between the said members as indicated in dotted lines Figure 3. The said
members are shown in this instance as properly constructed to effectively grasp a
sheet of paper or pile of such sheets and hold them securely between them. When
the clamp jaws are closed together as shown in Figure 2 or upon the material held
between them as shown in Figure 3 they travel along in a definite path with
relation to the track tube a and are unobstructed in their movement by anything
which does not intersect said path. At the points or stations where the messages
are to be taken by the carriers, a support fis provided, shown in this instance as
a shelf sustained in definite position with relation to the track tube a by brackets
fixed to said tube, the position of said shelf being such that the clamp jaws together
with anything which may be carried between them will pass over said shelf without
interference therewith as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The said shelf is provided
with an opening and is provided with lips or ledges f³, f, to properly gage the
position of the sheets laid upon it, which sheets thus rest upon the shelf and over
the opening thereof, just below the path traversed by the clamp members e, e³,
when closed upon one another. The clamp member may, however, be turned
upon its pivote and separated far enough from the clamp member e to pass below
the shelf while the clamp 'member e remains above the same as shown in full
lines Figure 3, and the carrier that is to take blanks from the shelf at a given
station is so operated that the jaws will be separated upon approaching the station
as shown in full lines Figure 3, so that the spring actuated jaw e will pass below
the blank supporting shelf, and at the position about opposite the opening f* the
spring pressed jaw is released and is thrown by its spring e toward the jawe and
is thus caused to pass through the opening f in the shelf and in so doing it engages
with the under side of the sheet or sheets lying upon the said shelf, lifts them up
therefrom, and clamps them against the member e so that in the further movement.
of the carrier the sheets are removed from the shelf and carried along with the
carrier.
Means are provided for automatically separating and then releasing the clamp
members at points where sheets are to be taken up, or at points where sheets
previously taken are to be delivered, this operation being performed as shown in
this instance by means of a cam, or guide piece g supported in fixed relation to the
track so as to engage with a finger e on the spring actuated clamp member and
cause the said member to be turned upon its pivot as the carrier progresses along
the track as will be readily understood from Figures 1, 2, and 3.

page_text: When there are several carriers and several stations and it is desirable that each.
carrier should be operated only at a corresponding station, and should pass the
other stations, without being operated, the clamp operating cams g and the corre
sponding fingers 6 may be graduated at the different stations as indicated in
Figure 4, where the cam and corresponding finger for one station are shown in full.
lines and the relative position of the cams at the preceding and succeeding stations.
and of the fingers of carriers to be operated thereby are shown in dotted lines.
Thus the cams g at the different stations are set at different levels and also at
different distances laterally from the track. For example, that at the first station
may be highest and farthest out and the finger of the corresponding carrier
properly located to engage with the said cam. That at the next station will be
at a lower level so that the finger of the carrier for the first station will pass over
it, and it will also be nearer the track so that the finger for the second station which
extends to a lower level than that for the first will pass by at the side of the cam
for the first station, but will be in proper position both as to level and lateral.
position for the cam at the second station. Thus each finger will pass by the cams at
all stations but its own without engaging the same, passing above the level of such..
cams as correspond to stations beyond its own and passing to one side of the cams
corresponding to stations preceding its own, assuming that the cams are arranged
in regular order as has been described, that at the first station from a given point
being higbest and farthest out, while the succeeding ones are consecutively lower
and nearer the track.
If it is desired that all the carriers should deliver at one point as at the central.
station suitable cams may be arranged at that point to open the jaws of all the
carriers as they pass, thus causing them to release and drop the blanks carried by
them, and subsequently any given carrier may take the blanks from any given.
support and it will convey the same until it arrives at a cam properly located to
engage with the finger of its clamp member, when the clamp members will be:
separated and the blanks delivered, after which they may be operated at the same
or any other point to again engage other blanks properly supported at such point
and convey them to a point farther along the line.
When all the carriers are to be operated to separate their clamp members at some
single point or general receiving station on the line, but are also to be operated
independently one at each one of a number of other stations along the line, the-
movable clamp member e, may be provided with a second operating finger as shown
in dotted lines at 6, Figures 1 and 3, the said fingers e, of all the carriers that
are to be opened at the one general station being located in the same position with
relation to the guide portion or slide block d² of the carrier so that a single cam
of
properly located at the general receiving station will engage with the finger eo,
each carrier as it passes and operate the same to separate the jaws and thus cause
them to release and deliver the inaterial carried by them.
As before stated the track is an endless one around which the carriers travel
continuously and it is necessary to provide for variations in length of the endless
propelling cord or belt c so that it may always be maintained in a state of sufficient.
tension to run properly through the track and around the various pulleys without
fouling owing to slackness and without producing too strong pressure on the bearings.
of the pulleys owing to a shortening or contraction of the cord.
Provision is made for automatically controlling the tension of the cord by pro-
viding at some convenient point a loop portion of the track as shown in plan view
in Figure 5 where the cord c passes half around the periphery of a guide pulley C
which is so supported as to be capable of movement in a line parallel with the two.
brauches of the cord e extending to the said pulley.
In order to provide for the proper guidance of the carriers in passing around
the pulley C if the latter change its position on the line of the track and cord
approaching its periphery, for the purpose of taking up slack in the cord if it
stretches or for preventing undne tightening of the cord if it contracts, a portion
of the track adjacent to the pulley C is connected with the bearing frame m for

page_text: said pulley and thus accompanies its movements, said portion 610; being concentric
with the pulley where the cord passes around it, and extending along and so as to
overlap a portion of the main track a upon which the portion 610 is telescopically
movable, to accommodate changes in position of the pulley C that takes place for
the purpose of maintaining the proper tension on the cord c.
In order to provide for proper guidance of the carrier from the main track a to
the adjustable track 610, as the latter changes its position with relation to the
former the said track 610, is arranged to co-operate with a different guiding part
of the carrier from that engaged by the guide flanges 6 of the main track a,
said
part being the external flanges & of the carrier before mentioned and said adjustable
track 61, being substantially in the form of two grooved or channelled portions for
engaging said flanges d' as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. Thus along the
overlapping portions of the main and adjustable tracks the carriers are engaged
both by the flanges 6 of the main track a and by the channels 60, of the adjustable
track and upon leaving the end of the main track the carrier is guided wholly by
the adjustable track until it passes around the pulley and again enters upon the
main track, with which it is fully engaged, before leaving the guidance of the
adjustable track. The two tracks are maintained always in line so that the carrier
will pass from one to the other, and the adjustable track is guided in its telescopic
movement as shown in this instance by a guide n see Figures 5 and 7, fixed to the
end of the auxiliary track and arranged to slide freely on the main track, and by
a second guide piece n' see Figures 5 and 8, fixed to the end of the main track
and constructed to allow the auxiliary track to slide freely in it. The pulley C
is yieldingly pressed outward from the end of the main track by a force sufficient
to insure the proper tension on the cord c by any suitable means.
C
As herein shown, the bearing frame m for the pulley C and adjustable track 610,
is connected with a slide bar m² working in a tubular guide m³ supported from the
main track a by one or more cross bars m¹ see Figures 5 and 6, the said slide
bar m² being provided with rack teeth m engaged with a pinion or toothed
wheel m working in suitable bearings m' fixed upon the guide tube m³. The said
pinion me is acted upon by a spring m³ tending to turn the same in the direction to
force the rack and pulley C outward and thus operating to take up the slack in
the cord e if it should stretch or increase in length for any reason, while on the
other hand, if the cord contracts it will draw the pulley C nearer to the ends of
the main track against the tension of the spring m³ without causing a sufficient
increase in tension of the cord to interfere with its proper running. The flanges d
of the carriers may also be engaged by ribs or guide pieces 1, see Figures 1, 2,
and 3, at the points where the carriers pass the stations and the clamp jaws are
operated such additional guide strips operating to resist the torsional strain on
the carrier due to the opening of the clamp members, and thus preventing the
carriers from binding on the main track guides 6 when the clamp members are
operated.
The mechanical details of construction may be varied widely without departing
from the essential features of the invention, and some variations in form may be
desirable when the material to be conveyed varies considerably from that herein
described.
As herein shown the lower clamp member & see Figures 1 and 2 engages the
material (in this case telegraph blanks) at some little distance at each side of the
point at which the upper member e engages the upper side thus tending to bend
the blanks which are grasped between them slightly so that their ends will curl
upward and will thus readily pass over the supports fat the stations where the
clamps are not to be operated.
The gaging lip or flange of the supporting shelf on the end which the
carriers approach in their movement along the track, is shown as provided with
an overhanging lip f' see Figures 1 and 9, to cover the sheets that are lying on
the shelf and prevent them from being disturbed by the passage of a carrier and
its contents over the said shelf.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-.
1.. A conveying apparatus comprising a track or way and propelling cord;
combined with a number of carriers permanently connected to said propelling cord
and adapted to be moved thereby along the said way, said carriers having clamps
to engage with the material to be conveyed; and a number of supports for the
material to be conveyed fixed in definite position with relation to said track and
located at one side of the path of the clamp when closed but to hold the material
supported thereon. between the paths of the clamp members when opened, and
clamp opening devices adjacent to said supports but located at different positions
with relation to the track at the different supports; and co-operating clamp opening
portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a given
clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of the track or way; and the carrier provided with the
clamp adapted to be continuously movable thereon; with a support for the
material to be carried fixed in definite position at the side of said way and in
determinate relation to the path of movement of said clamp thereon; and means
for operating said clamp as the carrier passes said support whereby the clamp
is caused to seize the material that may be on said support and convey it therefrom,
substantially as described.
3. The combination of the track and carrier movable thereon with a support
fixed in definite position with relation to said track, and provided with so opening,
said carrier being provided with a clamp both members of which when cred pass
at one side of said support; and means whereby one member is caused pass at
one side of said support and the other at the other side and thence through the
opening thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of a track and one or more carriers movable thereon with
an endless propelling cord connected with said carriers, a guide pulley and adjustable
track portion held in fixed relation to the bearing of said pulley and telescopically
adjustable along the main track approaching said pulley, the said carriers having
separate guide portions one co-operating with the guide portions in the main track,
and the other with guide portions of the adjustable track, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
5. A conveying apparatus comprising a track or way and propelling cord;
combined with a number of carriers permanently connected to said propelling cord
and adapted to be moved thereby along the said way, said carriers having clamps
to engage with the material to be conveyed; and a number of supports for the
material to be conveyed fixed in definite position with relation to said track and
located at one side of the path of the clamp when closed, but to hold the material
supported thereon between the paths of the clamp-members when opened; and
clamp-opening devices adjacent to said supports but located at different positions
with relation to the track at the different supports; and co-operating clamp
opening portions arranged in different positions on the different clamps whereby a
given clamp is opened when passing a given support but not when passing others,
and another clamp opening portion located in the same position relative to the
track on all the clamps; and the clamp opening device co-operating therewith,
whereby all the clamps are opened when passing the last mentioned clamp opening
device, substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The combination of the main track or way, and a carrier guided thereon
provided with a clamp; with a clamp opening device at the side of the track; and
auxiliary guide portions on the track and carrier at the points where the clamp
opening devices operate to open the clamp, substantially as described.
7. A conveying apparatus comprising a track or way; and endless propelling
cord adapted to be moved continuously along the line of said way; a carrier

page_text: permanently connected with said cord and having guide portions adapted to be
engaged with said way, and having a clamp to seize the material to be conveyed;
and a support for the material to be conveyed, fixed in definite position with
relation to said track; and means for automatically operating said clamp as the
carrier passes the said support, substantially as and for the purpose described..
Dated this 1st day of January 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.