US1106346A - Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

E. A. FORDYCE.

PNEUMATIC DESPATOH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26,1806.

1,106,346, Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

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PNEUMATIC DBSPATCH TUBE APPARATUS 1, 1 APPLICATION TILED NOV.26,190fl. Patented Aug. 41

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E. A. PORDYGE.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 26,1906.

1,106,346 Patented Aug.4,1914,

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EDMOND A. FORDYCE, ,OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 AMERICAN PNEUMATIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH-TUBE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au". 4,1914.

Application filed November 26, 1906. Serial N 0. 345,060.

of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneu matic-Despatch-Tube Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic dcspatch tube apparatus and particularly to vacuum systems wherein the carriers are transmitted therethrough by means of the admission of atmospheric pressure through a suitable opening or air inlet.

The object of this invention is to simplify and render more eil'icient, the mechanism and operation thereof controlling and timing the admission of the atmospheric pressure tl'irough said air inlet for the proper transmission and delivery of carriers.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodying my in vention, Figure 1 is a diagram of an ordinary pneumatic tube system; showing the mechanism controlling the bell mouth or air inlet. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the normal or closed position of the mechanism controlling the bell mouth or air inlet. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the controlling mechanism showing a carrier being despatched and air inlet open.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A is a bell mouth or air inlet for the reception of carriers and B is a transmission tube connecting the bell mouth A with the delivery terminal C, which terminal is controlled by the ordinary delivery valve D.

F is a transmission tube for thereturn of carriers and connects the terminal C with the terminal G controlled by the usual valve H. The inlet valve J is for the insertion of carriers into the tube F.

E is a suction tube connecting the ter-: minal G with the usual vacuum drum and adapted to exhaust the air from the tubes B and F.

1 is a casing in which is mounted one end of the transmission tube B and the bell mouth or air inlet A adapted to communicate with said transmission tube B.

2 is a valve pivoted on the pin 3 within the casing 1 and adapted to control the communication of the bell mouth A with the transmission tube B. i

Mounted in the lower part of the casing 1 1s a cylinder 4 in which is mounted a piston 5 carrylng a piston rod 6 adapted to operate the valve 2 through the medium of the bell crank lever 7 and link 8. The cylinder 4: is closed at its-upper end from the vacuum chamber 9 of the casing 1, which chamber 9 is in communication with the transmission tube 13. The lower part of the cylinder 4. below the piston 5 communicates with the atmosphere through a port 10 controlled by an adjustable timing screw 11 held in adjustment by the nut 12. At one side of the cylinder t is a valve chamber 13 open at the lower end to the atmosphere, its upper end opening into the vacuum chamber 9. Connecting the valve chamber 13 with the lower part of the cylinder 4- bclow the piston 5 is a port 1 1 and connecting the upper part of the cylinder 1 above the piston 5 with the valve chamber 13 is a port 15. A pipe 16 connects one side of the valve chamber 13 with the suction tube E.

Mounted in the valve chamber 13 is a spool valve 17 having an outer peripheral valve chamber 18 and an. inner chamber 19, the outer peripheral chamber 18 being in continuous communication with the pipe 16, the inner chamber 19 being open to the atmosphere at its lower end. The upper part of the inner chamber 19 carries the ports 20 which are adapted in certain positions of the valve to comnnmicate with the ports 15 thereby admitting atmospheric pressure to the upper part of cylinder 1 above the piston 5. The outer peripheral chamber 18 is adapted to communicate with either port .15 or port 1-11; imlcpcndently, thereby permitting a vacuum in the cylinder 4; either above or below the piston 5. The movement of the spool valve 17 in a downward direction is limited by the pin or stop 21. The movement of the spool valve 17 in an upward direction is limited by the engagement of the upper end of the valve with the inclined part of the casing in which the opening 2 1 is formed. A pivot valve 22 pivoted to the casing 1 at 23 controls the admission of the atmosphere through the opening 24: to the vacuum chamber 9. This valve 22 is adapted to be operated by a trip 25 projecting into the bell mouth A into the path of the carriers.

If it is desired to dcspatch a carrier from A to C, the operator inserts a carrier into the bell mouth A (see Fig. 3) which strilres the trip 25 opening the pivot valve 22 causing an inrush of atmospheric pressure through the opening 2% destroying the vacuum above the spool valve 17 which causes said valve to drop by gravity until the ports 20 communicate with port 15 permitting the atmospheric pressure to enter from the inner chamber 19 into the cylinder 4.- above the piston 5 causing said piston to be forced downward from its normal position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in F 3, and through the medium of the piston rod 6, link 8, and bell crank lever 7,

opening the valve 2 and admitting the carricr which is driven by the inrush of air into the transmission tube B. In the meantime, with the spool valve in the position shown in Fig. 3, the air in the cylinder 1 beneath the piston 5 has been allowed to escape through the port 1 1- and outer peripheral chamber 18 into the pipe 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The trip 25 is released immediately after the passage of the ca rier closing the valve 22 and openin 2 1 causing a partial vacuum to form in the chamber 9, lifting the spool valve 17 to the position shown in Fig. 2, closing the communication of the port 15 with the atmosphere and causing the port 15 to communicate with the outer peripheral cham ber 18 whereby the air is exhausted from the upper part of the cylinder 4 above the piston 5 through the port 15 and chamber 18 into the pipe 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow. The piston now slowly rises in the cylinder as the air is admitted to the cylinder below the piston through the graduated port 10, and by the time the valve 2 has entirely closed, the carrier has delivered through the valve B at the terminal C. In returning a carrier from the terminal C to the terminal G, the inlet valve J is opened and the carrier inserted into the transmission tube F and the inlet valve closed. The opening of the inlet valve J, admits the atmosphere destroying the vacuum in the tube B and chamber 9 causing the spool valve 17 to drop, admitting atmospheric pressure to the cylinder 4 above the piston and opening the valve 2 as hereinbeztore described, admitting air for driving the carrier from the terminal 0 to the terminal G. The valve 2 in the meantime is gradually closed in the manner identical with that already described, the interval of time being adjusted by the timing screw.

Having thus described the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. in a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, a sending station into which carriers are inserted for transmission, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and adapted to open to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, a cylinder, a piston connected with said valve and adapted to operate in said cylinder, and mechanism adapted to be operated by fluctuations of pressure in said tube to admit air to said cylinder and to move said piston to open said valve.

2. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, a sending station into which carriers are inserted for transmission, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and adapted to open to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, a cylinder, a piston connected with said valve and adapted to operate in said cylinder, mechanism adapted to be operated by fluctuation of pressure in said tube to admit air to said cylinder and move said piston to open said valve, and means for causing a return movement of said piston and eiiecting the closure of said valve.

3. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, a sending station into which carriers are inserted for transmission, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and adapted to open to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, a cylinder, a piston connected to said valve and adapted to operate in said cylinder, mechanism adapted to be operated by fluctuations of pressure in said tube to admit air to said cylinder and move said piston to open said valve, and means, operated on the insertion of a carrier, for causing a fluctuation of the pressure in said tube to operate said mechanism.

4. In a pneumatic despatch ratus, a transit tube through which. carriers are transmitted, a sending station into which carriers are inserted for transmission, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and adapted to open to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, a cylinder, a piston connected to said valve and adapted to operate in said cylinder, mechanism adapted to be operated by fluctuation of pressure in said tube to admit air into said cylinder and move said piston to open said valve, and means for causing a fluctuation of the pressure in said tube to operate said mechanism.

5. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, a sending station into which carriers are inserted for transmission, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and adapted to open to admit air into said tube for tube appadriving carriers, a cylinder, a piston connected to said valve and adapted to operate in said cylinder, mechanism adapted to be operated by fluctuation of pressure in said tube to admit air to said cylinder and move said piston to open said valve, means operated on the insertion of a carrier for causing a fluctuation of the pressure in said tube to operate said mechanism, and means for timing the closure of said valve.

6. In a. pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube having .a single inlet for both the admission of carriers and the outside air for propelling carriers through the tube, means for exhausting air from said tube, a single valve, normally closed; controlling said inlet and adapted to open to admit carriers and also outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, and pneumatic means connected with said valve and adapted to be operated by fluctuation of pressure in said transit tube to open the valve to admit outside air through said inlet to said tube.

7. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube having a single inlet for both the admission of carriers and the outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, means for exhausting air from said tube, a single valve, normally closed, controlling said inlet and adapted to open to admit carriers and also outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, pneumatic means connected with said. valve and adapted to be operated by the admission of outside air pressure to open said valve, and mechanism adapted to be operated by a fluctuation of pressure in said transit tube to admit outside air to said pneumatic means.

8. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, means for exhausting air from said tube, avalve normally closing said tube and arranged to admit a carrier to the transit tube and to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, mechanism, connected with said valve, and adapted to be operated by the admission of atmospheric pressure, to open said valve, means operating upon the insertion of a carrier for admitting atmosphcric pressure to said mechanism, and means for timing the closingof the valve.

9. In a pneumatic despateh tube appa ratus, a transit tube through which carriers are transmitted, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve normally closing said tube and arranged to admit a carrier to the t'ansit tube and to admit air into said tube for driving carriers, mechanism, connected with said valve and adapted to be ope 'ated by the admission of atmospheric pressure, to open said valve, and means,operated by a fluctuation of pressure in said tube upon the insertion of a carrier, for admitting atmospheric pressure to said mechanism.

10. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a. transit tube having an inlet for both the admission of carriers and the outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, means for exhausting air from said tube, a valve, normally closed, controlling said inlet and adapted to open to admit carriers and also outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, means connected with said valve and adapted to be operated by the admission of outside air-pressure to open said valve, and mechanism adapted to be operated by a fluctuation of pressure in said transit tube to admit outside air to said means which are connected with said valve.

11. In a pneumatic despatch tube apparatus, a transit tube having an inlet for both the admission of carriers and the outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, means for exhausting air from said tube, a. valve, normally closed, controlling said inlet and adapted to open to admit carriers and also outside air for propelling the carriers through the tube, means connected with said valve and adapted to be operated by the admission of outside air-pressure to open said valve, mechanism adapted to be operated by a fluctuation of pressure in said transit tube to admit outside air to said means which are connected with said valve, and means for timing the closing of said valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing IWltllPSSCSytlllS 14th day of November, A. l). 1906.

EDMOND A. FORDYOE.

\Vitnesses:

II. I). iVarremIoUsn, CL. C. JENNINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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