US638409A - Receiving-terminal for pneumatic-despatch systems. - Google Patents

Description

No. 638,409. Patented nec. 5, |899.

c. F. onmus.

RECEIVING TERMINAL FDR PNEUMATIC DESPATCH SYSTEMS.

(Application med may 1s. 1899.)

(No Model.)

un :Enum

limiten CHARLES F. BODINUS,

OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

RECEIVING-TERMINAL FOR PNEUMATICHDESPATCH SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,409, dated December 5, 1899. Application filed May 18,1899. Serial No. 717,247. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t 7mm concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. BoDINUs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Austin, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receiving Terminals for Pneumatic-Despatch Systems, of which the following is a specification and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to what are technicallyknown as upward-discharge terminals, wherein the carrier or cartridge is impelled upward through a tube and in being discharged therefrom has its direction changed, so that it is thrown downwardly into the receptacle provided for receiving it.

The object of the invention is to provide for the more certain and easy action of the terminal, overcoming the difficulties present in terminals of the same type now in use, as will be hereinafter more definitely explained.

The invention consists in so locating the discharge end ofthe delivery-tube with reference to its connection with the suctiontube that while the carrier is cushioned as it reaches the valve at the end of the tube the suction upon it is lateral and does not tend to prevent its discharge from the tube.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section of my improved terminal. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the complete terminal, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Broadly considered, the device for which protection is sought consists of a terminal having a passage which is divided into two branches, one of which constitutes a portion of the return or suction tube and the other of which is provided with a delivery-orice. The orifice of the delivery branch is normally closed bya spring-controlled flap-valve. The length of the delivery branch is such that the distance between the valve and the more remote wall juncture of the two branches is less than the length of the carrier intended to be used in the system, while the distance between the valve and the nearer wall j uncture of the two branches is sufficient to pro# vide an air-cushion for such carrier after it has passed the throat of the return branch,

the diameter of this passage of course being such that the carrier will substantially fill it. I show what is commonly known as an updelivery terminal,7 in which the main pasa sage leads upwardly and is overturned through a regular arc until it is directed downwardly, and the fork in this passage occurs in its downwardly-directed portion. While I show the fork to consist in leading one of the branches straight on from the main portion or stem of the passage and the other as being led laterally at substantially a right angle,

such conguration is not essential nor does it form a part of the invention. Essentially the device comprises a branch pipe, and for convenience of manufacture I prefer to make the entire terminal, with the exception of the valve, of cast metal and in two parts, the division being longitudinal and central as to the tube and the two sections being secured together by means of screws or rivets.

i More specifically described, the device consists of a'tube A, adapted for attachment at one of its ends a to the delivery-tube of a pneumatic-despatch system, being curved regularly through or approximately through one hundred and eighty degrees and having its other end A open. A branch B of this tube opens laterally therefrom near, but a short distance removed from, the end A', and preferably this openiu g is directed toward the center of the circle of which the main member of the tube A is an arc. The branch B is curved downwardly and is adapted for attachment to the return or suction member of the pneumatic-despatch system.

The tube A and its branch B are preferably of cast metal and made of two sections, division beinglongitudin al and central. Each section of this castingis provided with a number of apertured lugs E, by means of which the two sections may be secured together by screws or rivets.

The delivery branch A of the passage A is shown as leading in the saine general direction as the main portion of the passage, but as being of somewhat reduced diameter and having an open end, andis equipped with a valve, preferablya simple Hap-valve C, being a disk. of leather attached, by means of screws, as shown, to an arm F, which is pivoted between a pair of lugs j', formed upon IOO vss

the tube. A spring Gr, coiled upon the hingepin g, upon which the valve swings, is adapted to hold the valve closed. \Vhile I prefer the manner and form of mounting for the valve shown in the drawings, I do not desire to be limited thereto, as any valve provided with means for normally closing the same and which is openable by the impact of the carrier from within may be employed.

I am aware that terminals have been employed which are, generally speaking, simil-ail in form to the one which is the subject of this application; but so far as l am aware none have been made which operate in an entirely satisfactory manner. Either the dischargeopening isin such direct communication with the suction branch that draft is entirely suspended in the delivery branch when the valve is opened or the suction branch is so connected with the delivery branch that there is a strong back pull upon the carrier after it passes this connection, and as a consequence the discharge of the carrier is prevented. When the former difficulty is present, it results in the dropping of a succeeding carrier, should there be one in the tube when the valve is opened.

When the suction branch is so located as to produce the back pull upon the carrier, there is united a closed pocket at the end of the delivery-tube A of such extent that the advance of the carrieris so graduallychecked by the compression of the air that there is not a su flicient impact upon the valve to open it, or, if opened by the compression of the air, it closes again before the carrier reaches it,and the momentum of the latter has by that time been so far spent that it is not sufficient to again open the valve, held, as it is, not only by spring or counterweight, but also by the suction within the tube. These several difliculties I have completely overcome in the terminal forming the subject of this application by so locating the discharge-aperture with reference to the connection of the branch B with the tube A that only a sufficient cushioning effect is secured as the carrierXpasses the mouth of the.branch B to prevent a tooviolent impact upon the valve, the momentum of the carrier, however, not being reduced sufficiently' to prevent it from forcing its way out. Furthermore, the mouth of the branch B is located sufficiently near the valve so that the carrier overlaps it as its forward end reaches the discharge-orifice. Can riers as invariably made have enlarged ends, the diameter of which is substantially that of the passage through which they are to be driven. As the forward end of such a carrier passes the throat of the suction branch B of the passage there-is of course a partial vacuum before it in the delivery branch A due to the fact that the system is operated by suction, and as a result there will for an instant be a forward impulse given to the carrier and for the same instant the closing pressure upon the valve will continue. The advance of the carrier by reducing the dimensions of the chamber in front of it quickly raises the pressure therein to and above that of the atmosphere. The air-cushion thus formed absorbs in part the momentum of the carrier and red uces the force of its impact against the valve, thereby greatly lessening the injury to the carrier resulting from such impact. On the other hand, as communication between the two branches A and B is cut off by this advance end of the carrier the closing pressure upon the valve due to the continuing suction in the branch B is of course stopped. While the carrier overlaps the throat of the branch passage B, it is in effect a balanced valve therefor, and hence the suction therein is without effect either to retard or advance it. As the carrier thus overlaps the throat of the branch passage B at the time of its impact upon the valve, it follows from the foregoing that the only resistance to the advance of the carrier is found in the tension of the spring, and this the reduced momentum of the carrier is able to overcome. As the forward end ofthe carrier emerges from the discharge-orifice its rearward end uncovers the branch passage B to the main passage A, and the inrush of air from the latter due to the renewal of draft upon it tends to impart to the carrier a forward impulse. When the rearward end of the carrier has passed beyond the throat of the branch passage I3, a retarding pressure is applied to it, which, while not sufficient to hold it in the delivery branch, tends to still further check its momentum, and hence to ease its fall into the receptacle. During this act of delivery there has practically been no interruption of the suction applied to the main passage. The only period of interruption of the direct communication between the suction branch Band the main passage A is while the throat of the former is covered by the carrier. During this time, however, the carrier constitutes a rapidly-moving piston, which prevents any reduction in the speed of movement of the contents of the passage behind it. As soon as the rearward end of the carrier uncovers the throat of the passage B to the passage A the direct suction through the latter is again resumed.

A still further and decided advantage pres ent in the construction described is found in thc fact that bythe opening of the valve no direct communication between the outside atmosphere and the interior of the suction branch B is opened, except to the extent of the slight difference between the external diameter of the carrier and the internal diameterof the branch passage A. 4As these two diameters are made as nearly alike as practicable and as the branch passage A is of considerable length, the suction in the branch passage B is not even for an instant satisfied by the opening of the valve, and hence as soon as the rearward end 'of the carrier un- IOO IIO

covers the branch passage B to the passage A the suction Within the former is at once applied with full force to the latter.

Though I have shown and described an np- Ward-discharge terminal, and my invention relates more particularly to this type of device, it is nevertheless applicable to any form of terminal in Which the delivery is from a branch having a valve opened by the impact of the carrier and discharging in a direction transverse to the return-tube, so that an air cushion or buffer may be provided in the delivery branch, in which the body yof the carrier lies, across the induction end of the return-tube.

I claim as my invention" l. A delivery-terminal for pneumatic-de spatch systems having a branching passage, one branch thereof being an air-return passage and the other branch a carrier-discharge passage having an open end, and an outwardly-opening spring-closed iiap-valve for such open end; the diameterof the discharge-` passage being substantially that of the carrier intended for use in the system, and its length being such that it forms an air-cushion for the carrier, and the carrier, when it strikes the valve, will overlap, approximately entirely, the throat of the air-return passage.

2. An upward delivery-terminal for pneumatic-despatch systems having a passage curved to direct its end downwardly, and being divided into an air-return branch leading laterally from the main portion of the passage, and a carrier-delivery branch being continued in the same general direction as the said main passage and having an open end, a valve for such open end and being openable by the impact of a carrier; the length of the delivery branch being sufficient to form an air-cushion to check the mo* mentuin 0f the carrier, and the distance from the open end of the delivery branch to the more remote side of the air-return passage being not greater than the length of the carrier intended to be used in the system.

3. In a pneumatic-despatch terminal, atube having a carrier-discharge branch, the direction of discharge being transverse to the airreturn portion of the tube, a valve for the discharge branch openable by impact of a carrier, the discharge branch being the only means of communication With the interior of the tube opened by the discharge of the carrier, and being prolonged beyond the air-re turn portion of the pipe to form an air-cushion, but the distance from the outer end of the discharge branch to the more remote side of the air-return portion of the tube being not greater than the length of the carrier intended to be used in the system.

CHARLES F. BODINUS.

Witnesses:

PAUL vSYNNnsTVnD'r9 PAUL CARPENTER.

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