Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G51/00—Conveying articles through pipes or tubes by fluid flow or pressure; Conveying articles over a flat surface, e.g. the base of a trough, by jets located in the surface
  • B65G51/04—Conveying the articles in carriers having a cross-section approximating that of the pipe or tube; Tube mail systems
  • B65G51/06—Despatch carriers for tube mail
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G51/00—Conveying articles through pipes or tubes by fluid flow or pressure; Conveying articles over a flat surface, e.g. the base of a trough, by jets located in the surface
  • B65G51/04—Conveying the articles in carriers having a cross-section approximating that of the pipe or tube; Tube mail systems
  • B65G51/26—Stations

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a cartridge and a pneumatic conveying network of this cartridge.
• the conveying is done by means of a network of conduits which makes it possible to connect between them workstations, a storage center and a station of surrender.
• a suction and blowing circuit is adapted to this network.
• the invention applies to any type of pneumatic conveying, including the transportation of funds as practiced in motorway tolls, supermarkets, banks or casinos. It also applies to any other transport system using cartridges driven by a flow of air.
• Such a conveyor system is described in document FR 2803584.
• This network relates to a motorway toll station that can pneumatically carry money. This currency is first introduced into the cartridges at the toll stations that constitute workstations. It should be noted that these workstations are subject to a high risk of break-in.
• the cartridges are then routed to a secure surrender station, often located in an armored vault.
• a storage center also connected to the network ensures the reception and sending of empty cartridges.
• a turbine associated with a flow variator makes it possible to pressurize or depressurize the air contained in the pipes constituting the conveyor network between the workstations, the surrender station and the storage center. This turbine thus makes it possible to ensure the displacement of the cartridges.
• the cartridges are in the form of transparent plastic cylinders whose ends are each provided with an opaque plastic tip. These tips are provided with access covers. These covers are maneuvered by pivoting about an axis substantially coinciding with a generatrix of the casing of the cylinder. This allows complete clearance of the opening of the cylinder.
• the two ends are surrounded by strips of a flexible material coming into contact with the inner wall of the pipes. These tapes facilitate the sliding of the cartridges during their movements. Because the diameter of the cylinder is smaller than that of the two ends, the cartridge can easily cross the bends presented by the pipes.
• the first cover is held closed by a return means such as a spring which the plate against a bearing cornice formed in the thickness of the tip. Thus, it is not likely to open during transport.
• the second cover is optionally articulated on a generatrix diametrically opposed to the first.
• the turbine and the flow controller generate an air vacuum that sucks the cartridge from the workstation to a switchman.
• the turbine and the flow variator generate an air overpressure which pushes the cartridge of the switchman towards the station of surrender. At this point, the cartridge falls into a receptacle. It can then be emptied or stored in a suitable place.
• a public When a public is short of empty cartridges, it activates a command to supply an empty cartridge from the storage center to its workstation.
• This command can be automated.
• the turbine and the flow controller generate an air vacuum that sucks the cartridge from the storage center to the switchman.
• the turbine and the flow controller generate an overpressure of air that pushes the cartridge of the switch to the workstation.
• a similar path can be made by empty cartridges between the surrender station and the switchman, and then between the switchman and the storage center.
• the cartridges do not circulate between the switch and the turbine.
• the pipe separating them has the sole purpose of ensuring the pressurization or depression of the air ducts borrowed by the cartridges.
• Such a device has a number of limitations at the workstation. First, when a public wants to send money to the station of surrender, it must not omit to close the lid of the cartridge before introducing the latter in the loading station.
• US 4,620,577 teaches a cartridge provided with a transfer device which releases a filling opening of the cartridge when it is activated and which closes this opening automatically.
• the opening is completely clear following the actuation of the device, which is essential in some applications. Indeed, when the opening is partially obstructed by the device, the size of the objects that can be introduced into the cartridge is seriously limited.
• the transfer device inside the cartridge it is difficult to achieve. Indeed, the cartridge results from the assembly of two half-shells after this device has been mounted in one of these half-shells.
• the return spring that is contained in the cartridge can hold prisoners certain objects that have been introduced, for example coins.
• the diameter of the filler opening is substantially smaller than the internal diameter of the cartridge, which limits the volume of objects that can be stored there.
• the present invention thus relates to an easily achievable cartridge that offers great ease of use.
• a pneumatic cartridge which consists of a cylinder equipped with two endpieces comprises at least one automatic closing transfer device designed to completely clear this opening; in addition, this device is arranged at one end of the cartridge.
• this self-closing transfer device is centered on the longitudinal axis of the cartridge.
• the self-closing transfer device comprises a flap pivotally mounted on a hinge, this hinge being provided with a return means.
• This arrangement makes it possible to secure the automation of the loading of the coin cartridges: when the lower part of a coin mechanism is no longer in contact with the self-closing transfer device of the cartridge, this self-closing transfer device is closed. and the currency can not in any case come out of the cartridge.
• this hatch can evolve only towards the inside of the cartridge. According to a variant of the invention, this device is also automatic opening.
• This arrangement makes it possible to automate the unloading of the cartridges in currency.
• a movable locking member immobilizes the transfer device.
• the transfer device comprising a hatch provided with a protrusion
• the locking member consists of a retractable finger bearing on this protuberance.
• the transfer device When the cartridge is provided with a lid, it is desirable to arrange the transfer device on this lid.
• FIG. 1 represents a pneumatic conveying network of cartridges
• FIG. 2 represents in section a cartridge being loaded on the loading station of a work station
• FIG. 3 represents a block diagram of a cartridge without a lid or an upper self-closing transfer device
• FIG. 4 represents a block diagram of a lid and a cartridge-top self-closing transfer device.
• FIG. 5 shows in section the base of a cartridge being unloaded on the unloading station of a surrender station.
• the elements present in several figures are assigned a single reference.
• a network Dl conveying cartridges is shown in Figure 1.
• This network Dl can for example be installed on a motorway toll. It includes a number of PT1, PT2 workstations occupied by tollers who collect money paid by users of the highway. These stations are connected by CT1, CT2 work lines to a CP main line through secondary circuit breakers SA1, SA2. This main pipe CP is also connected to a main switch Al.
• the network D1 also comprises a secure SR surrender station.
• This SR surrender station which is possibly in a shielded vault stores money from workstations PT1, PT2 as and when the CA cartridges arrive. It is connected by a CR surrender line to the main switchman Al.
• the Dl network also includes a CE storage center for receiving and sending empty CA cartridges.
• the storage center CS is connected by a storage line CS to the main switch Al. Its role is to feed the workstations PT1, PT2 into CA cartridges.
• the air pressure in the pipes can be reduced or increased by means of a VF flow controller connected on the one hand to a turbine TU, and on the other hand to the switch Al by a driving line PN .
• a VF flow controller connected on the one hand to a turbine TU, and on the other hand to the switch Al by a driving line PN .
• the turbine TU When the turbine TU is used to compress the air contained in the pipes, the air borrows a discharge pipe RE between the turbine TU and the flow controller VF. He gains the network by PN driving.
• the turbine TU When the turbine TU is used to depressurize the air contained in the pipes, the air is sucked from the network by the driving pipe PN. It uses an AS suction line between the VF flow controller and the TU turbine.
• Exhaust air not shown can evacuate or introduce air at the ends of the various lines if necessary.
• the network is depressed and the cartridge is sucked from the PT1 workstation to the main switch Al.
• the depression downstream of the cartridge is compensated by an air intake through the arranged exhaust at the end of the working line CT1.
• the main switch Al is in the form of a rotary barrel in which each cylindrical compartment can be positioned at will in alignment with each pipe connected to the main switch Al. This enables a cartridge CA to be transferred from a pipe to another, by a simple rotation of the barrel, while ensuring the passage of air.
• the network is put under overpressure and the cartridge is discharged from the main switch Al to the SR surrender station.
• the excess of upstream air is evacuated by the exhaust air arranged at the end of the surrender pipe CR.
• the CA cartridge is either emptied of its contents or placed in a secure place to be emptied later.
• empty cartridges CA can be routed in two stages from the storage center CE to the workstation PTI through the main switch Al.
• empty cartridges CA can be routed in two stages from the SR surrender station to the EC storage center while passing through the main switch Al.
• Such a network is dimensioned so as to allow regular exchanges with a battery of workstations PT1, PT2 both with regard to the number of AC cartridges needed compared to the airflows required to deliver these AC cartridges.
• a CA cartridge is shown in Figure 3.
• the cover of the top nozzle EM1 is not shown.
• This cover pivots about an axis FP1 materialized by a pin or a screw secured to a return spring and coinciding with a generatrix cylinder CY. It evolves in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis AL and is provided to completely clear the opening of the cylinder CY.
• the seat is constituted by a support cornice formed in the thickness of the EM1 part of the tip, EM2 vis-à-vis.
• Each endpiece EM1, EM2 is surrounded by a sliding strip BA1, BA2 coming into contact with the inner wall of the pipes and facilitating the passage of the cartridge CA in the latter.
• the CY cylinder diameter is smaller than the two EMB1, EMB2 tips to facilitate the crossing of the pipes elbows.
• FIG. 4 A lid PO1 provided with a transfer device CH1 with automatic closure is shown in FIG. 4.
• This device is in the form of a hatch TA1 mounted on an articulation AR.
• the hatch TA1 is of smaller dimensions than those of the lid PO1. It can be lowered into the CA cartridge by a force exerted from outside. In the absence of such a force, the hatch TA1 remains pressed against its seat under the effect of a return spring RR mounted on the axis of the articulation AR.
• This seat consists of a flat support cornice arranged at the bottom of the lid PO1.
• This assembly makes absolutely impossible any movement of the hatch TA1 towards the outside of the cartridge CA, as well as any exit of any object which would be inside the cartridge CA. Indeed, the return spring RR prevents the TA1 hatch remains open or ajar towards the inside of the cartridge CA.
• Such a self-closing transfer device CH1, CH2 can be arranged on each of the lids PO1, PO2, which avoids the users of the network Dl to be concerned about the direction of the cartridge CA. According to another embodiment not shown, the self-closing transfer device CH1, CH2 can be arranged on the cylinder CY of the cartridge CA.
• a loading station SC of a work station and a cartridge CA are shown in section in FIG.
• the CA cartridge is located at the top of a work pipe CT1. It is in contact with this pipe by the two sliding strips BA1, BA2 disposed on its ends EM1, EM2. It is held in position by a locking system such as a GR claw.
• the top of the working line CT1 opens into a summit space ES delimited by a moving flap CO around an axis AC. This shutter can be closed in the absence of cartridge.
• An EA air exhaust can evacuate excess air if necessary or, conversely, to let in a certain amount of air.
• the currency is evacuated. If it is introduced into a coin, it is easy to have the lower part of the latter overhanging the ES top space, and thus to be able to deliver money at will.
• the lower part of the coin mechanism, or weir DE is in the form of a vertical tube extending a funnel. Its outer diameter is slightly less than that of the hatch TA1.
• This weir DE is vertically movable. It can therefore go down and press the hatch TA1 which lowers by pivoting around its articulation AR1. The currency can then fall directly into the CA cartridge.
• a presence sensor PR located opposite the cylinder CY stops the filling.
• the CA cartridge reaches the end of the CTI working line with a speed that hits the base of the weir DE. Its advance causes the hatch TA1 to open. The The CA cartridge slows down to a stop position which causes activation of the blocking claw GR, and corresponds to the maximum opening of the hatch TA1.
• the self-closing transfer device It is thought first of all a cone of elastic material whose cut end is inside the cylinder CY and the other end is sealed to a tip EM1, EM2 of the cartridge CA. One can even resort to a motorized system.
• a transfer device CH1, CH2 with automatic opening.
• An SD unloading station in the SR station and the lower part of a CA cartridge are shown in section in FIG. 5.
• the CA cartridge reaches the SD unloading station via a CR reporting line and falls vertically.
• a release member L1 axially aligned with the end of this pipe CR.
• This member is in the form of an annular collar with beveled top. It is arranged at the top of a collector tube TC also vertical. This tube opens on a receptacle collecting money.
• the CA cartridge is locked in position by unrepresented claws.
• the lid PO3 of the cartridge CA is provided with a new transfer device CH3 which also includes a hatch TA3 mounted on an AT joint.
• the hatch TA3 is smaller than those of the PO3 lid. It can penetrate to the inside of the CA cartridge by a force exerted from outside. In the absence of such a force, the trap
• a DG locking member which is intended to immobilize the hatch TA3 is integral with the lid PO3. It comes in the form of a retractable finger. This finger, in the closed position, blocks a PN protuberance arranged at the periphery of the hatch TA3 to make any movement of the hatch TA3 towards the outside of the cartridge CA impossible.
• the retractable finger DG is arranged radially in a cylindrical cavity CV disposed in the thickness of the tip EM3.
• This cavity has a geometry that allows a radial movement of the finger. It is in particular provided with an orifice at each of its ends so that the finger can move on a certain stroke.
• This finger is held in the closed position under the effect of a cylindrical spring RS working in compression.
• this spring RS is supported on an annular shoulder SU1 of the finger DG. In the closed position, this shoulder SU1 comes into abutment on the first end of the cavity which is opposite the hatch TA3.
• the spring RS is supported on the inner face SU2 of the second end of the cavity CV.
• the external section EP of the finger the one that protrudes outside the second end of the cavity CV, opens into a circular recess EV formed at the periphery of the tip EM1. It takes the form of an ED chute.
• the latter When the cartridge CA is blocked by the claws and the tip EM3 is in contact with the release member Ll, the latter enters the chute ED.
• the release member being beveled, it presses laterally the inner edge of the chute EP, thus causing the removal of the finger DG at the first end of the cavity CV which releases the protrusion PN of the hatch TA3.
• the hatch then pivots around the articulation AT to the outside under the effect of the return spring RR. It follows that the pieces fall into the receptacle of the unloading station SD.
• the latter is preferably provided with an internal partition CL which has the shape of a funnel opening opposite the hatch TA3.
• the release member L1 is then released from the cartridge CA, which has the effect of allowing the finger DG to return to the closed position.
• the closure of the hatch TA3 is carried out by means of several plating compasses CM which consist of arc of metal circles fixed at the end of bars articulated on the outer face of the collector tube TC. These compasses are movable in a vertical plane. They can pivot and pass through the collector tube TC through appropriate holes. Whatever the angular position of the AC cartridge, one of the plating compasses will come into contact with the open hatch TA3, push it and accompany it in rotation to the closed position.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34952679

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2004
  • 2004-12-24 FR FR0413900A patent/FR2880006B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2005
  • 2005-12-21 US US11/794,393 patent/US20080232908A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-12-21 EP EP05850583A patent/EP1868928A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-12-21 WO PCT/FR2005/003242 patent/WO2006070114A1/fr active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events