US2893660A - Pneumatic transit tube system with remotely controlled transfer apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1959 R. cooK EI'AL 2,893,660

PNEUMATIC TRANSIT TUBE SYSTEM WITH REMOTELY CONTROLLED TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed June 29. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet l rfi r1 1- -1 Ll LJ 2/ [3 E] L! 70 f0 70 I miuqlian 15 /6 l W 1/ 2 f5 1415 17 Pic: .2 3 Lsuction 5 INVENTORS 19 L P055 C'OOK 6 ALBERT MAPTENS 35F w BY JOHN D. CAPEES ,4 TTOFP/YEY- July 7, 1959 R. cooK ETAL 2,893,660 PNEUMATIC TRANSIT TUBE sys Filed June 29, 1956 TEM WITH REMOTELY CONTROLLED TRANSFER APPARATUS 4 Sheets-She et 2 INVENTORS Poss COOK ALBERT MAPTENS BY JOHN D. C'A PE 25' -A rroexvsvi July 7, 1959 R. cooK ET AL 2,893,650

-- PNEUMATIC TRANSIT TUBE SYSTEM WITH REMOTELY CONTROLLED TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1956 4 Sheefs-Sheetfi INVENTORS PO55 COOK ALBERT MAPTENS' BY JOHN D CAPEES 6;; A rron sv- July 7, 1959 R. COOK ET AL 2,893,650

PNEUMATIC TRANSIT TUBE SYSTEM WITH REMOTELY.

CONTROLLED TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG 6 POSS CQAQINTORS ALBERT HAPTENS JOHN CAPE/-25 0% waa A rTak/vE Y United States Patent PNEUMATIC TRANSIT TUBE SYSTEM WITH REMOTELY CONTROLLED TRANSFER AP- PARATUS Ross Cook, Rolling Hills, and John D. Capers and Albert Martens, Los Angeles, Calif, assignors to Ross Cook, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 29,1956, Serial No. 594,924

9 Claims. (Cl. 243-16) This invention relates to transit tube systems (e.g., using pneumatic transit tubes) and has as its general object to provide an improved multiple-route transit system wherein carriers introduced into the system at a plurality of dispatching stations may be routed to designated destination stations with less delay than is encountered in earlier transit systems.

Existing transit tube systems usually depend upon a relaying operation by human operator at a central transfer station, wherein successive incoming carriers are in turn transferred from incoming dispatch lines to outgoing destination lines. In such a system, the dispatch lines (e.g., pneumatic tubes) coming from a plurality of dispatching stations disposed at separated locations (e.g., of various departments of a business organization in a building wherein articles must be frequently conveyed from one department to another) will converge into a transfer station and a corresponding series of destination lines (e.g., pneumatic tubes) will fan outwardly from the transfer station to a series of destination stations, usually matching and located adjacent the respective dis patching stations. In operating such a system, it is necessary to utilize full time the services of the operator at the transfer station, and the cost of operation includes the full time salary of such operator. Furthermore, time is consumed at the dispatching stations in labeling the carriers to indicate destination, resulting in added labor costs. Also, time is consumed in the transfer operation, limiting the rate at which carriers can be handled. Further, certain percentage of error as to destination, in the transfer operators manipulations, is bound to occur as the result of human inaccuracy.

In an attempt to eliminate the need for a central operator, some transit tube systems have provided multiple transit lines extending directly from each dispatching station to each of the plurality of destination stations. In such a system, the total number of required transit tubes is equal approximately to the square of the num ber of stations, and when more than two or three stations are involved, the system becomes excessively complex and expensive in the multiplication of transit tubes.

With the foregoing in mind, a major object of this invention is to provide a transit tube system utilizing a number of transit lines and embodying automatic means, operable at a central transfer station, for transferring carriers from a dispatch line to a destination line, eliminating the need for a human operator at the transfer station.

A more comprehensive object is to provide a transit system wherein a clerk, at a dispatching station, may actuate a control device of the system to designate a selected destination for a carrier introduced into the sys tour at the dispatching station, so as to set the system for routing and conveying the carrier from the dispatching station to the designated destination.

Specifically, the invention contemplates a system embodying, at a transfer station, carrier routing and trans farting means that is operable automatically under reice mote control at respective dispatching, stations, for transferring carriers from dispatching lines to designated destination lines, in a manner to effect continuous travel of the carriers from the various dispatching stations to the transfer station, and thence to the designated destination, without the intervention of manual manipulation at any point along the various routes of travel.

A further object is to provide such a system wherein directive control at the various dispatching stations is effected by dialing operations upon. conventional telephone-type dialing switches, whereby the dispatching operators may dial the destinations to which their respective packages are to be conveyed, and wherein such dialing operations will be effective to set corresponding transfer devices at the transfer station, for diverting respective carriers from the respective dispatch lines to the designated destination lines.

A further object is to provide such a system wherein the transfer operation will be executed substantially instantaneously when a carrier reaches the transfer station, thus saving a substantial amount of time that is used up in transfer operations by a human operator. The invention deals further with the problem of coordinating the. dispatching operations and dispatching stations in a manner to avoid the occurrence of error. To this end, the invention provides for an in use or hold signal at any station where a dialing operation has just been completed and such signal is held until the carrier dispatched at the dialing station reaches the transfer point in the transfer apparatus. The erasing of the signal then becomes an indication that another dialing operation can be initiated at such dispatching station.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the essential mechanical structure of a transit tube system embodying the invention, disclosing the arrangement, at the transfer station, of incoming dispatching lines, transfer mechanism and outgoing destination lines;

Fig. 2 is a schematic elevation showing primarily the incoming portion of the transfer apparatus, as indicated by line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic elevation of the outgoing portion of the transfer mechanism taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view through an incoming transfer conveyor, illustrating the transfer gate and its motor, as indicated by line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken as indicated by line 5--5 illustrating one of the transfer intersections;

Fig. .6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical apparatus of the system.

Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a system embodying a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is adetail sectional view of the apparatus of a transfer crossing of Fig. 7..

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, we have shown therein, schematically, as an examplev of one form in which the invention may be embodied, a transit tube system embodying generally a series of dispatching receptacles 10*, communicating with respective dispatching pneumatic tubes 11; a centrally located transfer apparatus which is indicated generally by the numeral 12; and a series of destination tubes 13 leading to respective destination receptacles 14. The dispatching receptacle 10 may be of any conventional construction, having a normally closed door 15 which may be opened for the insertion of article carrier. The destination receptacles 14 maybe arranged in a conventional manner at the lower ends of respective terminal portions of the destination tubes 13, as indicated in Fig; 3,

and may have any suitable closure means 17 normally closed and adapted to be opened by a carrier 16 that has arrived at its destination. The tubes 11 and 13 are subjected to suction developed by a conventional air pumping apparatus, the suction connections being labeled as such in the drawing.

At their lower ends, dispatching tubes 11 terminate in delivery outlets 18 which may be of elbow form, normally closed by doors 19 for delivery of carriers 16 to respective delivery conveyor units 20, constituting a portion of the transfer apparatus 12. Delivery units 20 extend in parallel relation from the outlets 19 of their respective dispatching tubes and may be disposed in a common horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 1.

Each of the delivery conveyor units 20 includes an endless conveyor belt 21. The tubes 11, each with its respective conveyor 20, may be regarded as the dispatching lines.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the system is laid out in a building so as to locate the transfer apparatus 12 in the basement of the building, and with the dispatching tubes 11 extending downwardly from their origin to the transfer apparatus 12, and with the destination tubes 13 extending upwardly from the transfer apparatus 12 to the various destinations as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. a

The transfer apparatus The invention is directed primarily to the transfer apparatus 12, and is characterized by the utilization of the series of parallel conveyors 20 arranged to receive carriers discharged from the lower ends of the respective dispatching tubes 11, and to convey such carriers above a series of parallel receiving belts 22 which operate below and in crossed relation to the conveyors 20 and which deliver the bell-mouth inlets 23 on the lower ends of the destination tubes 13, through which the carriers are drawn by suction into the tubes 13 and conveyed to the destination receptacles 14. Conveyor belts 22 and destination tubes 13 collectively may be regarded as the destination lines.

The carriers are transferred from the delivery belts 21 to the receiving belts 22 by operation of a series of deflector gates 24 which are mounted on vertical hinge shafts 25 for swinging movement from normal, inoperative positions disposed alongside the respective belts 21, to operative positions extending diagonally across the respective belts so as to intercept the carriers 16 carried thereon and transfer them to the receiving belts 22. One of the gates 24 is shown in such operative position in Fig. 1, where a carrier 16, being carried along by a belt 21, will be deflected off of such belt and onto a belt 22 therebeneath at a transfer point which is indicated by the letter A. The deflected movement of the carrier is indicated by the broken arrow 26.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, the conveyor belts 21 are arranged with their upper reaches (on which the carriers are supported) sliding upon slideways 27 which in turn may be provided with adequately rigid support by suitably rigid structural beams 28 mounted upon any suitable supporting structure (not shown) in a common horizontal plane. Each slideway 27 constitutes the bottom of a conveyor casing including a vertical back wall member 29 at its rear side and a ceiling member 30 at the top thereof, member 30 extending over and parallel to slideway 27, whereby the conveyor casing is of channel form, open along its side opposite the vertical wall member 29. It will now be apparent that the carriers moving on the conveyor 21 will be retained by vertical wall member 29 against escaping from the conveyor belt 21 at that side. Similarly, the carriers will be retained by the series of normally positioned gates 24, arranged in end to end array as indicated in Fig. 1, to close the open side of the conveyor casing. Wherever a gate 24 .is shifted to its deflecting position as at A, in Fig. 1, however, a delivery outlet 31 will be provided in the open 4 side of the conveyor casing, through which the carrier can escape from delivery belt 21 and drop onto the receiving belt 22 which is operating below that particular transfer point.

Slideways 27 and ceiling member 30 provide respective supports for bearings 32, 33, in which are journalled the hinge shafts 25 of the gates 24. Gates 24 consist in substantially rectangular sheets of metal, each secured at one end to its respective hinge shaft 25, from which is derived cantilever support, for horizontal swinging movement. Each hinge shaft 25, extending upwardly through bearing 33 and ceiling member 30, is connected to the driven shaft 34 of a small reversible electric servo-motor 35 which is supported upon ceiling member 30. Motors 35 are protected beneath a cover 36, hinged at 37 to ceiling member 30 and cooperating therewith to define a dust-excluding casing for a row of motors embodied in a respective delivery conveyor unit 20. 4

Referring back to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, belts 21 travel over pulleys 38 and 39 and are driven by an electric motor 40, through a shaft 41 and the pulleys 38 which are mounted on the shaft 41. Suitable bearing supports (not shown) for the shaft 41 and for pulleys 39 are of course provided, in accordance with conventional practice.

Belts 22 are mounted for traveling on pulleys 42 and 43, the former being mounted on a common drive shaft 44 and driven by a motor 45, and the pulleys 43 being suitably mounted in the bottoms 44 of respective conveyor troughs 45, upon which the upper reaches of the respective belts 22 travel as shown in Fig. 5. Troughs 45 may be integrally joined together by webs 46, as shown, thereby serving to reinforce and brace one another, with their bottoms 44 suitably supported'upon structural beams 47 or any suitably rigid supporting ,means.

riers to assume positions in which their longitudinal axes are sufliciently aligned with the longitudinal axes of belts 22 so that the carriers will properly enter the receiving .bell mouths 23 of destination tubes 13 upon arrival thereat.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the lower reaches of belt 21 preferably operate just above the rims of receiving troughs 45 so as to minimize the vertical drop of the carriers in the transfer operation. It will now be apparent that wherever a gate 24 is shifted to a deflecting position,

the carrier traveling on a corresponding belt 21 will be deflected through the resulting opening 31 and onto a belt 22 directly therebeneath, and will thence travel on belt 22 to a corresponding destination tube 13, into which it will be drawn by the suction therein, guided by the bell mouth 23, which as shown in Fig. 3 is positioned at the ,end of the respective belt 22, at a proper height toreceive the carrier as it is supported on the belt 22.

Control apparatus and operation Referring now to Fig. 6, a portion of a row of deflector gates 24 and motors 35 for one conveyor 20 are shown therein schematically, the motors 35 being reversible motors as indicated, with respective forward and reversing coils controlled by respective double throw relays R. In each relay R, a movable contact that is normally closed on one side of the relay, is effective to energize the respective motor 35 to move the respective gate 24 to its normal, inoperative position and to hold it there against a suitable stop 50 (Figs. 1 and 4), the motor 35 being constantly energized (and stalled) to maintain the gate in that position. When a relay R is energized, its movable contact is shifted to an alternate position in which it closes on another fixed contact of the relay (the one shown open in Fig. 6), whereupon the reverse coilof motor 35 is energized and the motor is actuated to shift the gate-to its deflecting position: which may be determined by contact of the free end of. the gate against the back wall 29 ofthe conveyor unit 20. The motor will remain energized the reversing direction, and stalled, until its relay is returned to: its normal position, whereupon it will promptly return the gate to its normal, inoperative position.

Each group of relays R is controlled by a selector switch S having a sweep contact 51 standing normally in an off position, as designated onthe drawing; and adapted to move in a circular path across the series of contacts numbered 1, 2, 3, 4', 5 ,6, 7', 8', 9 and 10 in the drawing, and to stop on one of these contacts so asto establish a negative or ground connection to one side of the actuator coil of a respective relay R, the contacts 1, 2, 3, et'c., being connected to the respective relays R by conductors 52. At this point it may be noted that although the switch S is shown as having ten of its selective contacts, only four of the respective relay and gate motor assemblies are illustrated,. it beingunderstoodthat corresponding gate motor assemblies may be connected to the remaining contacts of switch 8-. This reduction in the duplication of parallel circuits is for the purpose of simplification of the disclosure.

Current is brought to the sweep contact 51 of switch S through a conductor 53 served from a trunk conductor 54 and incorporating a normally open switch 53 in a double pole starting relay R1.

Switch S is actuated by a pulse operated stepping motor 56 adapted to advance the switch contact 51 one step (eg. from off to contact number 1) in response to each energizing pulse received by it. Stepping motor 56 is connected to sweep arm 51 by a shaft 57.

Dialing apparatus-Stepping motor 56 is arranged to respond to the dialing action of a respective dialing unit D consisting in a rotary impulse switch of the dialing type commonly used in automatic telephone systems. In pulsing switch D, a series of fixed contacts, arranged in circular array are connected through branch conductors 54' to the trunk conductor 54 of a 24 volt current supply circuit; and the sweep contact of the switch D is connected through a conductor 55 incorporating a normally closed switch 55 in starting relay R1 to the energizing solenoid of stepping motor 56. The other side of this solenoid is connected by a conductor 56' through a branch conductor 58 to a trunk conductor 58 constituting the other side of the 24 volt supply circuit.

It will now be apparent that by selecting, on the dial of pulsing switch D, the number of the destination to which it is desired to direct a carrier, the operator at the dispatching station may rotate the dial of switch D to a position determined by the aperture of the dial to which the number relates, and upon the release of the dial, the sweep arm of the switch D will sweep across the fixed contacts of the switch so as to produce pulses corresponding to the selected number, which pulses will successively actuate stepping motor 56 so as to advance the sweep arm 51 thereof a corresponding number of steps, whereby the sweep arm 51 will stop on one of the contacts 1, 2, 3, etc. corresponding to the number dialed. Thus, a circuit to a corresponding relay R, for the destination that has been dialed, will be energized, reversing that relay so as to eflYect reversing actuation of the corresponding motor 35 and thus shifting the corresponding gate 24 to the deflecting position obstructing the path of movement of a carrier deposited in the dispatching tube at the dialing station.

One of the pulsing switches D is located at each of the dispatching stations, in a position conveniently adjacent the dispatching receptacle 10 of that station.

For each pulsing switch D, there is a corresponding stepping switch S, controlling the group of relays R for one full row of motor-gate units 35, 24 along the conveyor of the respective dispatching line. The pulsing switch for the stepping switch S shown in the drawing is labelled 6 I, which may be taken as the number. of its station. Switches for several additional stationslabelledII,,I-II. and IV, are shown, with portions of their respective circuits, but for clarity, the remainder of their. circuits, including their respective stepping switches and the groups of relays R and servomotors 35 connected thereto, are omitted from the drawing;

At this point, it should be explained that in proper use of the system, the carrier is retained by the dispatching operator until the dialing operation is completed, and is then promptly inserted in the dispatching. receptacle 10. To insert the carrier sooner might. cause it toarrivea-t the transfer crossing before the gate thereof has been. shifted to its deflecting position. As will be explained hereinafter, the delay interval is then utilized to'retain the gate in the deflecting position, so that the carrier may have time to reach the transfer crossing while the gate is in position to effect the transfer.

"In use signal.During the interval of delay just referred to, the inserting. of any additional carriers in the receiving receptacle of the dispatching line would be: likely to result in a carrier going astray from its intended destination. For example, if a second operator should approach the dispatching receptacle, and dial a new station. and insert a carrier just after another operator had dispatched a carrier, the second carrier might follow the first carrier to the same station, or it might travel the full length of the delivery belt without beingtransferred. Accordingly the dispatching station should remain inactive during the delay interval, and no further dialing should be done. These results are assured by refraining from the transmission of further pulses until the expiration of a predetermined time interval following the completion of dialing. To this end the operator at each dispatching station. is confronted with a warning signal whenever a dialing opera tion is completed at that station. Such warning signal is preferably in the form of an indicator lamp with a ruby lens, adapted to flash a red light when actuated. Such lamps, designated RL, are associated with. respective dial switches D. They are connected in parallel to the ground or negative side of the 24 volt source by branch conductors 58 and 58. Each lamp RL is separately connected to the trunk conductor 54 of the 24 volt source through a conductor, 60, a timer switch (6T8 e.g., 6 second delay) and a conductor 61.

Timer 6TS is of a well known type, self opening, and adapted to close at the end of its timing period, to remain closed until deenergized, and then to automatically open. Such a timer may embody a small electric motor driving a cam which may actuate a normally open switch to a closed position during its time delay period, will then stall until deenergized, and when deenergized will return to its normally open position by operation of any conventional self-opening device, such as a return spring. When closed, switch 6TS will complete the circuit for illuminating the respective lamp RL. It, will also activate the starting relay R1 to complete a selected gate deflecting circuit through a relay R, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

For controlling the motor of the timer switch 6TS, we provide a rotary switch S1 having a sweep arm 63 adapted to sweep over a circular array of fixed contacts 1, 2,3,. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 which are connected in series to a common conductor 64 leading to the timer motor. The other side of the motor is connected by a conductor 65 to a source of volt alternating current designated 115 A.C. The other side of this current source is connected through a conductor 66 to sweep arm 63 of switch S1. Sweep arm 63 is mounted on shaft 57 which actuates the switches S and S1 in unison. Both switches are arranged to stand normally in the open or off position. At the first step of motor 56, the switch S1 will close and will actuate the motor of timer switch 6TS, and during succeeding steps of operation of switches S and S1, switch S1 will continue to I maintain a closed circuit to the timer motor regardless of the position at which the switch S is stopped.

The delayed period of closing of timer switch 6TS is sufficiently long to provide ample time to complete any dialing operation.

The closing of timer switch 6TS causes the respective warning signal RL to immediately flash on, thus warning the dispatching station that the system is in use and to refrain from dialing. The warning signal RL will remain illuminated for the period of operation of switches S, S1, and when the latter are reset to ofi position, timer switch 6T8 will open thus extinguishing the Warning signal and indicating that another dialing operation can be initiated.

Starting relay.Relay R1 has two functions. Switch 55 is normally closed (when the relay is deenergized) so that pulses may be transmitted to stepping motor 56'immediately when dialing commences. At the same time, switch S cannot establish a circuit to any of the relays R until the dialing operation is completed. When timer switch 6TS closes, it establishes a circuit to the energizing coil of relay R1 (through conductor 60 and a branch conductor 59) thus reversing the relay, opening switch 55, preventing any further transmission of pulses to motor 56,

and closing switch 53' so as to complete the circuit through selector switch S to a relay R.

Resetting contrl.-Resetting of switches S, S1 to 0 position is provided for by a reset relay solenoid 68 that is connected on one side to negative trunk conductor 58 and at its other side is connected by a conductor 69 to a selfclosing relay R2 which is normally energized to open position as indicated.

Resetting operation is controlled by a series of photo electric cells 70 positioned to normally receive light beams 71 delivered by spot lights 72. The beams 71 are positioned to be intersected by the carriers 16 as they leave the belt 21. The momentary breaking of a light beam 71 will initiate terminal operation as follows: photo-electric cell 70, as long as it is energized by the light beam will maintain a positive bias on the grid of the triode in an amplifier 73, causing the latter to deliver current to relay R2 for maintaining it in its open position. When the light beam is interrupted, the solenoid 68 is energized to pull the indicated holding pawl in stepping motor 56, and the latter, which is spring-biased toward its starting or zero position, will automatically reset the switches S, S1 back to their 0 positions. The energized relay R will consequently return to its normal position and the corresponding gate 24 will be returned to its normal, inoperative position by operation of its motor 35.

Pilot lights G (e.g., green lens lamps) may optionally be utilized at the respective stations to indicate that the master switch (not shown) for the entire system is closed and the system is ready for use.

Operation.-In dispatching a carrier, the operator first dials the station to which it is to be delivered. At the first step of dialing, switch S1 will close to energize timer 6TS and start its period of operation which ends with the closing of its switch. The starting relay R1 will maintain stepping switch S inoperative (open circuit at relay switch 53 as shown in Fig. 1) until reversed by operation of timer 6T8 when it closes. The reversal of starting relay R1 opens the dialing circuit so that further dialing of switch D will not send any pulses to stepping motor 56; and will close (at 53) the circuit to sweep arm 51 of stepping switch S, thus energizing the relay R that has been selected by the switch S in its stepping operation.

Immediately upon concluding the dialing operation,

the carrier is inserted into the dispatching receptacle 10 at the station and is prompty drawn into the dispatching tube and transmitted to the corresponding delivery belt 21 of the transfer apparatus 12. In the meantime, the gate 24 for the line of transfer to the receiving belt 22 'leading to the destination tube of the dialed station, will have been shifted to deflecting position upon closing of timer switch 6T8 shortly following the end of the dialing operation, and will remain in that position while the carnet is transmitted downwardly through the dispatching tube, onto the belt 21 and up to the deflecting gate.

As the carrier is transferred from the dispatching line to the receiving belt 22, it breaks the beam to photo-cell 70, causing relay R2 (which has up to that point been energized to open position) to close, thus energizing the solenoid of holding pawl 68, pulling the pawl, and releasing the stepping switches S and S1 for automatic return to their off positions. Timer 6TS will then be deenergized and will automatically reset itself to its open position shown in Fig. 1, thus deenergizing relay R1 and resetting that relay to the position shown in Fig. 1, restoring the connection between dialing switch D and stepping motor 56. The system is then ready for another dispatching operation at the station where these operations have occurred.

Modified form Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate an improvement in the transfer unit in which a large area of floor space is saved, and the system simplified by eliminating the delivery belts 21 of the dispatching lines, arranging the receiving conveyors 22a one above another (e.g., in a wall recess) and arranging the dispatching tubes 11a to pass downwardly closely adjacent all of the receiving conveyors. Gates 24a are hinged in delivery apertures 31a in tubes 11a, for swinging movement to deflecting positions extending diagonally upwardly into the tubes of operation of servomotors 35 which are controlled and operated in the same manner as the servomotors 35 of the previously described arrangement.

Conveyors 22a extend to bell-mouth inlets of destination tubes 13a which may be arranged as shown. Thus the destination lines including conveyors 22a and tubes 13a, are analogous to the destination lines of the previously described arrangement, whereas the dispatching lines consist in simply the tubes 11a.

We claim:

1. In a transit tube system: a plurality of pneumatic dispatching tubes leading from respective dispatching stations, said tubes each having means providing a plurality of delivery outlets; a plurality of pneumatic destination tubes having respective suction inlets and leading to respective destinations; and a transfer apparatus com prising a plurality of delivery conveyors, one for each of said dispatching tubes, said conveyors being disposed closely adjacent said delivery outlets in positions for receiving article emitted therefrom; a plurality of receiving conveyors, one for each of said destination tubes, disposed closely beneath said delivery conveyors in crossed relation thereto to define a plurality of transfer crossings where articles on the delivery conveyors can be dropped by gravity onto said receiving conveyors, said receiving conveyors extending to the suction inlets of the respective destination tubes and arranged to deliver such articles to said suction inlets in positions to be sucked into said destination tubes through said inlets, a plurality of reflector gates, each disposed at a respective transfer crossing and pivotally mounted for swinging movement from a normal position in non-obstructing relation thereto, to a position extending across the path of movement of articles in the respective dispatching line, for deflecting laterally therefrom for gravity drop onto a respective receiving conveyor, an article being carried thereby; servo-motors for actuating said gates; and a control means at each of the respective dispatching stations controllable for selectively energizing the servomotor for the gate at the crossing of its respective dispatching line.

2. In a transit-tube system: a plurality of pneumatic dispatching tubes leading from respective dispatching inlets and leading to respective destinations; and a transfer apparatus comprising a plurality of endless type delivery conveyors, one for each of said dispatching tubes, said conveyors having receiving ends registering with the respective delivery outlets of said dispatching tubes for receiving articles emitted therefrom; a plurality of endless type receiving conveyors, one for each of said destination tubes, disposed closely beneath said delivery conveyors in crossed relation thereto to define a plurality of transfer crossings where articles on the delivery conveyors can be dropped by gravity onto the receiving conveyors, said receiving conveyors extending to the suction inlets of the respective destination tubes and arranged to deliver such articles to said suction inlets in positions to be sucked into said destination tubes through said inlets, a plurality of deflector gates, each disposed at a respective transfer crossing and pivotally mounted on a vertical axis for swinging movement from a normal position alongside a respective delivery conveyor and in non-obstructing relation thereto, to a position extending diagonally above and across the respective delivery conveyor, for deflecting laterally therefrom for gravity drop onto a respective receiving conveyor, an article being carried away from a dispatching tube; servo-motors for actuating said gates; and a control means at each of the respective dispatching stations controllable for selectively energizing the servo-motor for the gate at the crossing of its respective delivery belt and the receiving belt for the destination to which the article is directed.

3. In a transit-tube system: a plurality of pneumatic dispatching tubes leading from respective dispatching stations and having respective delivery outlets; a plurality of pneumatic destination tubes having respective suction inlets and leading to respective destinations; and a transfer apparatus comprising a plurality of endless delivery conveyor belts, one for each of said dispatching tubes, said conveyor belts having receiving ends registering with the respective delivery outlets of said dispatching tubes for receiving articles emitted therefrom; a plurality of endless receiving conveyor belts, one for each of said destination tubes, disposed closely beneath said delivery conveyors in crossed relation thereto to define a plurality of transfer crossings where articles on the delivery belts can be dropped by gravity onto the receiving belts, said receiving conveyors extending to the suction inlets of the respective destination tubes and arranged to deliver such articles to said suction inlets, a plurality of deflector gates, each disposed at a respective transfer crossing and mounted for shifting movement from a normal position in non-obstructing relation to the path of an article carried on its respective conveyor, to a position intersecting said path, for deflecting laterally therefrom for gravity drop onto a respective receiving conveyor, an article being carried away from a dispatching tube; servomotors for actuating said gates; and a control means at each of the respective dispatching stations controllable for selectively energizing the servomotor for the gate at the crossing between its respective delivery belt and the receiving belt for the destination to which the article is directed.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including guide means for guiding the articles into the receiving conveyors.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including a plural ity of receiving troughs having sloping, downwardly conveying sides, and bottoms on which the receiving belts are slidably supported.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including a casing for each belt, having as its bottom a slideway on which the respective delivery belt is slidably supported, having a vertical back wall member on one side and having its opposite side open, said gates normally closing said open side, whereby the shifting of a gate to deflecting position will provide an opening in the side of the conveyor casing, through which an article can be discharged.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, including electric motors for driving said belts constantly during operation of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said delivery conveyors are arranged in a common horizontal plane, parallel to one another and wherein said receiving conveyors likewise comprise endless belts parallel to one another and arranged in a common horizontal plane below said delivery conveyors, and including a common drive shaft for said delivery belts and a common drive shaft for said receiving belts; and respective electric motors for driving said belts constantly during operation of the apparatus.

9. A transit tube system as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving conveyors are in vertically tiered arrangement, wherein said dispatching line tubes extend downwardly alongside said receiving conveyors in crossed relation thereto to define said transfer crossings, and wherein said deflector gates are mounted in openings in the sides of said dispatching line tubes, for deflecting carriers directly from said tubes at various elevations therein, directly into said receiving conveyors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,294 Campbell Feb. 12, 1918 1,838,208 Appelius Dec. 29, 1931 2,241,917 Mehlis et al. May 13, 1941 2,307,712 Schenk Jan. 5, 1943 2,712,910 Goerlich July 12, 1955 2,728,466 Postlewaite et al. Dec. 27, 1955

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