US393584A

US393584A - Hydraulic transit apparatus

Info

Publication number: US393584A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1905-11-27

Description

(No Model.)

J. E. ROBINSON. HYDRAULIC) TRANSIT APPARATUS.

No. 893,584. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. ROBINSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HYDRAULIC TRANSIT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,584, dated November 27, 1888.

(No model.)

To @ZZ wir/0721. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. ROBINSON, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Transporting Milk, Berries, or other Bodies, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention is designed especially for the transportation ol" milk or other perishable articles; and it consists in a conduit or pipe leading from the point of loading to the point of discharge, through which conduit or pipe water is passed as a conveying medium.

In carrying out my invention I cause the specific gravity of the receptacle containing the article to be transported to be made, with its contents, as nearly equal to that of the water or conveying medium as is practicable, in order that the said receptacle and its contents shall travel within the pipe or conduit with the water practically out of contact with the pipe, and consequently to an almost entire extent without friction, as hereinafterspecied. The pipe or conduit at stated points in its length is provided with loading and discharge stations, at which the matter to be transported is inserted, in order to be carried by the main pipe or conduit or discharged at the proper points. At cach of the said loading and discharge stations the main pipe is broken or interrupted and provided with movable sections, connected thereto by tlexiblejointaand at each station are two independent lengths of pipe, to or from which the movable sections connected with the main conduit can be attached or detached by asuitable lever-and-link mechanism or other devices, as may be preferred.

Other features of the invention will be pointed out in the description, as follows:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional plan showing my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section showing the receptacle and carrier in a section of the pipe. Fig. 3 is a detail hereinafter specified.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective gures.

A represents a main pipe or conduit,which extends from a distant point of receiving to the oint of discharge. Preferably this pipe or con- A2, as may be desired.

duit would lie contiguous to a railroad-track, and might be under the control and managementof the railroad company or otherwise. At intervals in the length ol" the main pipe or conduit A several loading and discharge stations are provided, one of which is shown in Fig. l. At each of said stations the main pipe A is provided with movable sections B B, connected thereto by exible joints a, allowing the sections B B to be moved on said -joints, as indicated by the dotted lines iu Fig. l. Two independent lengths of pipe, A A2, are arranged contiguous to each other and between the movable sections B B, the arrangement being such that the said sections B B can be made to connect with either pipe A Then the movable sections B B are connected with either of the pipes A or A2, said pipe becomes a part of the main pipe or conduit A.

It will be seen that the pipes A Azare provided at each end with a curved face, l), a front View of which is shown in Fig. 3. To each movable section B B is connected alink, c, which is attached to a lever, d, moving on a shaft, c, by which arrangement the said pipes B 2 can bc moved from the pipe A to the pipe A27 or vice versa, as may be readily understood. The movable sections B B may, however, be made to be independently operated.

The receptacle and carrier used for transportation consists of a cylindrical can, C, having an opening,f, covered by a lid,fsaid lid being preferably screwed to the can C. The can may be provided with a handle, f1. At each end of the can Cisa hollow metallic ball, D, having sufficient interior cubical capacity to give it the necessary buoyancy or dotation. The intention is to use balls D, of sufficient buoyancy to give to the whole, including the receptacle C and its contents, the specific gravity of the water which is the conveyingmedium. The balls D are connected by light steel frames or straps y', which also serve to surround and inclose the can C, thus holding the whole together. The frames or straps g are at two points in their lengths given an outward bend, as shown at g, so as to cause them to loosely or neatly fit within the pipes, whereby the carrier is accurately guided IOO within the said pipes. The object, however, is to cause the carrier to be moved along with the water without any appreciable contact with the pipe, whereby the friction is reduced to the minimum.

The water is supplied to the pipes by forcepumps, or any other weltknown means, arranged at the extreme shipping end of the line. A natural head of water might be used, however, if practicable.

The operation is as follows: Supposing the water to be constantly running in the directionof the arrows and the several parts to be as shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to load or ship several cans at the station shown, the cans C are tirst connected with the balls D and frames g' and placed within the pipe A2, the ends of which are submerged within boxes E, contai ning water. Theseveral cans having been placed within the pipe A2, the movable sections B B' are by means of the levers dmoved to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the pipe A becomes a part Of the main line A, and thercans are consequently carried onward bythe stream. The pipe A', now being detached from the main line, may be used for the loadinglpipe.

At a convenient distance from each station a bell, h, is applied to the main pipe A, and a slot is cut in the pipe for the purpose of allowing the stem h' of the hammer to pass through, the stem being bent, as shown, and the bent end secured to the inner side of the pipe. Suitable packing surrounds the stein in the slot to prevent the escape Of the water. As the carrier passes along, the band 9"', which surrounds one end Of the carrier-frame, will come in contact with the stem h' and sound the gong, thus notifying the attendant that a car rier is approaching from some other station.

A bell or bells may be arranged at or near the terminal to indicate the number of arriving cans.

Only one station is shown in the drawings; but it will be understood that as many are used as may be necessary. The terminal or delivery end or the pipe A will preferably extend to a railroad or other station within the city tO be supplied with the article transported, and by continuing the conduit and its stations milk or other articles may be distributed to various parts of the city. At the terminal end the pipe A extends into a reservoir, into which the cans would be discharged, and in which they would float, whence they would be removed by suitable means.

It is apparent that each station represented in Fig. 1 may be also used as a discharge-station by removing the movable section B' from the main line, whereupon the carriers would be discharged from the main line to the box E, at which said section is located.

The water may be used along the line or at a terminal for any purpose, or may be discharged into the ordinary sewers. .c

Having described my invention, I claiml. The main pipe A, having movable sections B B', combined with independent intermediate sections, A' A2, substantially as set forth.

2. The pipe A, having movable sections B B', and devices, as described, for shifting said movable sections, combined with the intermediate pipes, A' A2, substantially as set forth.

3. The receptacle or can C, combined with the floats D, substantially as set forth.

4. rIhe receptacle or can C and floats D, combined with frames or straps g', substantially as set forth.

5. The receptacle Or can C, combined with the detachable frame-work consisting ot' the floats D and frames or straps g', substantially as set forth. y

6. The pipes A' A2, having the curved faces b, combined with the pipeKA, having the movable sections .B B', substantially as set forth.

7. The pipe A, provided with a slot, and a gong mounted on said Ypipe in close proximity to said slot, combined with a hammer secured to the inner side of the pipe, and extending through the said slot and adapted tO be Operated by a passing carrier to sound the gong, substantially as specified.

8. The combination of the pipe A, having the movable sections B B', with the pipes A A2 and water-boxes E, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand and seal.V

JOHN n. ROBINSON. [n s] Witnesses: Y

E. L. WHITE, GEO. F. FLINT.