US828678A - Electric telpher postal system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 828,678. PATBNTED AUG. 14, 1906. R. T. PISGIGELLI.

ELECTRIC TELPHER POSTAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1902.

9 SHEETS-SHEET X.

A r MHA/fx@ No. 828,678. PATBNTED AUG, lll, 1906. R. T. PSCIELLI. ELECTRG TELHRR PSTAL SYSTEM.

Y .Y E, 6l?. IMQ 4 i u i PATENTED AUG.14, 1906.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 5. 190Z.

E SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATBNTED AUG. 14, 1906.

R. T. PSCIGELLI.

ELECTRIC TELPHER POSTAL SYSTEM.

APPLIUATION FILED SEP'1'-5, 1902.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

No. 328,673.V TATBNTED AUS. 14. 190s, R. T. TTSSTCBLLL ELECTRIC TBLPHTR POSTAL SYSTEM.

APPLIUATIOH FILED SEPT. 5, 1902.

9 SHEETS-SHEET B Imm/fm PTENTBD AUG. 14. 1906.

R. T. PISGIGELL. ELECTRIC TELPHER FSTAL SYSTEM.

AYPLXUATI' TILBD SEPT. 5,1902.

`9 BBEETS-BHBBT 'l'A Eig. .9

5"? 4 7 1 1 Q5 2?: :'15 "5o Q5 9L 2 K 2 2:5 g3 gg 50 26 24 1' 1 WWA/sus gi. 2 /m/fA/raf? l Y ezfo 'Tayyfi'scce? No. 828,678. PATENTBD AUG. 14, 1906. R. T. PISGIGBLLI. ELECTRIC TELPHEB. POSTAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1902.

9 BHBETS'SHEET i.

TOR/Vini UNITED s'rAifns" PATENT OFFICE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application led September 5, 1802. Serial No. 122.205.

To all whom if may concern:

Bc it known that I, ROBERTO 'heeel Pls- CICELLI, engineer, a sublect of the King of Ital and a resident of Naples, Ital f, Corso Um rto I. No. 23, have invente a new Electric Telpher Postal System, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the resent invention is to provide :mechanical evices, acting for the mostl part automatically, by means of whlch the correspondence introduced in thepost# ing-boxes erected in -various .and distant points of a postal district is rapidly collected and carried to the central oflice. To obtain this eiect,the collection ofthe correspondence is effected by means of small vehicles driven by electric motors and running over special aerial lines used exclusivel f for this purpose and made of insulated meta licwires or ca. les, which act as guides to the vehicles and as conductors of the electric current.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figures l and 2 show, respectively, a side elevation and a plan of n cc ectingbox; Fig. 3, e vertical section of e collecting-pole Figs. 4, 5, and 6, two sectional views at right angles of the hase of a collecting-pole and a plan view of thc same on a large scale. 7 and S show, on a large scale, the details o the top ofthe collecting-pele. Fig. 9 is a plan of the above. Fig. l0 is a diagram of the connections of the low-potential line, over which the collecting-boxes run, the motor driving the post-box, and the commntator. Figs. 11 and L! show in elevation and plan the errnngement of the levers causing the commutntor to not. Finis. 13, 14, and 15 are respectively side, 'fron t, and plan views of the electric romnmtntor causing the movement of the pest-box. Fig. 16 shows diagrammaticolly the connection of the posting-boxes with the central station.

The central pcst-ollicc 63 is connected to the posting-boxes 64, erected in the limits of the postal district for the convenience of the uhlic, hy menus of nerinl lines, over whie i rmi the collecting lumen. )ach lino stai-ris from tlu` control [mst-ollicc, connects svverul p1 sting-hoses, mul nous lmck to thc central station, thus nmmmplishing its round. The servico of ihc c:nllozting-lmxcs should be regulated insuch e manner as to never allow more than a single vehicle being at one time on each line in order to prevent any shock between two collecting-boxes runnin on the same line.

phase current from transformers laced at the central ost-o{lice, which avoi s the necessity for t e line wher-ecn the vehicles Arun to be accompanied by a hi h-potential line.

Every line consists of on y three metallic wires, two, 1 1", Figs. I and 2, on the higher level, and one, 2, on the lower one, all acting as conductors of the electric current and at the same time as supporters of the wheels of the vehicles. The current passes from the three wires of the line to the motors through the Wheels of the vehicles and the contactroller fixed on the lower part of the box.

The ports 65 of the lines at their end near the central office and those including a post collectin pole are deprived of current, owing to the col ecting-hoxes having to stop succes sively above each post-collectng cle, and at the end of their run inl the centrsfoliee. To cnt oil` the current from each of such arts of the line, it will be enough to electrica y insulate the. ends of the two conductors, over which the wheels of thc vehicles aref'running, at the two oles supporting such arts, because it s ces to interrupt two o the condoctors to revent any current passing on the line. nally in order that the two arts of the line immediately preceding and ollowing the aboveinsnlatcd art may be fed by current it will be cnougli to connect, by means of inde endcnt wires 66, the ends oi the two partso theline comprisingthe insulated conduct-or.

A collecting-box consists of n rectangular fra-lne 3, supported on four wheels 4 4 5 5, Figs. l amd 2., which run over the two higher wires l l' of the line. The two fore wheels 4 are of a larger dianwter and keyed on the axle of the electric motor (i and not us driving wheels, while the two heck ones. 5,1u't only ns guides. The longitudinal hors of the frame 3 nre litted with bosses 7, on which lwo pivots are screwed, the ends of which support thc box 8.

The cullwiingdmx in llw shape of n pro longed p vrmnidnl lnuly is open on lop und hangs mtween Iho two nlnwe-umotioned hors. ltis so lmlmu-ml thnl il` hns n von stool. tendency to place ilsvll in n vvrtiviil position, which it nssulm-s on arriving :shove u e lines are fed by a low-potential three- .l

IIO

l l i jsfition and-resume its inclined'position. he

Y fore part ofthe box willthus entera metallicl t e 1 .i cover 1'0,`fixedonthe rods connect'A wheels of the vehicle, .which is so shape and cover would do, thus preventingrain-'water v `from entering.` Further-fin order to render 'l the'b'ox is ittedwith aiange 1 1,.itt1ng the cover and" leaving no intervalthrough which raincould pel-colate into the box.

A post-collecting pole, as 'seen in Fig. 3, I. consists of an iron column V12, covered with 1 2 5 Viron plates to prevent rain entering. 'By Igj '1 means fof stepsA placed onone of-its sides a Vv'vorlrman can go up to ins ectjthe mechanismnnd b means'of situa doors on one of g the faces o saidcoluinn he can look inside it. 3o *Inside the. collecting-poles are arranged Qi-,ff f various-devices which are hereinafter particularly described.

, First. .The box 1,3 for ordinary. letters posted by the public,'runn ing in the collectlng-Eole, which will be hereinafter referred to Y as 't e postingbox, is moved by a steelwire rope 14, guided b two grooved pulleys, oneof which, 15, is p aced at the bottom of the pole, and the other,16, at its to It is 4o evident that the posting-box will e compolled to go up or down according to the direction ofthe pull exerted on the steel rope. In its normal positionv the posting-box remains at the-bottom of the pole and at such 'a level v 45 as to allow letters to drop into it after they f have passed through Vthe posting-o ening. The posting-box is connectedwit the rope by a frame 17, t'o which it is pivoted below its center. The box is uided up and down 5o four small guide-ro s 18, as shown in 1 lgs. 4 5 6. These rolls run over guides 19, which widen out at their highest points, compallina the posting-box to turn over and drop t e correspondence into the collectingbox 8 throu h a hopper20.

lSecond. he motor'21 (seen in Fig. 5) is a [small threeaphase electric motor driving the flower pulley 15, over which runs the rope 14, hoisting the postingbox. The connection between the motonZl and thepullev conlsts of gear-wheels for reducing the speed.

. bird wire A2.0i theline. .The other two are 65 n communication -with a eommutator 23,

" `rails above the post-collecting poletothe. Y"vi'll'es it will necessarily leave lts vertical o.

disposed esto Afitfthe box just like `a fixed,

the closing perfectly tight, the fore part of` One terminal 22 ofthe motor (sec'Fig. 10) is nfvumnterrupted communication with the.

ebae're situated on the top of the pole. These last two terminals can be connected one way or the other with the wires 1 l of the aerial line, causing the motor to revolve either way. Third. The head ofthe collecting-pole (see Figs. 7, 8, and 9) has two rails 24 slight] inclined forward, to which are joined theli wires l l. Each of these rails is made of two U-shaped irons, with an interval between them. The lower wire 2 is cut ofi' in order to allow the collecting-box, when on the top of the collectin ,-pole, to place itself in a vertical position. urthermore, there is in the top of the post-colleeting` ole the following apparatus: The automatic stop for: the collectlng-boxes, acting only when one of them is arriving at," the collecting-pole, a starting ap- Earatusfor the collecting-boxes after they ave taken in the correspondence; an electriefcommutator 23 for controlling thc motor driving the postin box.

The stop intened 'for stopping automaticallythe collecting-box when it arrives at the collecting-pole iscomposed of two blocks 25, each of them slidin in a vertical plane parallel to the rails in the intervals between the two U-shaped irons. The wheels of the collecting-box are stopped when the two blocks vrise over the rails. A Another part of the -sto consists of. two pieces 26 in the intervals o the rails, which being controlled by springs 27 are de ressed onthe arrival of a collecting-box an afterward rise again, thus preventing it from going back at the momentit shocks a ainst the blocks 25. V 'The two sto s when in t eir usual position rise up above t e rails and are kept so by levers 28, with counterweights -29 preventin an arriving box fromrunning farther( he can, however, be mechanically lowered. 'lyo do this, there is a contrivance consistingof two pulleys 30,V keyed on a single axle 31, havin keyed on its end a counterweight-arm 32, t e movement of vwhich is limited. On these two pulleys are wound two thin steel-.wireropes 33, running over guidepulleys 34 and tied to the blocks25. When the axle 31 turns, the pulleys 30wind up the ropes 33, and the blocks 25 are'compelled to move downward in their guides, clearing the way. There is on the axle 31 a lever 35, tied by a rope 36 to an arm 37, turning on a pivot 38. It is evident that when pressure is exerted from below on the end-39 of the lever 37 the tension of the rope 36 will cease, and therefore no movement of the lever will take place.' If, on the contrary, a pressure is exerted from above on the end 39 of the lever 37, the lever 35`will he lowered. Thereby the exle 3l causes the pulley 30 to turn and the blocks 25 to go down. A lug 40 (sec Figs. 4 and 6) is iixed on one of the faces of the posting-box I3, so

-ns to meot tho end 39 of the level' 37 when `the posting-box goes up m' down.

lt is ovident, therefore, that when tho posting-hex IOO mov. ment. tthegexlegBllpostmgfbex gees-down between the line and the meter will be cut.V They third @Inductor 2 ofthe line is eiweys; es stated, connected te the third tennnal 22 ofthe motor. Whenaccileetng-bcxreeches Y a1 @Meeting-pole, one of the pieces 26-in Yits downward movement causes the leverv 56 to :actors i 1.' ofthe line .Witheet 'Y ,tenielslss serie-@statuette end'therefefe hij, mg

emile-end PQStmg-bbxl testsuite-bex Geef-down-y-Eqn-t filmed :smiththe c teinfemmndthereb eheebnite @lieder 'fcjrlinde 4 6 two metallic rings 5l are fixed, on fg f .which two brushes52 rubLjThese brushes fgnrefin electric communication with the two cnductorstf if oithefserial 'lineY 0n the 'middle 'pent ci cylndehare contact-pieces "53', 'incommnnicetionwith the rings, as seen in Figgg'lg other brushes 54,'eenneeted with tiieteifminnls :55 55'.of the `motor 21, driving-thejnosting-'bcm touch the contactie :es. l "It ,is evident, therefore, that when 'e .elwnteoylindr tumswund then at e meiny ntjtheftwo-eendnetors 1 1' of xe-line ifespeetily in communication ith the w @minets ffsffth wm the ylindfwtinvintotu- 'fthe'ln' fill with'nnd 46tnrns as Well. f. 'Ont e endsof ytlieelmnite" Aiiles"iuwxngin slatedsections before the cel-` lectingiioles, of .the conducting-sres Awhich. connect -thesections preceding and following the insulated ones; 2. Collecting-boxes for use in an electric "postal system, consisting of: e frame 3 withtwo' pairs-(4,` 5) ofwheeis, a thmehasemrr" E tcr dxfivi-ng 'one aint of said wheel a cover tlfcnthe letterox, 8 fixed on said frame,

said box 8 hanging in the frame 3 and resting on slower centactroiier 9, substantially as described. 3. Collecting-boxes for use in an electric il'mstal system, consisting of n. frame with our wheels', running en the two u per wires l, l' of the aerial lines connecting t e collectingmies, n three-phase motor 6 on the axle of w ich are directly keyed the fore wheels t of said frame 3, actin ns driving-wheels and contact-rollers and a etter-hcx 8 kept closed when running -lxy means of the third wire 2 of the line, but openi by gravity when the support of this thi wwe is removed, sultstantiell us described.

4. Collecting-poles containing u Restingbox i3 n meter 21 actuating sume am n eummutntm' 23 controlling the meter und actuated by the arrivati of n collecting-lynx, substanftielly s dcscrilmd. f- 5. In un electric. tclphcr gmstnl system, tlm

cs nnbinuticn ci u cnllectugqmle, u posting :3o

box 13, a frame 17 to which the box is pivoted near the bottom, rollers 18 on the box, and vertical guides on the collecting-pole in which the rollers run, which ides widen out at their highest points an compel the box to turn over on reaching the top of the pole, substantially as described.

6. In an electric telpher ostal system, the combination lwith the -co [acting-poles, the rails su ported on said poles, a nd the pivoted spring-brakes 26, of two shdln -blocks 25, and means by which said bloc s are normall maintained-projecting above the rails, for t e purpose set forth.

7. In an electric telphcr ostal system, the combination with fthe col ecting poles, the aerial line connecting said poles andhaving the u perl wires 1,1', and the lower wire 2, and t e pivotall -mounted 'collecting-boxes which run on sai wires, of rails at the top of the oies connectedlwith the u per wires 1,

Fsaidline, the 4lcwerwire o said line being interrupted at a point corresponding with the rails to allow a collecting-box to assume a vertical position, for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electric tel her postal system a collectin -pole, provi ed with a pivotaliymounte and vertically-movable postingbox, ides for said'postingfbox arranged-to permit the box to turn over when it reaches the to of the ole, line-wires connected with the po e, a col ecting-boxwhich runs on the line-wires, a three-phase motor 21 driving the posting-box, a commutator for said motor comprising a cylinder 46 of insulating material, fitted with two metal rin s 51, brushes 52 in permanent` contact wit said rings, and in electric communication with the upper wires l, l' of the line, two series of contact-pieces 53 alternatively communicating with the two rin s 52, brushes 54 to make contact with sai pieces and in communication with the terminals 55, 55' of the motor, a ratchet-wheel47 keyed on the axle of the cylinder 46, a rocking lever 48 with a click 50 which rotates the ratchet-wheel and the cylinder-,thus crossing or internlpting the connections between the terminals of the motor and the wires of the line, and suitable connections by means ofwhich the collecting-box on reaching t-he pole, and the posting-box on being turned over and on reaching its lowest position at the base of the pole, rocks the lever and rotates the cylinder.

9. In an electric telpher ostal system, the combination with the aeria lines, and the collccting-polcs of a self-pro clled collectingbox 8, which stops at ceci collecting-pole rails nt the top of the collecting-pole, pivote( spring-brakes 26 normally projet-,ting above t. ic rails, a motor 2l, a eonunutator 23 for inverting or interrupting the current in the motor, a cylinder with contact-pleins rot ata bly mounted in said ccmmntator, n rocking lever 48 for rotating said cylinder, and suit able connections between the rocking lever 48 and the spring-brakes 26 for the purpose of rocking the lever and rotating the cylinder of the conlmutator when the collecting-box stops at the top of the pole.

10. A collecting-pole for use in an electric telpher postal system, comprising a pivotally mounted osting-box 13, vertical guides 19 in which t e box is movable, a motor 21 for lifting said box, the said guides being widened at their highest point to allow the box to turn over on its arrival at the top of the pole, a rod 58-against which the box strikes 1n turning, a commutator 23 for inverting or interrupting the current in the motor, a rocking lever 48 and a rotatable cylinder 46 form ing part of said conimutator, and suitable connections between the lever 48 and the rod 58 by means of which the lever is rocked and the cylinder rotated when the box is turned over.

l1. A collecting-pole for use in an electric telpber postal system comprising a commutator 23 at the top of the pole, a motor 21 at its base a posting-box 13, a hoisting-rope 14 for the box actuated by the motor, a lug'59 fixed on the hoistin -rope, a rocking lever 48 and a rotatable cy luder 46 forming part of the commutator, and suitable transmission means by means of which the lug 59 operates the rocking lever 48 of the commutator and rotates the cylinder 46, on the posting-box reaching its lowest position at the base of thc po e.

12. In the 'collecting-poles of an electric telpher postal system, the combination of projecting bloc-ks 25, launching-levers 41, a posting-box 13 movable vertically, a hoisting-rope 14 for supporting the same, a lug 40 on the ostingbox, and a swinging arm 37 adapte to be hit by the lug 40 during the descent of the posting-box, the said arm, when hit by the lu first depressing the projecting blocks and tgben operating the launchlng-levers.

13. In an electric telpller postal system, the combination with a collectingole, and the aerial line of a collecting-box w ich runs on the aerial line, a posting-box having vertical movement in the collecting-pole and mounted to turn to deliver the mail to the collecting-box when the latter reaches the pole, n device for stopping the collecting-box at the pole, means controlled by the movement of the posting-box, for moving;r said stopping device to release the collectinghox, und means also controlled hy the movement of the posting-box, for starting the collooting-box when released.

14. lu an electric telpher postal system, the comhilmt-ion with the ncrml line, and the oollcctingcles connor-.ted to said line, of c collectingox which runson snid liuc, a postv-box movable vertically in each collectingpo e, a motor for actuating said posting-box, a commntator for said motor, suitable electric connections between the commutator and the motor and the commutetor and the line, a rocking lever connected with the com- 'mutator, e device engaged and moved by the collecting-box on its arrival at the collectingpole, an e connection between the said de vice and the rocking lever of the commutator whereby the comlnntator is moved to starty o-flerated by the box when the latter turns on its pivot.

16. In an electric tclpher postal system,

the combination with e collecting-pole, of a. 2 5

motor, a commutetol for the motor, e posting-box having vertical movement in the collecting-pole and actuated by the motor, a rocking lever for the commutator, and

means whereby the rocking lever of the com- 3o mutator is operated, when the posting-box reaches its lowest position et the bese of the pole` to move the commutator to stop the motor.

In testimony whereof l have signed this 35 specification in the presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

Witnesses:

INGB. LETTERio Lanoon'r'm, A. Rozzr.

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