Pneumatic tube transmit and receive terminal

[57] ABSTRACT

A combined transmit and receive terminal for pneumatically transported carriers including a housing communicating with an upwardly directed pneumatic tube and having an opening therein, a latch within the housing located above the mouth of the tube to suspend a received carrier from its upper end, a hopper with an open top and bottom hinged along its lower edge to the housing and movable between a closed or vertical position overlying the pneumatic tube with the open hopper bottom aligned with the mouth of the tube and an open or pivoted position extending through the terminal opening, and a multi-function rotary actuator which, upon rotation to its open position following receipt of a carrier, (1) disengages an inwardly projecting extension of the hopper to unlock it, (2) cams open the hopper, and (3) engages the bottom of a suspended carrier to lift it upwardly and at least partially out of the hopper as the latter is cammed toward its open position. Carrier insertion into the terminal for transmission is accomplished by reversing the foregoing unlocking, lifting and door camming steps.

Claims, 11 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED FEB 51974

SHEET 1 OF 4

3.790,102

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PATENTEDFEB 5 1974

3,790.102

SHEET 2 OF 4

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PATENTEOFEB 51974 3^790,102

SHEET 3 OF 4

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PATENTED FEB 51374

3,790,102

SHEET U OF 4

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3,790,102

PNEUMATIC TUBE TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE TERMINAL

This invention relates to pneumatic tube terminals, and more particularly to an improved pneumatic tube 5 terminal which automatically presents to an operator, at a point external of the terminal housing, a carrier which has been transmitted to the terminal.

In pneumatic tube systems wherein carriers are pneumatically propelled via a tube from one station to an- 10 other, it is often preferred to provide, at the remote station terminal, apparatus which, upon receipt of a carrier transported thereto, automatically presents the received carrier to the operator at a point external of the terminal housing to facilitate removal. External pre- 15 sentment carrier terminals are desirable primarily from the standpoint of operator, or user, convenience.

In construction terminals of the type indicated, not only is it important that the terminal present a received carrier to the user at a point at least partially external 20 to the terminal, but it is equally important that the terminal be conveniently useful to the transmission of carriers. For example, the terminal, in the transmission mode, should require nothing more than merely inserting the carrier into the same hopper or the like from 25 which carriers transmitted to the terminal are externally presented for removal by the operator. Involved manipulations of the carrier and/or the terminal apparatus in the transmission mode must be avoided. In addition, the terminal apparatus provided should be ³⁰structurally simple and easy to control and operate.

It has been an objective of this invention to provide a terminal which not only conveniently presents a received carrier at least partially externally of the apparatus, but also is easily and conveniently used for trans- ³⁵mining a carrier, and which does so with apparatus which minimizes the complexity of terminal structure and operation.

This objective has been accomplished in accordance with certain principles of this invention by providing ⁴⁰with a pneumatic tube having one end thereof terminating in a generally vertical disposition with the mouth thereof uppermost, the combination of a tubular hopper having open top and bottom which is mounted for pivotal motion about a generally horizontal axis be- ⁴⁵tween a first vertical position overlying the pneumatic tube with the hopper bottom thereof communicating with the tube mouth to permit carrier transfer between the hopper and the tube and a second position in which the hopper is non-vertically disposed, a catch which retains a received carrier transmitted from the tube to the hopper via the open bottom thereof in the hopper when the hopper is in its closed or vertical position and which releases the carrier when the hopper pivots to its open ₅₅position, and a multi-function rotary actuator including a body mounted for rotating movement between lock and unlock positions about a generally horizontal axis parallel to the hopper pivot axis, which rotary body has mounted to it a) a catch engageable with the hopper ₆θ when the body is in its lock position to lock the hopper against pivotal movement to its open position, b) a hopper-engaging cam camming the hopper to its open position as the rotary body pivots to its unlock position, and c) a carrier-engaging element engageable with the ₆₅lower end of a carrier positioned in the hopper for supporting a received carrier at least partially externally of the hopper subsequent to release of the carrier by the retainer catch as the actuator body rotates to its unlock position and the hopper to its open position.

In operation, under normal or rest conditions the hopper is locked in its closed, vertical position. When a carrier is transmitted to the terminal, it is projected upwardly into the hopper through the open bottom thereof whereupon the catch engages the carrier, suspending it vertically within the hopper. The actuator is then rotated to unlock and pivot the hopper to its open position. Simultaneously, the rotary actuator lifts the carrier to a position at least partially projecting out of the hopper. Transmission of a carrier is accomplished by reversing the direction of rotation of the actuator which closes the hopper, lowers the carrier within the hopper eventually releasing it into the underlying pneumatic tube, and ultimately locks the hopper in its closed position upon return of the rotary actuator to its lock position.

In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the hopper is provided with a plate located therein which is hinged along its upper edge to the interior front wall of the hopper. The plate cooperates with the rotary actuator such that as the actuator moves the hopper to its open position it pivots the plate upwardly relative to the hopper to present the received carrier in a disposition substantially fully projecting from the hopper.

These and other advantages, features and objectives of the invention will become more readily apparent from a detailed description of two preferred embodiments thereof taken in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut-away, of one embodiment of the invention showing the hopper in its closed position;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are side elevational views, in cross-section, of the terminal of FIG. 1, showing the hopper and rotary actuator thereof as the hopper moves from its locked, closed position to its unlocked, open position presenting a carrier partially externally of the hopper;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially cut-away, of another preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the hopper in its closed position;

FIGS. 7-11 are side elevational views, in crosssection, of the terminal of FIG. 6, showing the hopper and its associated rotary actuator in various positions as the hopper moves from its locked, closed position to its unlocked, open position presenting the carriers substantially completely externally of the hopper.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, one preferred embodiment of the pneumatic carrier terminal of this invention includes a combined receiving and transmitting hopper 10 having an open top 10A and bottom 10B. The hopper 10 is designed to contain, or accommodate, a vertically disposed carrier within its interior 12 which a) has been received from a distant station (not shown) via a pneumatic tube 14 whose mouth 14A communicates with the lower open end 10B of the hopper, or b) is to be transmitted to the distant station via the downwardly extending pneumatic tube. As best shown in FIGS. 1-3, the hopper 10 when vertically disposed effectively forms a vertically disposed extension of the vertical upper end of the associated pneumatic tube 14.

The hopper 10 includes spaced parallel planar side walls 16 and 18 having a length slightly in excess of the axial length of a carrier. The hopper 10 further includes

3,790,102 left and right rear wall sections 19L and 19R which are integral with side walls 16 and 18, respectively, and spaced from each other by a slot 20 for reasons to become apparent hereafter. The hopper 10 is provided with a front wall 22 which is hinged at its lower edge 22A to a stationary frame or housing 24 by a hinge 24A at a point proximate the lower edge of an opening 23 formed in the housing. With the wall 22 so mounted, the hopper 10 can be moved between a vertical, closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein housing opening 23 is closed by hopper wall 22, and a pivoted, or inclined, open position shown in FIG. 5 in which the hopper 10 extends through the housing opening 23.

The wall 22 has secured to its interior surface a relatively thick liner 26 having a planar inner surface 26A which extends parallel to the door 22, except in the region of its upper edge which curves smoothly to join the upper edge 22B of the wall 22. The location of the hinge 24A and the thickness of the liner 26 are selected such that the liner surface 26A is flush with the pneumatic tube wall 14 at the mouth 14A thereof when the hopper 10 is in its vertical, closed position. The dimensions and location of the side walls 16 and 18 are selected such that side walls 16 and 18 are flush with the wall of the pneumatic tube 14 at the mouth 14A thereof when the hopper 10 is in its vertical position. Similarly, the dimensions and location of the rear walls 19L and 19R are selected such that the plane of the rear wall sections 19L and 19R are flush with the wall of the pneumatic tube 14 adjacent the mouth 14A thereof when the hopper 10 is in its vertical position.

Located above the hopper 10 is a resilient bumper 30 mounted to the terminal frame. The bumper 30 serves to decelerate, with a minimum of undesirable impact, noise and damage, a carrier propelled into the hopper 10 via pneumatic tube 14.

An upstanding catch 2 resiliently mounted independent of hopper 10 to the terminal frame by a leaf spring 33 is located in the upper portion of the slot 20 in the path of a received carrier. Catch 32 retains in a suspended condition a carrier received in the hopper (FIG. 3) prior to opening of the hopper for presentment of the carrier to the operator (FIG. 5). Catch 32 includes an inclined surface 32A against which the enlarged head H of a carrier C rides as it urges the catch out of the path of the carrier in the course of traveling to the bumper 30 where its motion is arrested. The catch 32 also includes an abutment surface 32B which underlies the head H of a received carrier whose motion has been stopped by the bumper 30, to retain the carrier suspended in the hopper 10 prior to pivoting the hopper.

A multi-function rotary actuator 40 is provided to accomplish, upon rotation in the direction of arrow 41 to its open position, unlocking and opening of the hopper 10 along with elevating the received carrier to a conveniently removable orientation partially projecting from the hopper (FIG. 5). The rotary actuator includes an elongated body 42 mounted for rotation about a stationary, horizontal shaft 44 disposed parallel to the rear wall sections 19L and 19R. Extending forwardly from the upper end of the body 42 is a catch, or hook, 45 having an underlying notch 46 which engages the horizontal central section 48 of a U-shaped cooperating lock or hook member 50, the legs of which are anchored to and extend rearwardly from the hopper rear wall sections 19L and 19R. The catch 45 and lock member 46 are designed such that when the rotary actuator 40 is in the lock position shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 3, slot 46 of catch 45 engages the central section 48 of the lock member 50 to prevent the pivotal hopper 10 from rotating counterclockwise about the hinge 24A to its open position shown in FIG. 5. Of course, when the rotary actuator 40 rotates in a clockwise direction about its mounting shaft 44, the catch 45 releases the lock member 50, permitting the hopper 10 to pivot about its hinge 24A to the open position.

The actuator body 42 has at its lower end a carrierengaging element or foot 52. The foot 52 is dimensioned and configured to be located exteriorly of the hopper 10 when the actuator body 42 is in the closed, home, or lock position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When the actuator body 42 is rotated clockwise about its mounting shaft 44 from the lock position shown in FIGS. 1-3, the foot 52 enters the slot 20 to engage the bottom of a carrier suspended from catch 32 and elevates the carrier to the position shown in FIG. 5.

The body 42 of the rotary actuator 40 is also provided with a pair of hopper-engaging camming ears 54L and 54R located intermediate the catch 45 and foot 52. Camming ears 54R and 54L extend forwardly from a horizontal bar 56 formed integral with the body 42. The camming ears 54L and 54R, when the actuator 40 is in the lock, home, or closed position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, are located such that they are spaced from the rear hopper wall surfaces 19L and 19R. When the rotary actuator 40 rotates clockwise about its mounting shaft 44 from the lock position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the camming ears 54L and 54R engage the rear hopper wall sections 19R and 19L, respectively, to pivot the hopper counterclockwise about its hinge 24 A to its open position shown in FIG. 5.

Counterclockwise motion of the rotary actuator 40, as is necessary to unlock and open the hopper and elevate a carrier for presentment to the operator, is provided by a gear segment 58 formed integral with the actuator body 42, and a cooperating pinion 60 mounted to the end of a drive shaft 62 constituting the output of a motor, solenoid or like bi-directional rotary actuator 64.

A tension spring 65 connected between the hopper 10 and the terminal frame 24 biases the hopper clockwise about its hinge 24A to its closed position.

In operation, and under normal or rest conditions, the pivotal hopper 10 is in its vertical position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is locked in such position by the engagement of the lock member 50 integral with the hopper and the catch 5 integral with the rotary actuator 40. Under such normal, or rest, conditions, the rotary actuator 40 is located at its counterclockwise limit of travel, also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Under such rest, or normal, conditions, the interior 12 of the hopper 10 is aligned with the mouth 14A of the pneumatic tube 14. Should a carrier C be transmitted to the terminal from a distant point via tube 14, the transported carrier transfers from the tube 14 to the interior 12 of the vertical hopper 10. Specifically, the carrier C is propelled upwardly into the hopper interior 12 until its motion is arrested by engagement of its upper end with the resilient bumper 30, whereupon upward motion of the carrier is arrested. In the course of upward movement of the carrier C and braking action by the bumper 30, the enlarged carrier head H slides along catch surface 32A, camming the catch rearwardly. When the carrier C fi3,7&lt; 5 nally comes to rest following deceleration by the bumper 30, the enlarged carrier head H has passed above the abutment surface 32B of the catch 32 which has now returned to its normal position by the bias action of leaf spring 33 to position the abutment surface 32B beneath the enlarged carrier head H. With the catch 32 so positioned, the carrier C remains suspended by the catch in the locked hopper 10, as shown in FIG. 3.

Should it be desired to retrieve from hopper 10 a received carrier C which is suspended by the detent 32, the motor 64 is energized such that its pinion 60 rotates the gear segment 58 and, hence, the actuator body 42 clockwise about its mounting shaft 44. During the initial stage of rotation of the actuator body 42, the catch 45 disengages the hopper lock member 50, unlocking the hopper 10. Further clockwise rotational motion of the actuator body 42 results in the hopper 10 being cammed in a counterclockwise direction about its hinge 24A by the cam ears 54L and 54R, thereby pivoting the hopper to its open position. Simultaneously, the foot 52 enters the slot 20 of the hopper 10, engaging the bottom of the carrier and raising it upwardly.

When the rotary actuator body 42 has completed its clockwise rotation, the hopper 10 is in its fully open position and the carrier is supported by the foot 52 in elevated position projecting from the hopper to facilitate convenient removal. The hopper 10 is maintained in the open position, so long as the rotary actuator body 42 remains in its clockwise limit of travel, by the engagement of the cam edge 54L and 54R with the hopper rear surfaces 19L and 19R.

Should it be desired to transmit a carrier, the hopper 10 is placed in its open position shown in FIG. 5 by rotation of the actuator body 42 to its clockwise limit of travel shown in FIG. 5. A carrier is then inserted into the open hopper, coming to rest with its bottom supported by the foot 52 extending through slot 20. The motor 64 is then energized such that pinion 60 rotates the actuator body 42 in a counterclockwise direction about its mounting shaft 44. Counterclockwise movement of the actuator arm 42 is effective to lower the foot 52, in turn lowering the carrier into the hopper. Additionally, counterclockwise rotation of the actuator body 42 retracts the camming ears 54L and 54R, permitting the hopper to pivot clockwise about its hinge 24A under the action of tension spring 65 to return the hopper to its vertical, closed position. As the rotary actuator body 42 reaches its counterclockwise limit of travel, the catch 45 engages the hopper lock member 50 to lock the hopper in its closed position. Additionally, foot 52 retracts fully from hopper 10, releasing the inserted carrier which drops into the mouth 14A of the tube 14 for transmission.

As seen in FIG. 4, the location of the foot 52 and catch 32, coupled with the length of the carrier C, is such that during a transmission cycle, when the open hopper 10 into which a carrier has been inserted is being returned to its closed position, the enlarged head H of the carrier is located below the abutment surface 32B of the catch 32. This prevents suspension in hopper 10 by the catch 32 of the carrier inserted into the open hopper, which obviously is undesirable when the terminal is being used to transmit a carrier to a distant point.

With reference to FIGS. 6-11, a second preferred embodiment is shown. This embodiment includes a hopper 110 having spaced planar side walls 116 and &gt;0,102

118 interconnected by a front wall 122. Wall 122 also serves as a door for an opening 123 located in a housing or frame 124 and through which the hopper 110 moves as it pivots about the lower edge 122A of the door 5 which is secured by a hinge 124A to the frame or terminal housing 124.

The hopper 110 also includes rear panels 119L and 119R connected to the side walls 116 and 118 and spaced from each other by a slot 120. The door 122 is 10 provided with a liner 126. Connected to the liner 126 in the upper region thereof by a hinge 127 is a plate 128 which, when the hopper 110 is in its closed or vertical position shown in FIG. 6, lies against the interior surface 126A of the liner 126. The bottom interior surface 15 of the liner 126, side walls 116 and 118, and rear walls 119L and 119R are designed to be flush with the associated wall sections of a vertical pneumatic tube 114 whose mouth 114A located at the upper end thereof communicates with the interior 112 of the hopper 110. 20 A carrier catch or retainer 132 having a cam surface 132A and an abutment 132B is mounted via a leafspring 133 to a stationary member of the terminal frame or housing 124. Located above the hopper 110 is a cushion or bumper 130 stationarily mounted to the ²⁵ terminal frame for arresting the motion of a carrier propelled from the tube 114 upwardly into the hopper 110. The location of the catch 132 is such that it will momentarily deflect rearwardly when engaged by the enlarged head H' of a carrier C' moving upwardly there³⁰ past toward the bumper 130, and will upon arrest of upward carrier motion underlie the enlarged carrier head H' to suspend the carrier as shown, for example, in FIG. 7.

A multi-function rotary actuator 140 is provided to ³³ unlock and open the hopper 110 as well as lift the carrier and the plate 128 to present the carrier in a convenient position for removal as shown in FIG. 11. The rotary actuator 140 includes an elongated rotary body 142 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis paral⁴⁰ lei to the plane of the hopper rear walls 119L and 119R by a stationary horizontal shaft 144 secured to the terminal frame or housing 124. Formed integral with the central portion of the actuator body 142 is a hook member or catch stub 145 having a slot 146 which re⁴³ ceives a horizontal hook member or lock pin 148 anchored in the end of a rearwardly extending ear 150 fixed to the rear surface of wall 119L. When the rotary actuator body 142 is in its counterclockwise limit position shown in FIG. 6, the lock pin 48 is engaged in ⁵⁰ catch slot 146, preventing pivotal motion of the hopper 110 in a counterclockwise direction about its hinge pin 124A, effectively maintaining the hopper 110 in its closed position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. When the actuator body 142 is rotated about its mounting shaft 144 in a clockwise direction, the slotted catch 145 moves forwardly of the lock pin 148, eventually becoming disengaged from it to unlock the hopper 110 and permit it to pivot counterclockwise about hinge 124A to its open position shown in FIG. 11.

The rotary actuator body 142 includes a camming shoulder or carrier-engaging element 149 formed integral with the body 142 below the catch 145. The shoulder 149 is located to underlie the bottom of a carrier suspended from detent 132 such that as the actuator body 142 rotates clockwise about its mounting shaft 144, the shoulder 149 will engage the bottom of the carrier and support it as the actuator 140 moves

3,790,102 through its initial stages of motion, in a manner to be more fully described hereafter.

The actuator 140 also includes a foot 152 integral with the lower end of the body 142, designed to cam the hopper 110 and plate 128 in a manner to be described. The foot 152, like the shoulder 149, are normally positioned rearwardly of the hopper walls 119L and 119R when the hopper 110 is in its vertical, closed position shown in FIG. 7. However, when the actuator body 142 pivots clockwise about its mounting shaft 144, the foot 152, and in a similar fashion the shoulder 149, move into the slot 120, with the shoulder 149 temporarily supporting the bottom of the carrier as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and foot 152 camming the hopper 110 to its pivoted, open position and the plate 128 upwardly about it hinge 127 as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.

To facilitate bi-directional rotary motion of the body 142 about its mounting shaft 144, a bi-directional electric motor, solenoid or the like 164 having an output shaft 162 connected to a driven pinion 160, is provided. Drive pinion 160 meshes with a gear segment 158 secured to the actuator body 142, imparting motion from motor shaft 162 to the actuator body. Hopper 110 is biased in a clockwise direction about its hinge 124A by a tension spring 165 secured at its opposite ends to hopper front wall 122 and frame 124.

Under normal conditions of the terminal depicted in FIGS. 6-11, the hopper 110 is in its vertical position shown in FIG. 7, and is locked in such position by virtue of the fact that the rotary actuator 140 is in its counterclockwise limit of travel position to engage slotted catch 145 and lock pin 148. If a carrier C is received via pneumatic tube 114, the carrier will be projected upwardly into the hopper 110. The upward motion of the carrier C' will be arrested by the bumper 130 in the course of which the enlarged carrier H' will cam the spring-mounted catch 132 rearwardly to enable the enlarged carrier head H' to pass as the carrier moves upwardly against the bumper 130. When the motion of the carrier has been arrested by the bumper 130, the catch 132 will have been returned to its normal position by the leaf spring mount 133 such that abutment surface 132B underlies the enlarge head H' suspending the carrier within hopper 110 as shown in FIG. 7. Should it be desired to present the suspended carrier to the operator, the motor 164 is energized to rotate the actuator 140 clockwise about its mounting shaft 144. Initial rotation of the actuator body 142 advances the slotted catch 145 forwardly a sufficient distance to disengage the lock pin 148 and the slot 146, thereby unlocking the hopper 110 as shown in FIG. 8. In the course of disengaging the lock pin 148 and the slotted catch 145, the shoulder 149 enters slot 120 to a position underlying the bottom of the carrier, also as shown in FIG. 8.

Further clockwise movement of the actuator body 142 causes the foot 152, which has also entered the slot 120, to ride up the surface of the liner 126 to a point such that it slides underneath the beveled edge 128A of the plate 128, as shown clearly in FIG. 9. At this point, the carrier is still supported at its bottom by the shoulder 149. In the course of engagement between foot 152 and liner 126 as the foot slides upwardly underneath plate 128, the foot cams the liner and hence the door 122 outwardly, pivoting the hopper 110 counterclockwise about its hinge mount 124A.

Further clockwise motion of the rotary actuator body 142 functions to continue to pivot the hopper counterclockwise about its hinge mount 124A as a consequence of the interaction between foot 152 and liner 126. Additionally, the continued rotation of the actuator body 142 causes the foot 152 to cam the plate 128 further upwardly about its hinge mount 127 to a point such that, at the clockwise limit of travel of the actuator body 142, the plate 128 is at an angle of approximately 75° to the door 122, with the door being inclined at approximately 45° to its original vertical, closed position. As shown in FIG. 11, the carrier is now supported substantially entirely exteriorly of the hopper interior 112 upon the plate 128 and is inclined with respect to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 45°. With such orientation the carrier can be easily grasped by the user.

To transmit a carrier, the rotary actuator 142 is rotated to its clockwise limit of travel shown in FIG. 11. The carrier is then placed atop the elevated plate 128. The rotary actuator 142 is then rotated counterclockwise about its mounting shaft 144. As the actuator body 142 rotates counterclockwise, the plate 128 is lowered to a position against the door liner 126. In the meantime, the door 122 and liner 126 are pivoting clockwise about their hinge mount 124A by a bias spring 165. When the plate 128 pivots sufficiently from the position shown in FIG. 11 to, for example, the position shown in FIG. 10, the carrier will have fallen by the force of gravity to a point whereupon it is supported at its bottom by shoulder 149. Continued rotation of the actuator 142 in a counterclockwise direction causes the door 122 to continue closing under the action of the bias spring 165 as foot 152 slides down the surface of the liner 126, eventually becoming disengaged from it altogether as shown in FIG. 8. At this stage, the carrier is supported on the shoulder 149. Final counterclockwise rotational motion of the actuator body 142 disengages the shoulder 149 from the bottom of the carrier enabling the carrier to fall under the force of gravity into the tube 114. Additionally, the slotted catch 145 engages the lock pin 148 to lock the hopper 110 in its closed position.

In the course of transmitting a carrier, the enlarged head H' of the carrier will not become suspended by the catch 132 as the hopper returns to its closed position by virtue of the fact that the position of the shoulder 149 is selected to be sufficiently displaced, with respect to the length of the carrier and the position of the catch 132, to prevent the abutment surface 132B of the catch from underlying the enlarged carrier head H'.