Safety-valve for pneumatic tubes.

Application filed January 16,1902. Serial No. 89,940. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, August Koenig, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new 5 and useful Improvements in Safety-Valves for Pneumatic Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in pneumatic-tube apparatus, io and its main object is to provide a safetyvalve for the terminals of pneumatic tubes whereby in the case of repairs or carriers becoming stuck in the terminal the current may be cut off and the hand inserted to push the 15 carrier along or to make repairs without danger of accident from the traveling carriers coming from the transmission-tube into the terminal.

Another object is to arrange an impact20 valve on an incline and which is more readily opened by the traveling carrier than a valve arranged straight across the tube in the usual manner.

My invention consists of certain novel fea25 tures hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodying my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a terminal 30 provided with my improved safety-valve and impact-valve located at an angle of about forty-five degrees, the parts being in a position to receive a carrier from the transmission-tube into the terminal. Fig. 2 is a side 35 view mostly in section and showing the safety-valve opened, so that the hand can be inserted within the terminal for any purpose desired.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts 40 throughout both views.

To the table A is secured the terminal B, with which communicates the. transmissiontube C, through which carriers pass from the opposite station into the terminal B by the 45 vacuum. This tube C as well as the returntube D are secured to the casting F, and said tubes are provided with openings E, by which communication is established between the tubes through the casting F. Outlet end of the terminal B is closed by a valve G', 50 pivoted at I to the arm G, which is pivoted at H to the terminal, and said valve is normally held in its closed position by the spring H'. This valve acts as a muffler—that'is, it muffles the sound of the carrier striking the 55 valve O and cushions the carrier, so that it passes slowly from the terminal. This valve O is pivoted at O' and rests at an angle of forty-five degrees on the sleeve P and closes the outlet from said sleeve, which at its-lower 60 end encircles the upper end of the transmission-tube C. By arranging the valve O in ’ this inclined position the carrier strikes and opens it easier than with a valve which is arranged straight across the transmission- 65 tube in the usual manner. It is found in practice in a five-inch-vacuum system that with the valve inclined as shown only onehalf of the. pressure is required to operate the system as where the valve is arranged 70 straight across the tube in the terminal, and, further, that with this inclined valve the carriers strike easier and make much less noise.

The upper end of the return-tube D is closed by the valve L, pivoted at M, and to 75 said valve there is pivoted at K' the fork-lever K, which passes around each side of the terminal and is pivotally secured at its front end K³ to the door J, which normally closes the opening K^s in the terminal B. When the 80 valve L is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the circuit of air is through the tube C, through the openings E, casting F, and down through the tube D, so that the carriers inserted into the tube are drawn along and pass into’the ter- 85 minal B and discharge therefrom. When, however, one or more carriers become stuck in the terminal and do not pass therefrom, or it be desired to make repairs, the door J is opened by operating the lock J' and moving 90 it to the position shown in Fig. 2,which causes the opening of the valve L, and the parts take the position shown in Fig. 2. By opening the valve L the suction between the tube C and tube D is broken, as the suction through the 95 tube D is satisfied by the atmospheric air and the carriers would not be drawn along the tube C, so that the hand can be inserted into

726,072 the terminal B above the valve O and the carriers given sufficient push to cause the same to pass around and open the valve G. When the terminal is free of carriers or the 5 desired repairs have been made, the door is closed and locked and the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 1, when the full force of the vacuum passes between the tubes C and D and the carriers are drawn along the io tube C and pass into the terminal B·