GB1148422A - Improvements in or relating to pneumatically operated shuttle conveying systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1,148,422. Pneumatic despatch apparatus. SIEMENS A.G. 20 Feb., 1967 [21 Feb., 1966; 9 March, 1966], No. 7904/67. Heading B8A. A pneumatic pipe-line conveyer system is provided with stations each of which can serve selectively as a despatching, receiving or intermediate station. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the housing 1a is provided with aligned conveyer pipe connections 2a, 3a, an inlet aperture 11a and a receiving chamber 14a. Within the housing there are mounted on a spindle 8a two pipes 4a, 5a and two deflectors 6a, 7a. In the position shown, a carrier arriving through the pipe connection 2a or 3a passes through the pipe 5a unhindered. To insert a carrier into the pipe-line it is placed in the pipe 4a and the spindle 8a is then rotated through 180 degrees to align the pipe 4a with the pipe connections 2a, 3a. When the spindle 8a is rotated through 90 degrees to bring one of the deflectors 6a, 7a between the pipe connections 2a, 3a, Fig. 2 (not shown), an incoming carrier is deflected downwardly, hits a buffer 12a or 13a and falls into the chamber 14a. In a second embodiment, Fig. 3B, the pipes 4a, 5a, the deflectors 6a, 7a and the spindle 8a of the previous embodiment are replaced by a plate 8b which supports a tubular member 14b consisting of two half shells 23, 24, pivoted to the plate 8b at 25, 26, and a deflector 15b, and which is movable along a spindle 13b and a guide 10b. In the position shown, the tubular member 14b is aligned with the pipe connections in the housing wall to allow free passage of a carrier. A carrier 17 to be despatched is inserted through the aperture in the housing and rests on flanges 21, 22 on the half shells 23, 24, as shown. The plate 8b is then raised until ribs 19, 20 on the housing force the carrier into the tubular member 14b, the half shells 23, 24 being forced apart about the pivots 25, 26 against the action of springs. The plate 8b is then lowered to return the tubular member to the position shown in alignment with the pipe connections. To receive a carrier, the plate 8b is raised to bring the deflector 15b between the pipe connections, the arriving carrier then being deflected downwardly through a flap 16b. The stations may be mounted in vertically extending conveyer pipe-lines.