US3482801A - Closure for pneumatic system carrier - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1969 s. LEONTAS 3,482,801

CLOSURE FOR PNEUMATIC SYSTEM CARRIER Filed April 4, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Spiros Leonfiws ATTORNEYS Dec. 9. 1969 s. LEONTAS CLOSURE FOR PNEUMATIC SYSTEM CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1968 Spiros Leoni'as ATTORNEYS United States Patent i 3,482,801 CLOSURE FOR PNEUMATIC SYSTEM CARRIER Spiros Leontas, Canton, Ohio, assignor to Diebold Incorporated, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 718,894 Int. Cl. B65g 51/06; B65d 43/18, 43/24 US. Cl. 243-35 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure construction and arrangement for an open end of a material-conveying carrier for a pneumatic tube system particularly adapted for conducting banking transactions. Two semi-circular closure members, pivoted together at one circumferential corner of each, form the carrier closure. The other diametrically opposed corner of one of the closure members is pivoted to the carrier, and the other diametrically opposed corner of the second closure member is movable in a fixed path circumferentially of the open end of the carrier. The two members are spring-biased by spring means to normally closed position closing the open end of the container, are movable to an open position fully exposing the open end of the container, and also are held in the open position by the spring means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to a carrier for banking materials which moves through a pneumatic tube in performing banking services from a remote customers station. In accordance with the invention, the carrier body is hollow or tubular and has at least one open end to provide access to the interior of the carrier. The open end normally is covered by a movable closure which must be readily movable between opened and closed positions. The closure also must be held securely in closed position when closed. The compartment in the hollow carrier body and the size of the open end must be as large as possible and should not be restricted by the construction and mounting of the closure or of the means controlling closure operation. The carrier body preferably should be transparent.

Description of the prior art Many closure arrangements for pneumatic tube system carrier access openings have been used. Prior transparent carriers for conducting banking services have used complicated mountings and latches for the closure means for an open end of the carrier body. The mounting and latching mechanisms have been subject to injury in use, and the closure mounting structure has reduced the size of the carrier compartment and its open end.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing a pneumatic tube system carrier access opening closure construction for a transparent carrier which may be readily moved between opened and closed positions, which is effectively held in closed position when closed and in opened position when opened, and which does not reduce the internal volume of the carrier or the size of the access opening; and providing a closure construction eliminating difliculties heretofore encountered, achieving the stated objectives simply, effectively, and inexpensively, and solving problems and satisfying existing needs.

These objectives and advantages are obtained by the pneumatic tube system carrier access opening closure construction, the general nature of which may be stated as including a generally tubular transparent plastic mateice rial carrier body having two ends and open at least at one end; closure means for said open end including a pair of closure members each having a semi-circular wall former with a pivot end and a diametrically opposed free end, said wall having a diametric edge and terminating circumferentially in a downturned semi-circular flange formed with an inturned flange spaced from the wall and forming therewith a recess; the carrier body having outturned flange means engaged in said recess holding the members against axial separation from the body when the closure members are in closed position; means mounting the pivot ends of the members for lateral pivotal movement; spring means urging the members to closed position with their diametric edges engaged; the free end of one member having pivot connection with the open end of the carrier body wall for lateral pivotal movement; there being an arcuate slot formed in the body extending circumferentially away from said pivot connection; and pin means on the free end of the other member engaged in said arcuate slot; whereby lateral movement of the other member against the pressure of the spring means separates the closure members pocket-book fashion to fully expose the interior of the carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS- A preferred embodiment of the invention-illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles-is set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a carrier provided with the improved closure construction;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the carrier shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but taken on the line 44, FIG. 2.;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 55, FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a similar view taken on the line 66, FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a similar view taken on the line 7-7, FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side view looking in the direction of the arrows 8-8, FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the position of the parts just after starting to open the closure;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the closure in fully opened position; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 1111, FIG. 9.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The pneumatic tube system carrier 1 has a carrier body generally indicated at 2 which is generally tubular in shape and preferably is formed of transparent plastic material.Body 2 may have either one or two open ends, twoopen ends 3 being illustrated. Eachopen end 3 is covered or closed by closure means generally indicated at 4.

Usual accelerator band means 5 are mounted on and surround thecarrier body 2 and project outwardly of the body adjacent to and spaced from eachend 3 of the body. Anoutturned flange 6 projects from and surrounds a major portion of the open end of thebody 2.

Each closure means 4 comprises two semi-circular or half-moon-shaped members 7 and 8 havingends 9 and 10 which are arranged for substantial pivotal movement one with respect to the other. This pivotal movement is achieved by connecting theends 9 and 10 ofmembers 7 and 8 together by a leaf spring 11. Leaf spring 11 preferably is riveted at 11a tomember 7 and at 11b tomember 8. Leaf spring 11 thus performs the double function of providing the connection and effective pivotal mounting of theends 9 and 10 ofmembers 7 and 8, as well as providing the spring tension normally maintaining theclosure members 7 and 8 in the closed position of FIGS. 1 and 2. Eachclosure member 7 and 8 terminates in a downturnedsemi-circular flange 12 having an inturnedflange 13 spaced below the top portion ofmember 7 or 8 to provide acircumferential recess 14 which, whenmembers 7 and 8 are in closed position, engages thecarrier body flange 6, well shown in FIG. 4.

Body member 2 is formed with aprojection 15 in the zone offlange 6 but extending radially a greater distance, as well shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 8, and 10.Flange 12 ofmemher 7 is bifurcated at 16 to spanprojection 15 and apivot pin 17 pivotally connects the other end ofmember 7 withprojection 15 thus pivotally mountingclosure member 7 onbody member 2.

Flange 12 of theother closure member 8 at itsend 18 opposite to that end connected by spring 11 with thefirst closure member 7 also is bifurcated at 19 tostraddle projection 15 when the closure members are in closed position. The bifurcated end 18-19 ofclosure member 8 also straddles thebody flange 7 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 as it slides around the periphery of the end ofbody member 2 in moving from closed position of FIG. 2 through the partially open position of FIG. 9 to the open position of FIG. 10. Theend 18 ofclosure member 8 preferably has a pin 20 (FIG. 11) which is retained in and moves inarcuate slot 21 in the end of the body member wall so as to direct movement of theend 18 ofclosure member 8 as it moves between closed and opened positions.

Closuremembers 7 and 8 when in closed position (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4) present a complete closure for the open end of the carrier on which the members are mounted. Closuremember 8 may be provided with a finger-receivingrecess 22 in which the finger or thumb of a user may be engaged for movingclosure member 8 between the closed position of FIG. 2 and the open position of FIG. 10. This is accomplished by manipulating movement in the direction of thearrow 23.

Closuremember 8 when moved from closed position in the direction of thearrow 23, FIG. 2, because of its connection by spring 11 withclosure member 7, movesclosure member 7 on itspivotal connection 17 past the position of FIG. 9 to the position of FIG. 10. Meanwhile, theend 18 ofclosure member 8 remains connected with the end of the body member by engagement and movement ofpin 20 ingroove 21. During closure movement, as pin 20 (viewing FIG. 10) moves counterclockwise past a point diametrically oppositepivot pin 17, a toggle-like action takes place and the location ofpin 20 becomes closer topivot pin 17. Thus, spring 11, which urges themembers 7 and 8 to closed position, also holds the members in the open position illustrated in FIG. 10.

In the open position of FIG. 10, the diametricstraight edges 24 ofmembers 7 and 8 are substantially tangent to theinner surface 25 of the hollow interior ofcarrier body 2. A complete full opening for the carrier when theclosure members 7 and 8 are in open position is thus exposed, providing for completely unobstructed access to the interior of the carrier and its contents.

The connection and spring tensioning of themembers 7 and 8 is accomplished by using a leaf spring 11 as shown. The same results may be obtained by connecting the two members by another type of spring and by providing a pivot connection between theends 9 and 10 ofmembers 7 and 8.

The interengagement between theflanges 13 on theclosure members 7 and 8 and theflange 6 on the body member when the closure means is in closed position prevents axial separation of the closure means from the carrier body when the closure means is in closed position.

The carrier illustrated in the drawings has identical closure means for each end of the carrier 1. This is convenient in use so that either end may be opened by the user without turning manipulation of the carrier and thus gives ready access to material within the carrier that may have slipped to or be held within the carrier at one end thereof. However, it is to be understood that one end of the carrier 1 may be closed and closure means capable of being opened such as disclosed, may be used only at the other end.

The improved construction is very simple and provides an effective and sturdy closure construction for pneumatic tube carrier bodies, provides a structure which is not subject to damage or breakage in use and which presents fully opened access to the interior of the carrier when the closure is in open position, and provides a structure which eliminates difliculties encountered with prior devices, achieves the objectives and solves existing problems in the art.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved carrier is constructed and used, the characteristics of the new construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Closure construction for a Pneumatic tube carrier including a generally tubular carrier body having two ends at least one of which is open; closure means for said open end comprising a pair of closure members adapted for movement pocket-book fashion between opened and closed positions, each member having a semicircular wall formed with a pivot end and a diametrically opposed free end, the wall having a diametric edge and terminating circumferentially in a downturned semi-circular flange; interengageable means on the members and body for holding the members against axial separation from the body when the members are in closed position; means mounting the member pivot ends for lateral pivotal movement; spring control means normally maintaining the members in closed position with their diametric edges engaged; means pivotally mounting the free end of one member on the carrier body for swinging movement laterally of the body; and guide means interengaged between the free end of the other member and the body to guide movement of said other member free end circumferentially around the body as the members are moved between opened and closed positions; whereby lateral movement of the members separates the members pocket-book fashion when moved from closed to opened position, and whereby the members in opened position fully expose the interior of the carrier.

2. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the carrier body has outturned flange means at its open end, in which the downturned semi-circular closure member flanges are formed with recess means, and in which the outturned flange means are engaged with said recess 'means for holding the members against axial separation spring control means comprises a leaf spring secured to the pivot ends of the closure members, and in which the leaf spring holds said pivot ends in engagement and permits pivotal movement of said closure members laterally with respect to one another.

6. The construction defined inclaim 5 in which the carrier body has outturned flange means at its open end, and in which said flange means is interrupted to accommodate the leaf spring.

7. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the carrier body has outturned flange means at its open end formed with a radially extended projection, and in which the means pivotally mounting the free end of the one member on the carrier body includes a pivot connection between said free end and said radially extended projection.

8. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the guide means comprises an arcuate slot formed in the body extending circumferentially away from the pivotal mounting of the free end of one member on the carrier body, and a pin in the free end of the other member engaged and guided in said arcuate slot.

9. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the free end of said other closure member is bifurcated, in

which the carrier body has outturned flange means at its open end, and in which said bifurcated closure member portion straddles said outturned flange during closure member movement from closed to opened position.

10. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the spring control means holds the closure members in opened position when moved to opened position.

11. The construction defined in claim 1 in which the carrier body has an inner surface, in which the closure members form a V-opening extending from their pivot ends between their diametric edges when in opened position, and in which the diametric edges are substantially tangent to the inner surface of the carrier body when the closure members are in opened position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 242,459 6/1881 Leaycraft 24332 HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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