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Apparatus for controlling vehicles moving through a conduit by air

  • US 4,245,935 A
  • Filed: 06/12/1979
  • Issued: 01/20/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1979
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an apparatus for controlling a plurality of individual vehicles which are moved through a conduit by air wherein the conduit includes zones one, two and three in sequence from an upstream position towards a downstream portion of the conduit and are inclined downwardly towards downstream, an air blocking vehicle stop is movable into and out of the conduit at the downstream end of zone two for stopping a vehicle in zone two and releasing the vehicle to zone three, a vehicle holding arm is positioned upstream of the vehicle stop and is movable into and out of the conduit in zone two and alternates with the vehicle stop for holding additional vehicles in zones one and two when the stop releases a vehicle to zone three and feeding a vehicle towards the vehicle stop, the improvement comprising,an air pump in parallel with zones one, two and three having a suction connected to zone one and a discharge connected to zone three,valve means positioned between the second and third zones for reducing the tendency of vehicles in zones one and two to move upstream including,a second air blocking vehicle stop movable into and out of the conduit, anda valve connected between the conduit and the atmosphere upstream of the second air blocking vehicle stop, said valve being opened and closed in synchronism with the second air blocking vehicle stop.

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