Pneumatic mail delivery system

• US 6,474,912 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph L. Meeks
• Original Assignee: Joseph L. Meeks
• Inventors: Meeks, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US09/846,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 406/13, 406/27, 406/188, 406/190, 406/191, 406/193
• US Class Current: 406/13
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1209 Rural letter-boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/044 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/26 Stations

Abstract

A pneumatic mail delivery system includes a carrier having first and second open ends and corresponding hinged covers for selectably covering the open ends. The system includes first and second carrier terminals each having front openings selectively covered by hinged doors. The terminals may be positioned at a mail deposit location and a residential location. A pneumatic conduit connects the terminals through which the carrier may be guided therebetween. The conduit is connected to a blower for conveying the carrier. Spring-biased buttons attached to respective terminals are electrically connected to the blower for actuating the blower upon detecting a closure of a respective door. A photoelectric light sensor is attached to each terminal and is electrically connected to a light source mounted on the front of each terminal. Respective lights are energized when a respective light sensor detects mail in the carrier.

Claims

1. A pneumatic mail delivery system, comprising:

a plurality of carriers, each carrier defining first and second open ends and having first and second covers for selectively closing respective first and second open ends;

a mailbox cabinet having a plurality of first carrier terminals positioned therein, each first carrier terminal having a first front panel defining a first opening and a first door hingedly coupled to said first front panel for selectively closing said first opening;

first sensing means mounted to each of said plurality of first carrier terminals for sensing a closure of a respective first door;

a plurality of second carrier terminals mounted at selected residential locations displaced from said mailbox cabinet, each second carrier terminal having a second front panel defining a second opening and a second door coupled to said second front panel for selectively closing said second opening;

second sensing means mounted to each of said plurality of second carrier terminals for sensing a closure of a respective second door;

a plurality of elongate pneumatic conduits interconnecting respective first and second carrier terminals, each conduit defining an internal space within which respective carriers are guided between respective first and second carrier terminals;

a blower connected to said plurality of conduits and electrically connected to each first and second sensing means for actuating a pressure differential within a respective conduit capable of moving a respective carrier from a respective first carrier terminal to a corresponding second carrier terminal upon a respective first sensing means sensing a closure of a respective first door and capable of moving a respective carrier from a respective second carrier terminal to a corresponding first carrier terminal upon a respective second sensing means sensing a closure of a respective second door;

a plurality of first photoelectric light sensors mounted to respective first carrier terminals; and

a plurality of first light sources mounted to respective first front panels of said plurality of first carrier terminals, each first photoelectric light sensor electrically connected to a corresponding first light source and adapted to energize said corresponding first light source upon detecting mail within a first respective carrier terminal.

2. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of second photoelectric light sensors mounted to respective second carrier terminals; and

a plurality of second light sources mounted to respective second front panels of said plurality of second carrier terminals, each second photoelectric light sensor electrically connected to a corresponding second light source and adapted to energize said corresponding second light source upon detecting mail within a second respective carrier terminal.

3. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 1 wherein:

each conduit includes a pair of oppositely positioned guide tracks extending longitudinally along an inner surface thereof; and

each carrier includes a pair of sealing rings, each sealing ring extending peripherally about respective open ends and having a diameter substantially the same as a diameter of a respective conduit so as to provide an air seal between said carrier and said respective conduit, each sealing ring defining a pair of oppositely positioned grooves complementary to a respective pair of guide tracks such that said respective carrier is guided along a respective pair of guide tracks within a corresponding conduit.

4. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 1 wherein:

respective first and second doors are hingedly coupled to respective first and second front panels with each door being selectably movable between open and closed configurations relative to respective openings and being spring biased toward respective open configurations; and

each of said first and second sensing means includes a spring biased button positioned in a respective opening, each button being electrically connected to said blower and adapted to enable said blower to be energized upon a momentary depression thereof.

5. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 1 wherein each carrier includes a cylindrical configuration and is constructed of a transparent material.

6. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of first and second covers are hingedly coupled to respective carriers at respective first and second open ends, each cover being selectably movable between open and closed configurations and being spring biased to said open configurations.

7. The pneumatic mail delivery system as in claim 6 further comprising a plurality of latches positioned at respective open ends of said plurality of carriers, each latch having a base mounted to a respective rim of a respective carrier and having a magnetic pin reciprocatively mounted in said base and adapted to selectably hold a respective cover at said closed configuration and release said respective cover to said open configuration.