Method and apparatus for transferring a carrier through a pneumatic conveyor system

Claim 1

A CONDUIT FOR USE IN A PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYOR SYSTEM OF THE TYPE USED FOR TRANSFERRING A RIGID CARRIER BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF STATIONS, SAID CARRIER HAVING SPACED PERIPHERAL SEALING RINGS ATTACHED TO ITS OPPOSITE ENDS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES, SERIALLY CONNECTED FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD SECTIONS OF SAID CONDUIT, SAID FIRST SECTION HAVING AN INTERNAL CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE AND SHAPE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS THE PERIPHERAL SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE SEALING RINGS OF THE CARRIER SO THAT THE CARRIER RINGS REMAIN IN SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST SECTION OF THE CONDUIT AS SAID CARRIER MOVES THROUGH SAID FIRST SECTION, SAID SECOND SECTION BEING CURVED AND OF GREATER CROSSSECTIONAL SIZE THAN SAID FIRST SECTION AND OPERABLE TO RELEASE THE SEALS OF THE CARRIER FROM SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONDUIT AS THE CARRIER MOVES THROUGH SAID SECOND CURVED SECTION, AND SAID THIRD SECTION BEING OF THE SAME CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE AND SHAPE AS SAID FIRST SECTION AND OPERABLE TO MAINTAIN SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CARRIER AS THE CARRIER MOVES THROUGH SAID THIRD SECTION, SAID SECOND CURVED SECTION BEING NO LONGER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE CARRIER SO THAT ONE OF THE SEALS OF THE CARRIER REMAINS IN SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH EITHER THE FIRST OR THIRD SECTION OF THE CONDUIT AS SAID CARRIER MOVES THROUGH SAID SECOND CURVED SECTION.