Apparatus for transporting textile goods or the like

Claim 2

Apparatus for transporting goods, particularly for transporting sensitive textile goods, comprising a plurality of loading units each arranged to accommodate a supply of goods; a plurality of receiving means remote from said loading units; pneumatic duct means; intercepting means associated with said feed conduits and operative to respectively permit or prevent transfer of goods from the corresponding loading units into said duct means; and control means including selector means for effecting operation of groups of said intercepting means, shifting means for effecting delivery of goods from said duct means into selected receiving means, and delay means for delaying the operation of the next-following group of intercepting means for a predetermined interval following completion of operation of the preceding group, said delay means comprising adjustable timelag relay means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for transporting goods, particularly for transporting sensitive textile goods, comprising a plurality of loading units each arranged to accommodate a supply of goods; a plurality of receiving means remote from said loading units; pneumatic duct means; feed conduits connecting said loading units with said duct means; intercepting means associated with said feed conduits and operative to respectively permit or prevent transfer of goods from the corresponding loading units into said duct means; and control meAns including selector means for effecting operation of groups of said intercepting means, shifting means for effecting delivery of goods from said duct means into selected receiving means, switching means, and operating means for said switching means, said stitching means being arranged to bring about operation of said intercepting means in a predetermined sequence and comprising a plurality of master switches each associated with one of said intercepting means and means for cyclically actuating said switches, said selector means further comprising lead means, a plurality of circuit-breaking means provided in said lead means, each of said circuit-breaking means being connected with one of said master switches, and means for bridging selected circuit-breaking means, said control means further comprising detector means connected with said switching means by way of said lead means to detect closing of said master switches upon bridging of the corresponding circuit-breaking means, each of said bridging means comprising a diode plug.

Claim 4

Apparatus for transporting goods, particularly for transporting sensitive textile goods, comprising a plurality of loading units each arranged to accommodate a supply of goods; a plurality of receiving means remote from said loading units; pneumatic duct means; feed conduits connecting said loading units with said duct means; intercepting means associated with said feed conduits and operative to respectively permit or prevent transfer of goods from the corresponding loading units into said duct means; and control meAns including selector means for effecting operation of groups of said intercepting means, shifting means for effecting delivery of goods from said duct means into selected receiving means, switching means, and operating means for said switching means, said stitching means being arranged to bring about operation of said intercepting means in a predetermined sequence and comprising a plurality of master switches each associated with one of said intercepting means and means for cyclically actuating said switches, said selector means further comprising lead means, a plurality of circuit-breaking means provided in said lead means, each of said circuit-breaking means being connected with one of said master switches, and means for bridging selected circuit-breaking means, said control means further comprising detector means connected with said switching means by way of said lead means to detect closing of said master switches upon bridging of the corresponding circuit-breaking means, each of said bridging means comprising a diode plug.

Claim 5

Apparatus for transporting goods, particularly for transporting sensitive textile goods, comprising a plurality of loading units each arranged to accommodate a supply of goods; pneumatic duct means; a receiving station remote from said loading units and arranged to receive goods from said duct means; feed conduits connecting said loading units with said duct means; intercepting means including first valves provided in said feed conduits and movable between open and closed positions to respectively permit or prevent transfer of goods from the corresponding loading units into said duct means; a source of compressed gas; a plurality of injector means each connectable with said source and each associated with one of said feed conduits to effect transfer of goods from the corresponding loading unit into said duct means in response to admission of compressed gas from said source into such injector means, each of said injector means comprising an injector conduit connected with said source and with the respective feed conduit and a second valve provided in the injector conduit and movable therein between open and closed positions; control means for effecting operation of said valves in a desired sequence; and a plurality of servomotor means, one for each of said first valves, for operating said first valves and the corresponding second valves in response to signals from said control means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for transporting goods, particularly for transporting sensitive textile goods, comprising a plurality of loading units each arranged to accommodate a supply of goods; pneumatic duct means; a receiving station remote from said loading units and arranged to receive goods from said duct means; feed conduits connecting said loading units with said duct means; intercepting means including first valves provided in said feed conduits and movable between open and closed positions to respectively permit or prevent transfer of goods from the corresponding loading units into said duct means; a source of compressed gas; a plurality of injector means each connectable with said source and each associated with one of said feed conduits to effect transfer of goods from the corresponding loading unit into said duct means in response to admission of compressed gas from said source into such injector means, each of said injector means comprising an injector conduit connected with said source and with the respective feed conduit and a second valve provided in the injector conduit and movable therein between open and closed positions; control means for effecting operation of said valves in a desired sequence; and a plurality of servomotor means, one for each of said first valves, for operating said first valves and the corresponding second valves in response to signals from said control means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein currents of air flowing through said injector conduits and into said duct means by way of the respective feed conduits are arranged to form in said duct means a stream serving to transport goods from the loading units to said receiving station.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said source contains gas at a pressure of between 100 and 5,000 millimeters water column.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the gas in said source is maintained at a pressure of between 500 and 2,500 millimeters water column.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the gas pressure in said duct means is substantially less than the pressure of gas of said source.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the gas pressure in said duct means is between 20 and 100 millimeters water column.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said loading units comprises a magazine arranged to accommodate a supply of goods and having a chute extending into the corresponding feed conduit to define therewith a substantially annular compartment, each of said injector conduits having an outlet connected with the respective compartment.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each of said first valves is a one-way valve having a member which seals the respective chute from the corresponding feed conduit in the closed position of such first valve.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said first valves comprises a flap.

Claim 15

ApparaTus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said servomotor means comprises first and second output members which are movable with reference to each other, said first output members being arranged to actuate the associated first valves and said second output members being arranged to actuate the corresponding second valves.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein one output member of each servomotor means is arranged to open the corresponding valve before the other output member starts to open the associated valve and said other output member is arranged to close the associated valve before said one output member starts to close the corresponding valve.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said servomotor means constitutes a fluid-operated cylinder and piston assembly having a piston rod which constitutes one of said output members and a cylinder which constitutes the other output member.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said control means comprises means for admitting compressed gas from said source into said cylinder to thereby effect movement of corresponding first and second valves to open positions.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein each of said cylinder and piston assemblies further comprises means for moving said output members to positions which correspond to one of the two positions of the respective first and second valves.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises resilient means.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said control means comprises means for admitting into said cylinders compressed gas to thereby effect movement of the output members to positions which correspond to the other of the two positions of the respective first and second valves.