Pneumatic conveyor tube system

Claim 2

In a pneumatic conveyor tube system including tube means extending from a specimen preparing station to a specimen evaluating station; a carrier capsule arranged for travel in the tube means; pneumatic means for effecting travel of the carrier capsule in the tube means; a specimen support means supporting the specimen and receivable in the carrier capsule; the improvement comprising in combination: a. a conveyor tube extending from said specimen preparing station; said conveyor tube including orienting means for maintaining the angular position of said carrier capsule unchanged within and with respect to said conveyor tube; b. a branch means in said conveyor tube at a location spaced from said specimen preparing station and said specimen evaluating station; c. a guide tube extending from said conveyor tube at said branch means and leading to said specimen evaluating station, said conveyor tube, said branch means and said guide tube constituting said tube means; and d. means effecting a separation by centrifugal forces of said specimen support means from said carrier capsule in said branch means for ejecting said specimen support means from said carrier capsule into said guide tube as said carrier capsule passes through said branch means during its travel from said specimen preparing station and for propelling said specimen support means in said guide tube into said specimen evaluating station by the kinetic energy transmitted to said specimen support means by said carrier capsule.

Claim 3

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said orienting means includes a rectangular passage cross section of said conveyor tube.

Claim 4

A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said cross section is square.

Claim 5

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said orienting means includes guide means within and along said conveyor tube for cooperating with said carrier capsule.

Claim 6

A system as defined in claim 4, wherein said guide means are the inner side walls of tube 4.

Claim 7

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor tube includes an arcuate portion at least in the zone of said branch means for effecting an ejection of said specimen support means from said carrier capsule into said guide tube, said arcuate portion forming part of said means effecting a separation.

Claim 8

A system as defined in claim 6, said conveyor tube having a portion beyond said branch means, said portion diviating from said guide tube.

Claim 9

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier capsule includes means defining a cavity for receiving said specimen support means; and means defining a lateral opening in said carrier capsule, said lateral opening communicating with said cavity for introduction and removal of said specimen support means into and from said cavity, respectively, said lateral opening forming part of said means effecting a separation.

Claim 10

A system as defined in claim 8, wherein said orienting means effects a registry between said lateral opening and said guide tube as said carrier capsule passes through said branch means.

Claim 11

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide tube has a passage cross section for guiding said specimen support means parallel to its direction of travel.

Claim 12

A system as defined in claim 1, including a brake means connected to said guide tube for decelerating said specimen support means and positioning it in said specimen evaluating station.

Claim 13

A system as defined in claim 11, wherein said brake means includes brake shoe means for exerting on said specimen support means a braking force that is proportional to the speed of said specimen support means.

Claim 14

A system as defined in claim 12, wherein said brake shoe means is made of a polyamide.

Claim 15

A system as defined in claim 11, said brake means including a brake shoe; means defining A recess in said brake shoe for accommodating at least one portion of said specimen support means; said recess being aligned with said specimen evaluating station; and a spring-biased abutment member cooperating with said recess, said abutment member being positioned at the end of the travelling path of said specimen support means for positioning the latter in said recess.

Claim 16

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier capsule is made of a polyamide.

Claim 17

A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said specimen support means comprises a ring-shaped body; means defining a cavity in said ring-shaped body and a specimen-carrying foil disposed in said cavity and secured to said body.

Claim 18

A system as defined in claim 16, wherein said foil is made of a low-pressure polyethylene.

Claim 19

A system as defined in claim 1, including means for generating a vacuum in said conveyor tube for moving said carrier capsule into said specimen preparing station; and means for generating a compression wave in said conveyor tube for rapidly moving said carrier capsule from said specimen evaluating station in said conveyor tube towards and past said branch.

Claim 20

A system as defined in claim 18, said means for generating said compression wave includes a gas pressure source; a solenoid valve connecting said gas pressure source to said conveyor tube; and means for a high-voltage control of said solenoid valve for a rapid opening of the latter.

Claim 21

A system as defined in claim 19, wherein said solenoid valve is a three-way valve; the improvement further comprising a vacuum source connected to said three-way valve, said three-way valve having a position in which said vacuum source is connected to said conveyor tube; said vacuum source and said three-way valve forming part of said means for generating a vacuum.

Claim 22

A system as defined in claim 1, including an abutment in said conveyor tube at said specimen preparing station for determining the position of said carrier capsule in said specimen preparing station.

Claim 23

A system as defined in claim 1, said conveyor tube having a portion beyond said branch means; the improvement further comprising a brake means for decelerating said carrier capsule as it arrives from said specimen preparing station.

Claim 24

A system as defined in claim 1, including a light barrier situated at said specimen evaluating station for emitting a signal when said specimen support means assumes its position in said specimen evaluating station.

Claim 25

A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a loading device for charging said carrier capsule with said specimen support means while said carrier capsule is stationary in a loading position in said conveyor tube.

Claim 26

A system as defined in claim 24, said conveyor tube having a portion beyond said branch means, said loading device being situated adjacent said portion of said conveyor tube.

Claim 27

A system as defined in claim 25, wherein said loading device includes a power cylinder; a loading piston movably held in said power cylinder for charging said carrier capsule with a specimen support means through a lateral opening in said conveyor tube; and means for energizing said power cylinder.

Claim 28

A system as defined in claim 26, said loading device further including a ramp leading from said specimen evaluating station to said lateral opening in said conveyor tube, said loading piston pushing said specimen support means from said specimen evaluating station along said ramp through said lateral opening into said carrier capsule.

Claim 29

A system as defined in claim 24, including light barrier means in said conveyor tube in the zone of said loading device for determining a loading position of said carrier capsule.

Claim 30

A system as defined in claim 24, including a control apparatus for controlling the movement of said carrier capsule and said specimen support means in said tube means, said control apparatus comprising: a. first control means connected to said loading device for actuating the latter aftEr said carrier capsule has assumed its loading position; b. second control means connected to said pneumatic means for actuating the latter to move said carrier capsule from said loading position to said specimen preparing station after said carrier capsule has been charged with said specimen support means by said loading device; c. third control means connected to said pneumatic means for actuating the latter to rapidly move said carrier capsule from said specimen preparing station towards and past said branch means upon receipt of a signal by said third control means indicating the completion of specimen preparation in said specimen preparing station; d. timer means; e. means applying signals to said timer means at the beginning of the travel of said carrier capsule from said specimen preparing station and at the arrival of said specimen support means in said specimen evaluating station for measuring the time elapsed; and f. fourth control means connected to said specimen evaluating station for effecting the start of measuring upon arrival of said specimen support means in said specimen evaluating station, said fourth control means being further connected to said first control means for actuating the latter to repeat an operational cycle.