Abstract: An elastomeric tubular casing encompasses an elongate, flaccid, textile article. The elastomeric tubular casing has a tube interior; a tube exterior; and tube first and second ends. The elastomeric tube in a first post-production orientation is rolled into a doughnut geometry, and adapted to unroll about the elongate, flaccid, textile article to resume a generally cylindrical tubular geometry, and thereby encase a portion of the textile article. According to a method of laundering an elongate, flaccid, textile article, the elongate, flaccid, textile article is encased with an elastomeric sleeve, the elastomeric sleeve having an interior diameter approximately equal to an exterior circumference of the elongate flaccid textile article and the elastomeric sleeve extending longitudinally co-extensively the elongate, flaccid textile article. The encased textile article is then laundered. The elastomeric sleeve is removed from the laundered textile article to yield a laundered, elongate, flaccid, textile article.

Abstract: A production apparatus and a production method of toner particles are provided which efficiently and stably reduce the water content of the wet toner particle cake obtained by separating and washing toner particles from toner particle dispersion in a production apparatus of toner particles granulated in a wet process. A wet toner particle cake 1 formed on a belt filter is aerated and dehydrated with air, and at the same time, sealing units 6 provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the aeration unit 3 can be operated to efficiently seal aeration air.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for transporting a sheaf of notes from a storage location to a dispensing outlet. The system comprises a conveyor apparatus, a carrier within which the sheaf is transported through the conveyor apparatus, and an extractor for removing the sheaf from the carrier. The carrier comprises a resiliently biased gripper for gripping the sheaf with a first gripping force. The extractor comprises an extraction gripping device configured to grip the sheaf with a second gripping force, which is greater than the first gripping force.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for transferring security documents. The apparatus is formed from a carrier adapted for use in an air tube system capable of transporting the carrier from a source to a destination. The carrier includes a substantially cylindrically shaped housing (10) which cooperates with the tube to allow the carrier to be transported. The housing includes an internal cavity (10A), and is coupled to a lid (17) and a base (18) to enclose the cavity. The lid includes an aperture (17A) to allow documents to be inserted into the cavity, with the base being removable via a lock to allow the security documents to be removed. The invention also claims an air tube system for transferring security documents, the system including a controller adapted to control a number of control stations (21A, 21B, . . . 21G) for selectively transferring carriers along interconnecting tubes between loading stations and destination stations.

Abstract: A carrier (10, 40, 60) is disclosed which has a device (22) that can be an audio device to deliver a message when the carrier is opened, or warn of the presence of an object in the carrier. The message delivered can be informational or an advertisement. The device (22) can deliver a visual message as by lighting LEDs, presenting a scrolling message or projection. The message can be an audio/visual message. A message, such as an advertisement, can be molded into the carrier itself.

Abstract: An article carrier apparatus configured for use with a pneumatic article transport system comprises a tubular body, a first end cap attached to a first end of the tubular body, a second end cap attached to a second end of the tubular body and a first door pivotally attached to at least one of the first end cap and the tubular body. The first door is movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to an access opening in the first end cap. An interior space of the tubular body is accessible through the access opening of the first end cap when the first door is in the open position. The first door is at least partially disposed within the interior space of the tubular body when the first door is in the open position.

Abstract: A conveying capsule for a pneumatic tube conveyor system is formed with a capsule body the open end face of which is closed with a lid. The lid is hinged on the capsule body about a transverse pin, and it has a lid closure on the side of its peripheral wall opposite from the hinge pin. The closure is formed with a closure hook that engages into a latching cutout formed in the capsule body. An actuating lever for the closure hook is articulated in a wall recess on the outside of the peripheral wall and the inward-pointing closure hook engages into the latching cutout which is open towards the outside. An annular seal is disposed between the lid and the capsule body. The seal is inserted into an annular groove formed in the end face of the peripheral wall of the lid or of the capsule body.

Abstract: A handbill is rolled to form a coil that is retained within a collapsible cup as it is ejected from an elongated tube and delivered to its destination. The collapsible cup has a cylindrical wall and a bottom member at one end that does not contribute to the structural strength of the cup. The elongated tube is connected to a controllable source of pressurized fluid that is used to eject the handbill assembly from the tube. The handbill assembly and delivery system avoids the problems of prior assemblies and systems that projected cone-shaped paper flyers through the air.

Abstract: A pneumatic tube system comprising: a pair of terminals; an overhead cylindrical tube connecting the terminals; a captive carrier for passage through the tube, the carrier having an internal cavity for carrying articles and removable caps at the distal ends thereof enclosing the cavity; a carrier receiver enclosed within each of the terminals for receiving the carrier, the carrier receiver being operable to reciprocally move the carrier axially along a pre-determined axis which is angularly movable relative to the tube; and a cap removing assembly in each of the terminals operable to remove a cap from one end of the carrier to permit access to the carrier cavity and to replace the cap to permit transfer of the carrier through the tube.

Abstract: A conduit having a circular or polygonal cross-sectional outline serves for reception of one or more receptacles which are conveyed therein by a hydraulic fluid. Each receptacle can be taken apart or is formed with one or more compartments for one or more sealed containers confining foodstuffs or other substances which are to be heated or cooled by the hydraulic fluid. The front and/or rear end walls of the receptacles are provided with distancing elements which ensure that the distance between two neighboring receptacles in the conduit cannot be reduced below a predetermined minimum value. The distancing elements of neighboring receptacles can form universal joints which maintain such receptacles at a predetermined minimum and maximum distance from each other. The openings of one-piece receptacles are immediately or closely adjacent the internal surface of the conduit, and the openings of sections of composite receptacles are accessible only when the respective receptacles are located outside of the conduit.

Abstract: The pneumatic tube carrier comprises a belt conveyor with two conveyor belts (4, 5), the working faces (6, 7) of which extend in close proximity to each other from one end of the carrier to the other, for pulling, for example, a bundle of paper money (23) by frictional contact between the working faces (6, 7) into the carrier, retaining the bundle in the latter, and ejecting the bundle again from the carrier. The belt conveyor is driven, in the pneumatic tube conveyor station, via a disengageable shaft coupling, of which one coupling element (13) is arranged hidden at the carrier jacket and the other is drivable by a drive mechanism provided in the pneumatic tube conveyor station. A chamber (15) serves for accommodating hard cash, for example, this chamber exhibiting a flip lid (17) forming part of the carrier jacket (1) and equipped with a locking device, which latter is released for opening the lid (17) in the pneumatic tube conveyor station.

Abstract: An ore carrier having an ore chamber and a buoyancy chamber and a door at the top and bottom thereof. The doors being rectractable into the buoyancy chamber when the doors are open for either loading or unloading the ore chamber.

Abstract: A system by means of which the garbage produced in a dwelling, or the like, is easily disposed remotely out of the dwelling from the inside. The garbage is deposited in a suitable bag located in the receiving end of a duct. Compressed air is applied at this receiving end of the duct, behind the bag. The compressed air enters the bag, expands it against the inner surface of the duct and pushes it with the garbage along the duct toward a garbage can located remotely at the end of the duct, outside of the dwelling.