MULTIPLE DOCK STATION FOR PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM

摘要

Provided herein is a pneumatic tube system station having a rotating carriage with multiple carrier ports. The multiple carrier ports allow for receiving multiple carriers and/or staging multiple carries for dispatch. In one arrangement, one or more carriers may be securely maintained within the station while permitting users to continue utilizing the station.

主权项

1. A dispatch/receive station for a pneumatic tube system, the station comprising:
a housing; a pneumatic port connected to said housing for receiving carriers and dispatching carriers to the pneumatic tube system; a carriage, disposed at least partially within said housing, having a plurality of carrier docks spaced about a central axis of said carriage, wherein said carriage is configured to rotate about said central axis to selectively align any one of said plurality of carrier docks with said pneumatic port for receiving or dispatching a pneumatic carrier; an access opening in said housing, wherein said access opening is sized to permit access to a single one of said plurality of carrier docks rotated into alignment with said access opening, wherein said access opening and said pneumatic port are offset to align with first and second different carrier docks of said carriage.