A new use for a defunct system

[goldstar31]

I suppose everyone is aware of Newcomen's Atmospheric Engine and then the very odd rail propulsion system by non other than Isabard and his kingdom Brunel which worked after a fashion but there was a better way.

I recall- and so does my missus, that the bigger local shops in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne had things in which you put the money for your purchase and it was whisked away in a tube- and came back with the receipt and the change. It was intercepted at some central point by lady cashiers who did the necessary. We were fascinated as small kids with all the whizz bang, suck, clatter and our parent toting the goodies away. Alas, it was history. A memory of a past bit of real technology but now out of date.
Not so, it seems. The Aunty Beeb had a TV documentary of someone who has found a new use for the suck and push and once childhood astonishment.

He is putting up systems to whisk hospital samples in similar containers all over hospitals and it is all so cheap in manpower.

Hoorah for Mr Brunel-finally success at last.

 

[enfieldbullet]

i think i know what you're talking about.

i love those things. always wanted a few tubes around the house.

in fact, you just put something on my mind that i know won't leave until i make something similar. another for the project collection.

 

[modelman1838]

They used to have that system in the local co-op where we used to by clothing by use of the mutuality club money advance, a kind of HP. At the co-op that sold the groceries they used to have a overhead catapult system that fired the money into a counting house where girls worked out the change and then fired it back, I think it was called a Ramsdon Rapid.
Hugh

 

[goldstar31]

Gentlemen,
We were quite fascinated! However there was two systems. One was the air/vacuum sytem whilst the other was a system of wooden balls( seriously, fellas) which were in two halves( seriously fellas) and these rolled about to ladies -with money in by gravity( more seriously)

I'm going to get a rocket for this. All makes a bit of a ( high pitched) giggle.

I used to know a bloke who didn't have a family and his wife used to call him 'Old sawdust b****'

 

[chipenter]

Ever wondered why there are these white columns by the checkouts of the super markets , when the till is cashed up the notes get stuffed into a sealed tube , and is put in a small opening in the column and disappears , by either vacuum or compressed air .

 

[Swifty]

Still use that system in our local modern supermarket, although I have never seen them use it, must be there at the wrong times. Perfect way to handle the money.

Paul.

 

[RonGinger]

Still in use the drive through lanes of my local banks. The outer lane is served by a tube to the teller inside. The inner lane has the typical slide out drawer with the teller right on the other side of the window. One teller now serves both lanes. A new bank building was jsut built this past year and I believe they installed the tube.

 

[goldstar31]

The real use seems to be 'the Stent'. Son in law seems rather good at it. I'm desperately trying to avoid 'first leg or first hand experience' Not dying to tell you- well not yet. He keeps giving me funny looks.

 

[Mosey]

Macy's department store in New York City had a vast tube and vacuum system overhead throughout the very large store back in the 40's and 50's to handle sending your sales slip to the cashier with your money and back to you. This was pre-credit cards, when people paid with...."cash"! They also sent things to their custom wrapping station, where boxes were built in front of your eyes to fit every different purchase. Little kids (me) could watch these wizards cut cardboard and fold to make endless size boxes for hours.
Mosey

 

[phrodo]

I remember back in the 60's Reny's department store in Bath, ME had this system of overhead cables and pulleys that would whisk the money containers to the cashiers and back. The store is still there, but the cool cash system is all electronic now.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

I remember the vacuum tube system. ---they had one in the Bancroft five and dime, and Oh My Gawd---That was a long time ago!!!

 

[Septic]

The Times newspaper building (New Printing House Square) in London used to have a system that ran over five floors and well over 100 separate send/receive ports until around 1971.

 

[///]

My local Coles (Grocery) still uses the Vacuum system.
Have seen the girls stuff the cartridge with cash and a note(probably generated by the register), They then open the door to the tube(which is accompanied by the sound of air rushing in) place the cartridge in the tube and it is off like a rocket. They then shut the tube door and turn around to take my cash which will eventually get stuffed in a cartridge.

This system gets revived on a much larger scale in the 31st century if the animated TV show Futurama is to be believed

 

[aarggh]

Don't the Target stores here in OZ still use the tubes on all registers? At least they did last I went shopping, although admittedly it has been a very, very, long time since I've been shopping!

cheers, Ian

 

[///]

I haven't been to Target in years, closest one is about an hours drive away.
But Coles does, well, my local one does anyway.
K-mart used to but I've not really noticed if they still do.

 

[rodw]

There is a store in Charters Towers in Australia that still had a functioning nostalgic system with a central cashier in use. Not sure if it still is, I last passed by in 1991 and it was then.

Google it, it will probably show up. An interesting old mining town. I think it had the first stock exchange in Australia.

 

[Bob_P]

Still used within the hospital I work in. Used to send patient samples and requests around a two buildings, one being ten storey.

 

[goldstar31]

Google it, it will probably show up. An interesting old mining town. I think it had the first stock exchange in Australia.

About the last mining town or village in the North of England was a place called Shilbottle. But I digress.-after carefully checking the spelling.:hDe:

 

[Mosey]

I remember back in the 60's Reny's department store in Bath, ME had this system of overhead cables and pulleys that would whisk the money containers to the cashiers and back. The store is still there, but the cool cash system is all electronic now.

There is still a Reny's in Camden, Maine, but too small for that system.
Mosey

 

[ChooChooMike]

Tubes definitely still used in the local Costco's here in So Cal