A multi-station gravity delivery system.
In May 1974, New York University Hospital began testing an experimental system using gravity for the slow-speed transport of laboratory specimens. This experiment demonstrated that the system was safe and easy to use. Consequently, in February 1975, a second station was installed adjacent to the intensive care unit to serve as a pilot for a multi-station system. The pilot was 42 m high. All routine laboratory specimens, except 24-hour urines, were transported inside closed transparent cylinders that descend at velocities between 50 and 100 cm/sec. Between April and October 1975, about 2,000 deliveries were made monthly, and each often carried only one or two tubes of blood or urine. At times, however, as many as 15 blood tubes or two body-fluid containers were handled. The overall operating reliability was greater than 98%. The mechanical performance of the new equipment was excellent. Novel design features guaranteed users at both stations immediate access for dispatching containers. Instrumentation was designed to detect all problems rapidly and to correct some automatically. In October 1975, New York University Hospital approved installation of a permanent slow-speed transport system to serve all patient-care areas.