How do bank suction tubes work?

Question

Does the tube curve when it goes into the ceiling? If so, does that mean the tube in the ceiling must be slightly larger so the box can fit?

Detailed, clear response gets the best answer! Thanks for your time!

Answer 1

I'm not sure how technical of an explanation you are looking for. I understand the physics behind it, but I don't think I could build my own suction tubes. Obviously, suction is what makes the whole thing work. The suction at one end creates a 'vacuum' in the tube. I put vacuum in quotes because technically a vacuum has nothing, but I'm sure it doesn't suck all the air out of the tube, but enough so that here is a difference in pressure. There will be less pressure on the side where the suctioning is occuring than on the other side. This is why having the cylinder fitting snugly in the tube is important. If there were a gap, the difference in pressure would not happen. The difference in pressure causes the cylinder to move. The side of the cylinder with no suction has higher pressure than the side with suction. The higher pressure 'pushes' the cylinder. In actuality, the side with low pressure can no longer push against the cylinder with the same force as the side with the high pressure. The result is that the high pressure moves the cylinder in the direction of the low pressure.

The only thing that gets me is that it has to make an arc (curve)to get into the bank. I always wandered too how they make the tubes so that the cylinder will not get stuck. I suppose it is a wide enough curve so that the cylinder won't get jammed. By this I mean a tube the curves very slowly into the bank. I think it would be possible without having to go too high up. The curve has to be gradual enough so that if you take any one section of it that is the length of the cylinder, it appears mostly flat. Kinda like the earth. From what we can see, the earth seems relatively flat.

However, the tube could never be bigger than the cylinder. It must fit snugly at all times in order to keep moving. If the tube ever got bigger, the difference in pressure would be lost and thus so would the mechanism for moving the cylinder.

This difference in pressure phenomenon is responsible for many things in nature. It is why soap floats in a bath tub, it is how we breath, the whole global weather system.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Air Tight Suction Tube...

Answer 3

Works just like Mom's vacuum. The vacuum hose is the tubes to transport the cylinder to the clerk's desk. The exception is the power of suction that is required.
If your constructing one, test out shapes in Mom's vacuum hose. You will see that the shape you want to transport, the tube size, and the sharpness of your curve is relevant to keep it from hanging up somewhere.