(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00988R000200080004-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 16, 1998
• Sequence Number: 4
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP85-00988R000200080004-9
TAB
Approved For Release 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP85-00988R000200080004-9
 Approved For,olease 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP850988R000200080004-9
ATTACHMENT B
1. On Thursday, 31 October, an on-site inspection
of the Automatic Pneumatic Tube System at the National
Institute of Health complex was achieved. All information
and a detailed tour of the system was provided by Mr.
Alexander Orban, Chief, Maintenance and Engineering; Mr.
Arthur Bonnet, Chief Mechanical Engineer; and Mr. Walter
Shaw, Chief, Elevator and Pneumatic Tube Sections. The
NIH automatic system was installed by the Lamson Corporation,
Syracuse, New York and automatically services nine separate
buildings and four sub buildings. It employs a 4 inch
round carrier with three dial code rings and is directly
comparable to the type in service in our Headquarters
Building. Transfer is accomplished via four monitor units
similar to, although smaller than, the monitors within
our Headquarters. Each NIH monitor also has its own
reject station. All component parts are comparable to
our system. The NIH main dissemination center, the "ACD",
is a conversion unit designed by Lamson Corporation to
eliminate the outmoded manual hand transfer of some 3 dozen
incoming to 6 dozen outgoing transmission lines. It is
a combination conveyor-pneumatic tube monitor unlike any
of ours; however, the ACD is the only major component within
the total NIH automatic pneumatic tube system that is
unrelated. All other components/parts are either duplicates
or universally adoptable.
2. The NIH system consists of 3,000 carriers, 12
exhausters, and 140 stations within one complete inter-
connected pneumatic tube system. The volume of traffic
through some 90 miles of tubing is estimated to approach
15,000 per week. Although the NIH mechanics state that
the reject percentage is minimal, there is no detailed
information currently available to confirm that fact. The.
NIH system operates continuously with major usage occuring
from 0830 to 1700 on normal workdays. The NIH pneumatic
tube annual compensation for wages approximates $85,000
per year, of which $55,000 is allocated for normal service
and $30,000 for overtime costs.
3. The TO for the NIH pneumatic tube maintenance is
one supervisor (WS11) and four mechanics (WG10, WG10, WG8,
and WG5). There is limited technical assistance from the
C/ME and the ME for the Maintenance and Engineering Division.
Approved For Release 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP85-00988R000200080004-9
 Approved For R.Lease 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP85-06968R000200080004-9
SUBJECT: Survey of Pneumatic Tube System ATTACHMENT B
Access to the various trade shops within NIH for repair
assistance is on a time available basis. Some in-house
modifications aare performed, but carrier repair is only
pi this time. NIH performs regularly
scheduled PM'ontheir Exhausters, ACD, Monitors, Stations,
Upper Valves, Brush Blocks, Vertical and Horizontal
Selectors. It was noted that the five monitoring stations
were not manned.
4. The NIH pneumatic tube system is roughly three
times larger than that of CIA, but it carries only 45
percent of our traffic. The total budget for the NIH
pneumatic tube system approximates $115,000. Total
annual costs associated with CIA Carrier Maintenance
section is over $175,000. However, all maintenance and
modifications at CIA are accomplished in-house. The NIH
monitors handle one transmission every 10 seconds. The
CIA systems are capable of accepting three transmissions
every 10 seconds. The systems of both agencies can be
modified by changing their operating cams to increase or
decrease the reading speed of the monitors. The closure
of the NIH carriers is accomplished with a velcroe covered
end flap and is reported to be relatively troubleree?~
5. On Wednesday, 6 October, the representatives of
NIH inspected our pneumatic tube system and maintenance
shop area. An exchange of relative information and opinions
provided the opportunity for mutual benefit. We obtained
from NIH a detailed set of specifications for the component
parts of its pneumatic tube carriers. These specifications
are being evaluated to determine if they can provide the
information necessary for the Procurement Division to
order whatever parts are necessary in the future. It
was suggested to the NIH representatives that the number
of carriers that they have in service is too great relative
to the actual volume of their traffic. Thus, by reducing
the amount of carriers at their stations, an immediate
source of spare parts becomes available. The representatives
of NIH were also shown how thousands .Q?f _dal 1, axs_ could be
saved annually by repairing their own carriers and obtaining
replacement partsfrom sundrysupplie:rs;?MBecause CIA and
NIH have similar pneumatic tube systems (but perhaps unique
in the pneumatic field), it is anticipated that common
bargaining could provide a greater vantage point in negoti-
ating with various suppliers.
Approved For Release 1999/09/24: CIA-RDP85-00988R000200080004-9