Patent GB-1019742-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photographic processing apparatus
IPC: G03D5/00
Filed: 1962-08-08
Abstract: 1,019,742. Photographic processing apparatus. EASTMAN KODAK CO. Aug. 8, 1962 [Aug. 9, 1961], No. 30437/62. Heading G2A. In the form of processing apparatus shown, the exposed film 15 is fed from a magazine into a feed chamber 23, from which it passes through a tube 46 into a processing chamber 24. Here it passes round a lower roller 51 and an upper adjustable roller 52 so as to form a loop of variable size. As the film passes round roller 51, developer in the form of a viscous solution is extruded from a hopper 16 to coat the film as it moves past. The film now passes a high-velocity water spray nozzle 54 which removes the developer coating, and then through an air squeegee 50 which removes surface moisture. The film is then guided by an idler roller to pass over another "coating". roller coaxial with the "coating" roller 51, where it is now coated with a viscous fixing solution extruded from a hopper 17 operating in a similar manner to hopper 16. After being looped up and down the chamber 24 over idler rollers, to provide a suitable fixing period, the film is led round idler roller 64 past another high-velocity water spray nozzle 65 to remove the fixer coating, and into a washing chamber 25. Here the film is led past three nozzles 95 through which hot water is sprayed under pressure against the film. The processing chamber 24 and washing chamber 25 are separated by a plate 84 adjustably supported in a bracket 83, which do not extend as far as the top or bottom of the housing, so that chambers 24 and 25 are in communication both above and below the separating partition. The action of the hot water, which is at about 125‹F, maintains the atmosphere saturated with water vapour at this temperature, and circulation between the two chambers ensures that the atmosphere in the processing chamber is maintained at a constant wet bulb temperature. The film passes out of the upper end of washing chamber 25, is guided round a roller 99 and through another air squeegee, into a drying chamber 26. Here it is led up and down the chamber several times past a slotted plenum 109 which discharges hot air under pressure against the film, after which it is led into a wind-up chamber 27. Here it is coated with a wax lubricant, and finally wound on to a take-up spool. Fig. 12 shows diagrammatically the various supply systems. The hot water for the spray nozzles 95 (and the clean-up nozzles 169) comes from an external supply source as shown, and then, after use, collects in a sump 138. The developer solution is provided in a container 33, from which a conduit leads it to a reservoir bottle 158. The conduit ends above the liquid level in the bottle, and another conduit 159, extending to below the liquid level, is connected to a metering pump 18. The output side of the pump has a conduit 161, which passes the viscous developer solution first through a coil 162 immersed in the hot water in sump 138 before delivering it to the extrusion hopper 16. In a similar manner pump 19 meters the fixing solution from container 33<SP>1</SP> through a reservoir bottle 158<SP>1</SP> to the extrusion hopper 17, though without passing it through a warming coil. The containers 33, 33<SP>1</SP> are of polythene, and collapsible, and can be changed without interrupting the processing operation. The spacing between the hoppers 16, 17 and the film 15, and their inclination thereto, can be varied by adjusting means. The water from the sump can be led, via a conduit 142 and circulating pump 143, and further conduits 148, 149, to the extrusion hoppers 16, 17, a shut-off valve 151 being provided in this circuit, and normally being closed while the device is in operation. When the processing operation is to be terminated, the pumps 18, 19 are switched off, and the valve 151 opened, allowing hot water from the sump to be pumped through the hoppers 16, 17. This clears out the viscous solution remaining in them, which would otherwise harden and tend to clog them up during the shut-down period.