IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING UNMOUNTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: We ABEL MCDONALD of Penrith in the County of Cumberland, and THOMAS
WILLIAMSON KENDALL, of Cockermouth, in the said County Photographers, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR WASHING UNMOUNTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE," to be as follows:
In washing photographic prints it is very desirable to give them a good shake
up but without crushing or tearing them both to prevent the cartes sticking
together, and to cause the water to thoroughly circulate over their entire surface
and thus wash out all the byposulphite contained in them.
We accomplish this periodic shaking in the following manner, and with the
following apparatus namely:-Pivoted on a trunnion or bearing on two opposite
sides of the main trough and so that it is free to oscillate through a considerable
arc, we place a second tank with a perforated bottom. In this tank the
photographs to be washed are placed together with a quantity of water. Fixed to
or supported in sockets on this oscillating trough and a trifle above it and divided
over the axis of the trunnions aforesaid into two divisions, we fix a trough having
a double slope in the centre as the division. Into this over the point of double
slope so as to run mostly or entirely into whichever division is uppermost for the
time being we place a cock of running water and in each division of this trough at
the extreme end we place a syphon emptying into the washing trough. The mode
of action is as follows:-
The washing trough or box resting on one end and on the trunnions the other
end of the raised trough fills by reason of the running water till it overbalances
and causes the main washing trough to turn on its trunnions. The water now
runs into the other upper trough the first trough slants the opposite way to what
it did before, and the syphon being at its (now) lowest end, the water overflows to
the top of the syphon and is then immediately emptied by the sypbon. The water
running into the other upper trough in time nearly fills it in turn and the whole
turns over into the original position and remains so till a like operation takes place
on the other side when it again counterbalances and so on. The water continually
running in from the syphons would soon fill the main troughs so a syphon is
placed on the main trough, so that it shall be periodically emptied entirely or in
.
223

page_text: part. It will be obvious that this idea of two syphons, water supply and oscillating
tank, once suggested numerous modifications could be made to act on the same
principle.
The main principles of the Invention being the supporting of the washing trough
on trunnions and supplying it with separate ports one on each side which being
filled and emptied alternately keep up an intermittent see saw action in the
perforated tank which action causes the water to rush up through the perforations
and thus gently move the prints in a wave thus separating and moving them very
quickly without the crushing or tearing action so prevalent in most tilting machines
where the prints all wash to the lower end.

page_text: .
IN
We, ABEL MCDONALD of Penrith, in the County of Cumberland, and THOMAS
WILLIAMSON KENDALL of Cockermouth in the said County, Photographers do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
APPARATUS FOR WASHING UNMOUNTED PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
In washing photographic prints it is very desirable to give them a good shake
up, but without crushing or tearing them, both to prevent the prints sticking
together, and to cause the water to thoroughly circulate over their entire surface
and thus wash out all the hyposulphite contained in thein.
We accomplish this periodic shaking in the following manner and with the
following apparatus namely: Pivoted on a trunnion or bearing A on two opposite
sides of the inain trough B, and so that it is free to oscillate through a considerable
arc, we place a second tank C with a perforated bottom D. In this tank the
photographs to be washed are placed together with a quantity of water. Fixed to
or supported in sockets or standards E on this oscillating trough and a trifle above
it, and divided over the axis of the trunnions aforesaid into two divisions F and G,
we fix a trough H having a double slope I in the centre as the division. Into this,
over the point of double slope so as to run mostly or entirely into whichever
division is uppermost for the time being, we place a cock J of running water_and
in each division of this trough at the extreme end, we place a syphon KK
emptying into the main trough preferably through standards E E as shown.
The mode of action is as follows: The washing trough or box resting on the
main trough at one end and on the trunnions in the middle, the upper end of the
trough H fills by reason of the running water till it overbalances, and causes
the washing trough C to turn on its trunnions. The water now runs into the other
upper trough, the first trough slants the opposite way to what it did before, and
the syphon being at its (now) lowest end, the water overflows to the top of the
syphon and is then immediately emptied by the syphon. The water running into
the other upper trough, in time, nearly fills it in turn and the whole turns over into
the original position and remains so till a like operation takes place on the other side,
when it again counterbalances and so on. The water continually running in from
the syphons would soon fill the main troughs, so a syphon L is placed on the main
trough, so that it shall be periodically emptied entirely or in part. It will be
obvious that this idea of two syphons, water supply and oscillating tank once
suggested, numerous modifications could be made to act on the same principle.
The main principles of the Invention being the supporting of the washing
trough on trunnions and supplying it with separate ports one on each side which,
being filled and emptied alternately, keep up an intermittent see saw action in the
perforated tank, which action causes the water to rush up through the perforations
and thus gently move the prints in a wave, thus separating and moving them very
quickly without the crushing or tearing action so prevalent in most tilting machines
where the prints all wash to the lower end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. The divided trough H with a syphon at or near each end in combination
with a source of water supply J, and a pivoted washing trough D in an outer
trough or reservoir B, substantially as and for the purposes described.

page_text: 2nd. In a photograph washing apparatus the pivoted trough c suspended in water
receptacle B having perforated bottom and automatic means for periodically tilting
it, whereby the water is caused to rise through the perforations and gently stir up
the photographs.
3rd. In a photograph washing apparatus, the application of the constant water
supply to first actuate the stirring or shaking mechanism and then to fall into the
washing apparatus and be used for washing, substantially as described.
בד

page_text: A.