Improvements in Portable Photographic Developing Boxes.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Photographic Developing Boxes.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM HARVEY, of 463 Main Street, in Orange New Jersey, United
States of America, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING BOXES," and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to a portable, water-tight photographic developing box, made
partly of a tinted glass impervious to actinic light, and provided with a tight fitting
removable cover and with pipe connections for introducing into and withdrawing from
the box liquids used in developing a sensitized plate, which has previously been
exposed in a camera, and after removal therefrom placed in the developing box.
It permits the operator to conduct the developing process in white light, or even
in sunlight, under the best conditions for observation. It dispenses with the large
closets and chambers and hence diminishes the cost of appliances.
The accompanying drawings of a photographic developing box containing the
invention are as follows:
Figure 1 is a top view partly in section.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line y-y in Figure 1.
The drawings represent a shallow box, slightly exceeding in its length and width
the dimensions of the plates for which it is intended to be used. It consists of a
substantial rectangular frame A, in a portion of which there is formed a receiving
chamber a, having internal perforations a', and connected with a liquid supply-pipe B.
The liquids used in the developing process are supplied to chamber a, through
pipe B, and discharged therefrom through perforations a', simultaneously upon different
portions of the photographic plate C, which is held in position by having its sides
entered into the grooves D, D, formed on the interior of the box.

page_text: The top E, and bottom e, of the box, are each formed of a pane of suitably tinted
glass, and each pane is secured in the box so as to make a water-tight joint therewith.
The pane of glass at the top and bottom of the box are intended to be transparent,
but must be so tinted as to exclude aclinic light-rays from the interior of the box.
For this purpose ruby or yellow colored glass may be employed; or, what is better
still, a pane of glass ruby tinted on one side and yellow tinted on the other.
One end of the frame is provided with a slot F, the extremities of which coincide
in alignment with the grooves D, D, and this end is provided with two lateral lugs f
having holes for receiving the clamping serews g, g, by means of which the cover G,
is clamped to the frame. The hearing face of the cover is provided with the packing
strip G, of rubber or other elastic material, so that cover G when clamped in place,
will make a water-tight joint with the frame, and securely close slot F, after the plato C,
has been introduced into the box.
The supply-pipe is preferably provided with a stop-cock B', and for abundant
caution, in order to prevent the entrance of white light through the pipe B into the
box, it is sinuously curved, as shown.
A flexible coupling-pipe, b, is connected to pipe B, and to it is applied the nozzle
of an ordinary bulb syringe H.
An air-passage or pipe 1, also sinuously curved, and provided with a stop-cock 11,
is inserted through the frame, so that when the cock is opened, the pipe I will
serve as an outlet for the air expelled from the interior of the box,. when liquids are
injected into it, and will also serve to let air into the box when liquid is withdrawn
therefrom through pipe B.
It will of course be understood that, the developing box may be varied in its shapo
and in the manner of its mechanical construction, without departing from the inven-
tion, the essential requirements of which are, that the box shall have an opening for
the introduction therein of the plate to be developed; a movable cover, by means of
which said opening can be closed water-tight; a transparent portion which permits
the photographic plate within the box, to bo visually observed during the progress of
the developing operation, but which will not admit into the interior of the box, light
which is actinic and finally, means for introducing into and withdrawing therefrom
the developing liquids.
In practice the removal of a pinto from the camera, in which it has been exposed,
to the box, may be accomplished by aid of a changing box or bag.
After the plate has been introduced in the box and the cover thereof fastened in
place, the operation of developing and fixing the picture is performed by the use of
the usual liquids, without any further precaution against the exposure of the photo-
graphic plate to white light.
By filling the bulb-syringo with liquid, and connecting its nozzle with the flexible
tube B and compressing the bulb, such liquid is readily injected into the interior of
the box and discharged in jets, over the surface of the sensitized plate therein: the
air cock 1, being open during this operation. By then closing the air cock and
removing the pressure from the bulb, the liquid in the box is readily withdrawn
therefrom.
The tinted glass may ho used for the top only of the box, in which case the
developing of the picture can be observed by light reflected from the surface of the
photographic plato. It is however, manifestly preferable to make both the top and
bottom of the box transparent, so that the box can be held up toward the light, and
the progress of tho developing operation rendered plainly visible by light which shinos
through the photographic plate. If preferred, a receptacle made entirely of glass,
impervious to actinic light, may be used instead of the frame with the glass panes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invon-
tion, and in what mannor the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A portable photographic developing box, made partly of tinted glass imporvious
to actinic light, and provided with a tight-fitting removable cover and with Dive

page_text: connections for introducing into and withdrawing from the box the liquids used in
developing a picture upon a sensitized plate which has previously been exposed in a
camera, and after remioval therefrom placed in the developing box, substantially as
sot forth.
2. A photographic developing box, partly made of transparent tinted glass and
adapted to contain a photographic plate, and provided with an internal receiving
chamber having perforations in its inner wall, for the purpose of effecting the simul-
taneous discharge upon different portions of the plate under treatment of liquid
introduced into the said receiving chamber by means of a suitable pipe connected
therewith, substantially as set forth.
3. A photographic developing box mado partly of tinted glass, in combination with
a pipe for introducing into and withdrawing from the interior of said box the liquid
employed in the developing process, and an air passage or pipe for letting air escape
from the box when liquid is injected into it, and for permitting air to enter the box
when the liquid previously therein contained is withdrawn from it, substantially as
set forth.
4. A photographic developing box, made partly of tinted glass and provided with
an opening for permitting the introduction into the box of a photographic plate, in
combination with a removable cover faced with an elastic material, and a fastening
for said cover, for securing it to the box, and closing the said opening water-tight
after said photographic plate has been introduced into the box, substantially as set
forth.
5. The herein described photographie developing box, made partly of tinted glass,
as and for the purpose described, in combination with the liquid supply-pipe B,
provided with the stop cock B', and the air pipe I, provided with the stop cock I', as
set forth.