Apparatus for Developing, Fixing, and Washing Photographs.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Developing, Fixing, and Washing Photographs.
We, JULIUS WAGNER, Doctor of Philosophy, and GEORG BREDIG, Chemical
Student, both of Zeitzerstrasse 27, Leipzig, in the German Empire, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object, to provide a box or tray, which serves not only
to receive the developing or fixing liquid, but which is constructed in such a
manner, that the negative may be securely held in the box and easily examined or
observed from both sides, without pouring out the liquid and without admitting the
full daylight.
For this purpose, we form the developing box of two principal parts, namely the
lower part, serving to receive the developing liquid, and the upper part serving to
receive the negative, the two parts being separated from each other by a grate or
other suitable means, and the whole having preferably the shape of a shallow
rectangular trough or box placed upright, that is on one of its narrow sides, and
closed on all sides except at the top, which is provided with a hermetically closing
cover.
The front and back of the upper part of the box are made of red glass or
provided with red glass windows, through which the negative can be observed,
when it is not surrounded by the developing liquid. The liquid is admitted through
a funnel placed at the top of the box and communicating with the lower part of the
box through a vertical pipe situated along one of its narrow sides. A draw-off
cock and short pipe placed at the bottom of the box serve to discharge the spent
liquid.
To develop a negative by means of this apparatus we proceed as follows:
After removal of the cover, the negative is introduced into the box, so that it
rests with the lower edge upon the grate mentioned above, while the top is held by
the cover (which is now closed) and a narrow guide slot.
The developing liquid is now poured into the funnel, the feed pipe leading down
from the funnel is closed by a stopcock, and the liquid is brought in contact with
the negative by holding the box upside down, horizontally or in any other suitable
position. In order to observe, how far the image has been developed, the box is
placed upright, so that the liquid runs into the lower part, while the negative
remains in the upper part, so that it can be easily examined through the windows.
Dated this 10th day of November 1891.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Developing, Fixing, and Washing Photographs.
We, JULIUS WAGNER, Doctor of Philosophy, and GEORG BREDIG, Chemical
Student, both of Zeitzerstrasse 27, Leipzig, in the German Empire, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our invention has for its object, to provide a box or tray, which not only serves
to receive the developing or fixing liquid, but is constructed in such a manner, that
the negative may be securely held in the box and easily examined or observed

page_text: from both sides without pouring out the liquid and without admitting the full
daylight.
In the following description, reference will be made to the accompanying
drawings, of which :-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a developing box along line N-N of
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same along line M-M of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan.
Fig. 4 is a section along line P-P of Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 is a section along line 0-0 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the developing box after the lid has been turned aside.
Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5, but reversed, so that the developing liquid
occupies the part which is usually the top.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an entire apparatus.
Fig. 9 a section of the same.
Fig. 10 shows a modified developing box in vertical section.
The developing box (Figs. 1 to 7) consists of two principal parts, namely the
lower part D, serving to receive the developing liquid, and the upper part C serving
to receive the negative; the two parts being separated from each other by a grate a
or other suitable means, and the whole having preferably the shape of a shallow
rectangular trough or box placed upright, that is, on one of its narrow sides, and
closed on all sides, except at the top, which is provided with a hermetically closing
cover B.
The front and back of the upper part of the box are made of yellow glass
or provided with coloured glass windows, through which the negative can be
observed, when it is not surrounded by the developing liquid. The liquid is
admitted through a funnel A placed at the top of the box and communicating with
the lower part of the box through a vertical pipe e situated along one of its narrow
sides. A draw-off cock & placed at the bottom of the box serves to discharge the
spent liquid. The communication between funnel A and pipe c is controlled by a
cock c¹.
To develop a negative by means of this apparatus, we proceed as follows:
After removal of the cover B, the negative is introduced into the box, so that it
rests with the lower edge upon the grate a, a, mentioned above, while the top is
held by the cover (which is now closed) and a narrow guide slot d.
The developing liquid is now poured into the funnel A, the feed pipe c leading
from the funnel is closed by the stopcock c', and the liquid is brought in contact
with the negative by holding the box upside down, horizontally or in any other
suitable position. In order to observe, how far the image has been developed, the
box is placed upright, so that the liquid runs into the lower part, while the
negative remains in the upper part, so that it can be easily examined through
the windows.
After the image has been developed, we draw the liquid off by means of the
cock b, wash the negative by causing water to pass through the box, subsequently
we admit the fixing solution, and after the image has been fixed and again washed,
we turn back the lid B and remove the plate through the top.
Figs. 8 to 10 show a modification of the developing box and its accessories.
The box A', of which Fig. 9 shows a cross section and Fig. 10 an elevation, is
preferably from 2 to 3 centimetres wide, while its height and length slightly exceed
those of the plate to be developed. The longitudinal walls are formed by glass
plates a and a², Fig. 9 of yellow glass; the latter are covered by a pair of
slides b, 62 of red glass, which in their turn are protected by a pair of sheet metal
slides c, c², or by inserting the whole into an opaque casing, which is open only on
one of its narrow sides.
.
The slides, are connected by a bridge and handle 63, while the slides c¹, c²
are connected by a cross piece and handle c³, in order to move them simultaneously
and rapidly.

page_text: The box A' is closed on one of its narrow sides by a watertight cover B¹ B¹
(Fig. 10) through which pass two pipes provided with cocks d', d. The said pipes
are bent at right angles close to the inside of the cover B', and terminate near the
horizontal walls E and y of the box A', as shown by Fig. 10. An opaque funnel
5 provided with a cover and adapted to fit on either of the cocks d, d serves for
introducing the liquids.
e,
In order to moisten the plate P with the developing liquid, when desired, and to
raise it out of the liquid, without removing the said plate from the box A¹, two
edges of the plate are clipped by grooved posts S, S of vulcanite, in such a manner,
that its lower edge is a short distance above the horizontal wall y (Fig. 10) covered
by the developing liquid D'. Consequently, the developer can only reach the plate,
when the box is tilted, and will run off the same, when the box is placed upright.
Instead of the posts S S, we may employ a sieve bottom L, as shown in Fig. 10
by dotted lines.
The removal of the exposed plate from the camera slide, and its introduction
into the box A' take place in a dark bag or change box. The plate may be first
clipped between the posts S S, then introduced with the latter into the box A¹, to
occupy the position shown by Fig. 10, after which the box is closed by the cover B¹.
The developing box protected by its slides and with the cocks closed, may now
be taken out of the change bag into the daylight, without exposing the plate con-
tained in it, to actinic rays.
Subsequently, the funnel e is applied to the cock d² (Fig. 10) of the upright box A,
and filled with developing liquid, while the air is allowed to escape through the
opened cock d¹, which is provided with a coiled indiarubber pipe G, in order to
exclude the light.
If the side is placed vertical, the liquid collects over the narrow side y (as
shown by Fig. 10), without touching the plate P. To effect the latter, the cocks
are closed, the funnel e is removed, and the box A' tilted up, until the edge & is
horizontal. In this manner, the development is commenced and continued by
turning the box up and down in the usual manner, the condition of the plate being
observed from time to time by temporarily removing the opaque slides cl c² c³
(Fig. 9). In Fig. 10, these slides are not shown, for the sake of clearness. If the
box, after removal of the slides, is held against a source of light, the plate will
become visible in red light. During this operation, the red slides b₁ b₁ b³ may also
be put aside for a moment, in order to see the plate through the yellow glass
sheets a¹ and a³.
When the development is completed, the developing liquid is let off through one
of the cocks d', d, and the box rinsed with water by means of the same.
Subsequently, the fixing liquid is introduced and allowed to act, and when the
image is fixed, the plate may be washed with water, while still in the box.
Before the box is used for a fresh development, any fixing salt still contained in
it should be destroyed by rinsing with a dilute solution of chlorine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A developing box or appliance for developing and fixing photographic images
without the use of a dark room, the said box having in combination the following
features:
a, it encloses the photographic plate on all sides and is provided with means
for the consecutive introduction of the required liquids.
b, it allows the operator to observe or watch the progress of the process in
daylight through coloured windows.
c, it is divided into two compartments (C and D) by a grate (a) the upper
compartment being provided with transparent walls (f) and serving to
receive the photographic plate to be fixed, while the lower compartment
serves to receive the developing liquid,

page_text: 2. Apparatus for developing and fixing photographic images, comprising in its
construction a flat box A' having side windows a a² of yellow glass, slides 61 62 63
of red transparent material, and slides c c c³ of opaque material, adapted to cover
.or protect the said windows, (which slides cl c3 c may be replaced by an opaque
case), the said box A¹ being provided with a sieve-bottom L serving as support for
the plate P, or combined with grooved posts S S for holding the said plate, and
having a cover B fitted with bent tubes, cocks d' d' and charging funnel e,
substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd dox of Santember 1800
J. WAGNER,
G. BREDIG,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.