Apparatus for Developing and Fixing Photographic Films and Plates.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Developing and Fixing Photographic Films and Plates.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the Firm of A. M. & Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communica-
tion to me by Richard Fleischer, of 22, Parkstrasse, Wiesbaden, Germany), to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for developing, fixing, and
washing photographic images in daylight without making use of a dark chamber.
The apparatus differs materially from apparatus of this kind hitherto used, by
the fact that it comprises a space for developing separate from that for viewing the
progress of development and that it may be used not only for films but also for
plates. Apparatus in which the image is viewed when in the developing bath
are inconvenient owing to the solution not being clear and transparent. With
the improved apparatus these disadvantages are obviated by placing the film or
plate in a frame which can be manipulated from outside in such a manner that
it may be plunged into the bath and raised out again into the viewing space
provided with coloured windows for the purpose of observing the progress of
development.
In order to transfer the films or plates into the apparatus it is provided with an
additional upper chamber which would be differently arranged for films and for
plates. In the case of plates it is only necessary to slide them through a slit in
the frame, care being taken to exclude light. In the case of continuous films the
spool must be mounted to rotate in the upper chamber of the apparatus, the
black strip with which the film is wound up being led out through a slit in the
wall of the upper chamber whilst the film is conducted between a pair of rollers
and through a slit into a dipping frame into which the film may be easily led
when in the dry state.
The accompanying drawings illustrate an example of the apparatus as adapted
for films in the roll, Figure 1 representing a section and Figure 2 a front view,
partly shewing the interior
The apparatus shewn comprises a casing having three
chambers A B C whereof the lower chamber C contains the developing, fixing,
superposed
and washing baths which in the drawings are shewn as contained in a vessel E
divided by two partitions into three compartments either of which may be
brought into position to receive the film. The intermediate chamber B is pro-
vided with removable coloured windows and rat opposite sides through which
the film may be viewed by transmitted light. A dipping frame D is arranged
either between rollers, so as to be capable of being moved up and down from the
outside by means of draw-cords, or as shewn in the drawings by slide rods F.
The attachment of the frame to the slide rods F F may be effected by a bayonet or
other joint so that by simply turning the rods F F the frame may be disengaged
and allowed to drop into the washing bath of vessel E and another frame may be
attached to the rods for the reception of the next film to be developed. In the

page_text: upper edge of the dipping frame is an aperture which comes just opposite a slot
in the top of the chamber B above which is placed the upper chamber A for the
introduction of the plate or film as the case may be, into the dipping frame I).
For this purpose it may be either a simple bottomless light-excluding casing into
which casing the plate may be inserted by means of an ordinary changing bag
and then caused to slide by its own gravity into the frame D when the apparatus
is brought to a properly inclined position. In the case of films, as shewn in the
drawings, the casing A is provided with bearings for the spindle of the film
spool L. The end of the black ribbon K is conducted through slot of the casing
to the outside whilst the film is led through a metallic guide P and between the
pair of indiarubber feed rollers N N of which one has knobs on the ends of its
spindle in order to enable it to be turned so as to cause the film, to descend into the
dipping frame D. Directly underneath the top of the chamber B and fitted to
work over its slot is a knife S which can be operated from outside by means of
a handles for cutting off the film as required.
It is obvious that this apparatus may be constructed in various ways, its details
being altered according to requirements; for example more than one dipping
frame, one alongside or behind the other, may be used. By exchanging the
coloured windows the development of the plates or films may be inspected under
the most favourable conditions.
In the accompanying drawings only the casing required for the treatment of
films has been represented for simplicity's sake. For inserting plates into the
frame only a plain casing is required with which may be combined a changing
bag.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London,
Apparatus for Developing and Fixing Photographic Films and Plates.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the Firm of A. M. & Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communica-
tion to me by Richard Fleischer, of 22, Parkstrasse, Wiesbaden, Germany) and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for developing, fixing, and
washing photographic images in daylight without making use of a dark chamber.
The apparatus differs materially from apparatus of this kind hitherto used, by
the fact that it comprises a space for developing separate from that for viewing the
progress of development and that it may be used not only for films but also for
plates. Apparatus in which the image is viewed when in the developing hath
are inconvenient owing to the solution not being clear and transparent. With
the improved apparatus these disadvantages are obviated by placing the film or
plate in a frame which can be manipulated from outside in such a manner that
it may be plunged into the bath and raised out again into the viewing space
provided with coloured windows for the purpose of observing the progress of
development.
In order to transfer the films or plates into the apparatus it is provided with an
additional upper chamber which would be differently arranged for films and for
plates. In the case of plates it is only necessary to slide them through a slit in

page_text: the frame, care being taken to exclude light. In the case of continuous films the
spool must be mounted to rotate in the upper chamber of the apparatus, the
black strip with which the film is wound up being led out through a slit in the
wall of the upper chamber whilst the film is conducted between a pair of rollers
and through a slit into a dipping frame into which the film may be easily. led
when in the dry state.
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification an example of the
apparatus, as adapted for films in the roll, is illustrated Figure 1 shewing a
section and Figure 2 a front view partly shewing the interior.
The apparatus shewn comprises રી. casing having three superposed
chambers A B C whereof the lower chamber C contains the developing, fixing,
and washing baths which in the drawings are shewn as contained in a vessel E
divided by two partitions into three compartments either of which may be
brought into position to receive the film. The intermediate chamber B is pro-
vided with removable coloured windows g and r at opposite sides through which
the film may be viewed by transmitted light. A dipping frame D is arranged
either between rollers, so as to be capable of being moved up and down from the
outside by means of draw-cords, or as shewn in the drawings by slide rods F.
the attachment of the frame to the slide rods F F may be effected by a bayonet or
other joint so that by simply turning the rods FF the frame may be disengaged
and allowed to drop into the washing bath of vessel E and another frame may be
attached to the rods for the reception of the next film to be developed. In the
upper edge of the dipping frame is an aperture which comes just opposite a slot
in the top of the chamber H above which is placed the upper chamber A for the
introduction of the plate or film as the case may be, into the dipping frame D.
For this purpose it may be a simple bottomless light-excluding casing into
which casing the plate may be inserted by means of an ordinary changing bag
and then caused to slide by its own gravity into the frame 1) when the apparatus
is brought to a properly inclined position. In the case of films, as shewn in the
drawings, the casing A is provided with bearings for the spindle i of the film
spool L. The end of the black ribbon K is conducted through slot of the casing
to the outside whilst the film is led through a metallic guide P and between the
pair of indiarubber feed rollers N N of which one has knobs n on the ends of its
spindle in order to enable it to be turned so as to cause the film to descend into the
dipping frame 1). Directly underneath the top of the chamber B and fitted to
work over its slot is a knife S which can be operated from outside by means of
a handles for cutting off the film as required.
It is obvious that this apparatus may be constructed in various ways, its details
being altered according to requirements; for example more than one dipping
frame, one alongside or behind the other, may be used. By exchanging the
coloured windows the development of the plates or films may be inspected under
the most favourable conditions.
In the drawings only the casing required for the treatment of films has been
represented, for simplicity's sake. For inserting plates into the frame, only a
plain casing is required with which may be combined a changing bag.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of the developing
chamber with a case adapted to receive the photographic film on its spool and
means to transfer said film into the developing chamber if the said chamber is
attached substantially as described.
2. A device for cutting films consisting of a frame provided with bearings to
receive a film roll, guides extending from the film roll to a slot, and a cutter
arranged to move over the said slot substantially as described.
3. A device for cutting films consisting of a frame provided with bearings to

page_text: receive a film roll, guides extending from the film roll to a slot, and a cutter
arranged to move over the said slot and a frame placed in proximity to the slot
and opening towards the slot and adapted to receive the edges of the films sub-
stantially as described.
4. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of the developing
chamber with a case provided with bearings to receive a film roll, means to rotate
the film roll from outside and guides extending from the film roll to a slot leading
into the developing chamber substantially as described.
5. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of the developing
chamber with a case provided with bearings to receive a film roll, means to
rotate the film roll from outside, and guides extending from the film roll to a
slot leading into the developing chamber and guides extending from the film roll
to a slot in the detachable chamber opening into the open air substantially as
described.
6. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of a developing
chamber with a casing having a slot, a case as described adapted to feed a film
to its outside through the said slot, and a cutter arranged to move over the slot
and to be worked from the outside substantially as described.
7. In a photographic developing apparatus having a case constructed to feed a
film through a slot inside of it, a frame opening towards the slot and adapted to
receive the edges of the film substantially as described.
8. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of a case adapted
to feed a plate or film through a slot with a developing chamber, and a viewing
chamber and a frame receiving the plates or films and adapted to be moved from
the developing chamber into the viewing chamber substantially as described.
9. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of a viewing
chamber with a case adapted to receive a plate or film at one side and a chamber
adapted to receive a liquid at the other side, and means to transfer the plate or
film from the first said case into the viewing chamber and into the last said
chamber substantially as described.
10. In a photographic developing apparatus the combination of a viewing
chamber with a case adapted to receive a plate or film at one side and detachable
chamber adapted to receive a liquid at the other side, and means to transfer the
plate or film from the first said case into the viewing chamber and into the last
said detachable chamber substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of October 1899
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.