Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Photographic Prints and Negatives.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Photographic Prints and
Negatives.
I, HAROLD HOLCROFT, of Ettingshall Foundry, Wolverhampton in the County
of Stafford, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for washing photo-
graphic prints and negatives, more especially for the purpose of ensuring an equal
flow of water in a given direction only over the surfaces of the different prints or
negatives, and ensuring a thorough constant change of the water in such manner
that no portion of it passes twice along the surface of a print or negative, and of
securely preventing in a convenient manner prints from coming in contact with one
another or being doubled up or otherwise creased or injured by the flow.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention comprises, as an important
feature, a carrier or vessel into which the prints or negatives (or prints and
negatives) are placed and through which a constant stream of water passes in one
direction only, and consists, in its preferred form, primarily, of such carrier and of
a rectangular water cistern or washing vessel, which may be open-topped, within
which the carrier, formed as a box or shell open at each end, may be inserted.
The carrier is of a width which allows of it fitting easily down between the sides of
the cistern, and of a depth somewhat less than the cistern so that when placed therein
it is covered with water; and the carrier is shorter than the cistern so that when
placed therein a space may be left at each end between itself and the end of
the cistern. The sides of the carrier are provided with narrow ledges, or with
corrugations or other guides, to receive horizontal trays or slides upon which the
prints or negatives to be washed are placed. These trays are each formed of a
frame strung across in both directions for the purpose of carrying the prints or
negatives, or having netting stretched across for such purpose; and it is preferred
that the stringing or netting shall be of such material, or be so coated or otherwise
prepared, that it will resist the action of moisture and of chemicals used in the
photographic process. Each print or negative to be washed is laid upon a separate
tray, and the trays are pushed endways horizontally into the carrier each upon a
pair of ledges or guides. Water is allowed to drip or run from a tap into one end
of the cistern, and flows through the carrier and consequently along the surfaces of
the prints or negatives therein, and out therefrom into the other end of the cistern,
from whence it passes off by an overflow. It is preferred to fix a transverse wall
across the top of the carrier to prevent any flow of water over the top thereof. As
the flow of water through the carrier might tend to wash the prints out of the
trays, a number of vertical bars of wire, sheet metal fixed edgeways to the line of
flow, or other substance, pass across the outflow end of the carrier; and, to prevent
any risk of the edges of the prints getting between such bars and the edges of the
trays, holes, corresponding in position with the bars, are notched in the edges of the
trays, and the trays are pushed up to cause the bars to be within the notches, which
securely prevents the edges of the prints from getting over the edges of the trays.
The bars may be set somewhat inwards from the end of the carrier, so that when
the trays are pushed up in the manner described their edges will not come beyond
the end thereof.
As the water flows entirely in one direction, and cannot, after having passed
through the carrier, return into it but must pass away by the overflow, there is a

page_text: constant and thorough change of the water passing through the carrier, no portion
of it passing twice along the surface of a print or negative.
If desired, in order to more completely ensure an equal flow of water over the
surface of each print or negative, the water may pass into the carrier through a
division having holes pierced therethrough at heights corresponding to the spaces
divided off by the ledges or other guides, and the water may pass out from the
carrier through a similarly perforated division.
Instead of forming ledges or other guides to receive the trays, the trays
themselves may be formed each with turned up edges to carry the next tray
above it.
Dated this 12th day of November 1891.
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing Photographic Prints and
Negatives.
I, HAROLD HOLCROFT, of Ettingshall Foundry, Wolverhampton in the County
of Stafford, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for washing photo-
graphic prints and negatives, more especially for the purpose of ensuring a constant
and equal flow of water in a given direction only over the surfaces of the different
prints or negatives, and ensuring a thorough constant change of the water in such
manner that no portion of it passes twice along the surface of a print or negative,
and of securely preventing in a convenient manner prints from coming in contact
with one another or being doubled up or otherwise creased or injured by the flow.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention comprises, as an important
feature, a carrier or vessel into which the prints or negatives (or prints and
negatives) are placed and through which a constant stream of water passes in one
direction only, and consists, in its preferred form, primarily, of such carrier and of
a rectangular water cistern or washing vessel, which may be open-topped, within
which the carrier, formed as a box or shell open at each end, may be inserted in a
horizontal position. The carrier is of a width which allows of it fitting just easily
down between the sides of the cistern, and of a depth (exclusive of its transverse
wall hereinafter described) somewhat less than the cistern so that when placed
therein it is covered with water when the cistern is full; and the carrier is shorter
than the cistern so that when placed therein a space may be left at each end
between itself and the end of the cistern. Horizontal trays or slides, formed
preferably of lattice or other open work, are inserted within the carrier and them-
selves carry the prints or negatives to be washed. Each print or negative to be
washed is laid upon a separate tray, and the trays are pushed inwards horizontally
into the carrier. The trays may be carried on narrow ledges or corrugations fixed
to, or formed in, the sides of the carrier; or they may be formed with turned up
edges or other projectious so as to rest one upon the other with a space between.
Negatives also may be carried direct on ledges or corrugations of the carrier,
instead of being carried on shelves. Water is allowed to drip or run from a tap
into one end of the cistern, and flows through the carrier, and consequently along
the surfaces of the prints or negatives therein, and out therefrom into the other end
of the cistern from whence it passes off by an overflow. It is preferred to fix a
transverse wall across the top of the carrier to prevent any flow of water over the
top thereof.
As the water flows entirely in one direction, and cannot, after having passed

page_text: through the carrier, return into it but must pass away by the overflow, there is a
constant and thorough change of the water passing through the carrier, no portion
of it passing twice along the surface of a print or negative.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I have appended hereto a
sheet of drawings, of which
Figure 1 illustrates, in longitudinal section, apparatus forming the subject of this
invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line x x of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a sectional plan taken on line y y of Figure 1.
The horizontal carrier A A is shewn in position within the water cistern B B.
These parts are conveniently made in sheet metal, and the actual material therefore
of the carrier A A is shewn in Figures 1 and 2 only by thick lines, indicating the
section of the sheet metal. The flat bottom of the carrier is seen, however, in
Figure 3 between the open work of the trays. The carrier consists, as shewn, of a
plain rectangular box open at each end but closed at the top. The cistern is of the
same shape, but longer, and is closed at the ends, and is conveniently open at the
top. The carrier is somewhat shallower than the cistern so that when placed
therein, as shewn, it may be entirely covered by water. A wall or bar which
inay be conveniently of sheet metal, and formed angular-shaped in section for
convenience of attachment, may be soldered or otherwise fixed across the top of the
carrier for the whole width thereof and be of such height that when the carrier is
placed within the cistern the top of the wall a will be above the top of the water
therein (if the full depth of the carrier is being utilized and the cistern consequently
filled sufficiently to cover the carrier) and thus any flow of water over the top of
the carrier will be prevented. Water is allowed to drip or run from a tap into the
end 6 of the cistern, and flows lengthways through the carrier into the end 61 of the
cistern, and from thence flows out through an overflow gap or opening c, the height
of the bottom of which is regulated by an adjustable slide d carried in suitable
guides e fixed to the end of the cistern. Thus the overflow may be adjusted as to
height to suit any depth from the bottom of the carrier which is at the time in use
and thereby ensure that all, or substantially all, the water from the supply tap shall
pass only through such portion of the carrier. The slide d in the illustrations
cannot, of course, be lowered beyond about half the depth of the carrier, and this
will for all practical purposes usually be found sufficient; the slide may, however, be
made to work in a well at the end of the cistern and then it can be lowered to any
degree. The prints or negatives, or prints and negatives, to be washed are placed
one upon each of a number of trays C which are slid endways into the carrier A A.
Each of these trays is conveniently formed of a sheet metal frame ff etc. strung
across in each direction by means of cotton 1, varnished to make it impervious
to moisture and capable also of resisting the action of chemicals used in the
photographic process, or otherwise formed with open or lattice work of a suitable
character which will allow of the flow of water against the lower face of a print or
negative which may be placed thereupon. In the illustrations these trays are each
formed with turned-up side edges g, so that any tray will rest upon the tray
immediately below it; but instead of the trays having their side edges formed
in this manner they may, if desired, be slid, as before described, into the carrier
upon ledges fixed within the carrier or upon corrugations formed in the sides
thereof; and, negatives may be slid direct into the carrier upon such ledges or
corrugations. As the flow of water through the carrier A. A might tend to wash
the prints out of the trays C, a number of vertical bars h of wire or other substance
(or they may be of sheet metal fixed edgeways to the line of flow) pass across the
outflow end of the carrier; and, to prevent any risk of the edges of the prints
getting between such bars and the edges of the trays, holes i, corresponding in
position with the bars, are notched in the edges of the trays, and the trays are
pushed up as shewn to cause the bars to be within the notches, which securely
prevents the edges of the prints at the outflow ends of the trays from getting
between the bars and the corresponding edges of the trays. The bars may be set

page_text: somewhat inwards from the end of the carrier as shewn, so that when the trays are
pushed up in the manner described their edges will, as shewn, not come beyond the
end thereof.
The prints being divided from one another by the open-work trays, are securely
prevented from coming in contact with each other, and from being doubled up by
the flow of water.
If desired, in order to more completely ensure an equal flow of water over the
surface of each print or negative, the water may pass into the carrier through a
division (shewn by broken lines only Figures 1 and 3) having holes pierced
therethrough at heights corresponding to the spaces divided off by the trays, or by
the negatives; and the water may pass out from the carrier, if desired, through a
similarly perforated division at the other end.
While it is much preferred to employ a carrier as described which may be moved
into and from the cistern, it will be obvious that a portion of the cistern may itself
be utilized as the carrier in the case of prints and negatives (or prints or negatives)
which are carried upon trays which rest upon one another. In such case it is
convenient to fix perforated divisions across the cistern, and the trays are
lowered down between such divisions. If the trays are to be used for prints,
vertical bars are fixed in place within the cistern and notches are formed in the
outflow ends of the trays for the purpose already described. To enable the notches
to be passed over the upper ends of the bars such ends may be formed bent
outwards and fixed to the division k¹. When the vertical bars are used the
division may be conveniently dispensed with (if it is preferred not to use it), and
in such case the upper ends of the bars may be fixed to a transverse bar fixed to the
sides of the cistern.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for washing photographic prints and negatives (or prints or
negatives) in which trays which carry the prints and negatives (or prints or
negatives) are carried in position one above another within a washing cistern
(having a space at each end unoccupied by the trays) in such manner that with a
proper depth of water (which may be controlled as desired at the outflow end) a
constant supply to one end of such cistern will all, or substantially all, pass in
a continuous stream once only through the portion of the cistern occupied by the
trays and thence into the other end of the cistern and away through an overflow,
substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for washing photographic prints and negatives (or prints or
negatives), the combination of a carrier with a cistern within which it is a fairly
good fit widthways in order that with a proper depth of water in the cistern (which
may be controlled as desired at the overflow end) a constant supply of water to one
end thereof will all, or substantially all, pass in a continuous stream once only
through the carrier into the other end of the cistern and thence away through an
overflow, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for washing photographic prints and negatives (or prints or
negatives), the combination of a horizontal carrier with a horizontal cistern
provided with a suitable overflow at one end, said carrier being a fairly good fit
widthways within the cistern but shorter than it so as to leave a space at each end
between itself and the end of the cistern, and being fitted with trays (more
especially for prints, but usable also for negatives) or with ledges or grooves for
the negatives, or with both trays and ledges or grooves, substantially as described
for the purpose set forth.
4. In apparatus for washing photographic prints and negatives (or prints or
negatives) in which a number of horizontal trays are carried within a carrier,
forming such trays each with portions projecting outwards from the plane thereof
so that they may rest one upon another, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. In apparatus for washing photographic prints, in which the prints are carried
upon trays placed within a carrier through which a stream of water is caused to
flow, the employment at the outflow end of such carrier, of bars which prevent the
prints being washed out thereof, substantially as described.
6. In apparatus for washing photographic prints, in which the prints are carried
upon trays placed within a carrier through which a stream of water is caused to
flow, the employment at the outflow end of such carrier of bars, which prevent the
prints being washed out thereof, in combination with notches in the edges of the
trays so that when the trays are placed in position the bars are within the notches
and the edges of the prints are securely prevented from getting over between the
bars and the edges of the trays, substantially as described.
7. Apparatus for washing photographic prints and negatives, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings herewith, and the modified arrangements
thereof, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th don of A 1000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.