Year: 1898

page_text: I, AUGUSTUS LEHMANN, of 42, Narcissus Road, West Hampstead, London, Com-
mercial Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a means of washing photographic plates
or prints quickly, efficiently and without the risk of injury to the same.
My apparatus consists of a small zink tank, a little broader than the side of the
plates for which it is intended, rather narrow in width, and of a height according to
the number of plates to be washed at a time. In the broad sides of the tank are
horizontal lines or groups of small holes, and a little underneath each line or group is
fixed one end of a zink tray for holding plates, almost in a right angle, but preferably
with a very slight downward inclination. At the opposite end of each tray a piece, or
pieces, of the rim is cut out to allow the plates to be lifted out. The trays are
connected and supported at the sides by upright strips of zink and the apparatus is
placed or fixed in a large tray with an outlet.
For use the apparatus is put underneath, or connected with, a tap from which
water is allowed to pass into the tank, whence it flows through the before mentioned
holes over the photographic plates in the trays and out through the spaces cut out of
the rims at the ends down into the large tray at the bottom, from which it is carried
away through the before mentioned outlet.
It will be seen from this that each plate is supplied with a separate stream of
water, which constantly passes over it and carries away the hypo-sulphite of soda
silver, dissolved by its action from the films of the plates.
The apparatus is simple and cheap.
As the water comes out of the holes in fine jets across the whole breadth of the
tank it is advantageous to check the jets by fixing a strip of zink close in front of the
holes. By this arrangement the jets are broken up into one homogeneous sheet of
water which covers the whole plate.
The apparatus is chiefly intended for washing negative or other plates, but it may
also be adapted for photographic prints. The prints when taken from the fixing bath
are laid face upwards upon perforated or grooved zink plates which fit in the trays
without touching the bottom, so that part of the water flows below and part above
the pictures, in order to wash both sides. Instead of perforated plates I may use
frames with wires or tapes stretched across to lay the prints on; or I may dispense
with either plates or frames by other arrangements for holding the pictures in such a
manner that the water must touch both sides.
The large tray at the bottom is unnecessary if the apparatus is used in a zink
whence the waste water is drawn off.
To prevent the waste water from the trays falling on the ends of the lower trays I
ix a small ledge to each tray; this has the effect of carrying the waste water a
ittle futher out and away from the ends of the lower trays.
Instead of zink any other suitable material can be used, and either both or only

page_text: one of the two broad sides, or if the tank is made square all four sides may be
provided with trays.
I, AUGUSTUS LEHMANN, of 42, Narcissus Road, West Hampstead, London, N.W.,
Cominercial Agent, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a means of washing photographic plates
or prints quickly, efficiently and without the risk of injuring the same.
The invention consists in an apparatus, which when placed under a tap allows a
continuous flow of water over each plate separately, thereby removing and carrying off
the hypo-sulphite of soda-silver from the film of the plates or prints in a very quick
manner, without any of the contaminated water coming again in contact with the
plates or prints.
In order to explain the apparatus I refer to the accompanying drawing.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a complete apparatus for washing six plates.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper part of the tank, forming part of the apparatus,
to show the attachment of breakwater strips and trays to be explained hereafter.
Fig. 3 is a carrier for paper prints.
The apparatus is entirely constructed of zink and is composed of a tank a, trays c,
and a receiver f.
The tank may be narrow at one side, but the other side must be a little broader
than the sides of the plates for which it is intended; the height varies according to
the number of plates to be washed at a time.
In the broad side of the tank are horizontal lines, or groups, of small holes, the
position of which is shown in Fig. 2 by an arrow, and a little below each line of
perforations is fixed one end of a tray c for holding the plates in a right angle to the
tank, but preferably with a slight downward inclination.
At the opposite end of each tray oue or more spaces, d, are cut out of the rim,
with the double object of allowing the plate to be lifted and also as an outlet for the
water from the tray.
The trays are connected and supported at the sides by upright stays e, and the
apparatus is placed or fixed in a large tray f, which serves as a receiver of the waste
water, and has an outlet g.
A strip of zink b is attached on one side to the tank a little above each line of
perforations, while the other side reaches down obliquely to within inch from the
bottom of each tray; see Fig. 2.
After developing and fixing photographic plates the latter are laid face upwards in
the trays of the apparatus, which is then placed under a tap so that water can pour
into the tauk. The fine jets of water issueing from the perforations are broken by
the strips b, and form into homogeneous sheets which flow over the plates and through
the openings d into the receiver f, whence the collected water is carried away
through the outlet g. The water supply from the tap is regulated so that the tank
remains always full to the top.
The apparatus is chiefly intended for washing negatives or other plates, but it may
also be adapted for photographic paper prints.
For this purpose I use carriers, Fig. 3, made of perforated zink plates, bordered on
both sides but not at the ends by narrow strips of zink h of at least inch depth.

page_text: These carriers must fit loosely in the trays so that only the borders h rest on the--
bottom. The prints i are laid face upwards on the carriers and fastened at the top
by means of small clamps k as shown in Fig. 3, or by any other suitable contrivance.
When placed in the trays the photos get washed on both sides of the paper by the
water flowing underneath and above them.
Instead of perforated plates I may employ other devices, such as frames with tapes
or wires stretched across to lay the prints on.
In order not to have the waste water falling too close to the nest of trays I may
provide the openings d with lips, or arrange a little ledge below them.
The following are suitable dimensions for an amateur apparatus for washing
6 half plate size negatives:
Size of tank 10 × 5 × 2 inches, size of trays 5 x 7 inches, with rims inch
high and two outlets of inch width. The trays are attached to the tank with the
rim close below the row of perforations, and the breakwater strips inch above
the holes and reaching obliquely down to about inch from the bottom of the
trays.
The receiver F can be 12 inches long with a rim 1½ inches high.
The perforated lines are 1 inch apart, commencing 3 inches from the top; the
holes are of the size of an ordinary pin's head and number 25 in each of the three
upper rows, 23 in the fourth, 20 in the fifth, and 17 in the sixth or lowest row.
The reason for the gradual reduction of the number of holes is that the pressure
increases towards the bottom and causes a more rapid flow of water.
I do not limit myself to the above mentioned details but give them as a guide for
the construction of an amateur apparatus.
The receiver is unnecessary if the apparatus is used in a sink.
The strips or bars for breaking the jets of water can also be fixed vertically to the
bottom of the trays so as to reach down into the tray below, or any other device for
breaking the jets may be used.
Instead of two stays more may be used, or the sides of the nest of trays may
be covered in.
Instead of having trays on one side of the tank only I may provide two sides, or
if the tank is square three or all four sides with trays and perforations.
Instead of zink any other suitable material may be used in the construction of
the apparatus.
I wish it to be understood that I may alter minor matters of detail.
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. A photographic washing apparatus substantially as herein before described, con-
sisting of a tank with perforations through which water can flow over plates deposited in
trays attached to the tank a little below the perforations and connected with each
other by means of stays or other supports, the trays standing out either in a right
angle or inclining downwards, and provided with an arrangement for breaking up
the jets of water into a solid stream.
2. The photographic washing apparatus mentioned in Claim 1, with separate
carriers for holding paper photographs, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 14th day of March 1899.