Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Drying Photographić Negatives, such Im
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Drying Photographić
Negatives, Part of such Improvements being Applicable also for
Washing Photographic Prints.
JAMES WOOD Chemist & Druggist 118 Northbrook Street Liverpool England, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
An improved form of rack in which to place the Photographic Negatives for
inserting them into and withdrawing them from the "Washer" and in which such
plates are afterwards allowed to dry and improvements in the "Washer" employed
for washing Photographic Negatives and for washing Photographic Prints.
;
The Rack" is formed as a rigid frame with corrugated ends, one end being
movable along its length and adjustable at various places to enable it to carry the
various sizes of Photographic Negatives.
The "Washer" is semi-cylindrical with a fixed level overflow, the water is delivered
just beneath the surface which causes the photographic prints to have a rotary
motion, the contaminated water being drawn off from the bottom of the "Washer'
through perforations in its side, and conveyed to a pocket containing the fixed level
overflow.
1
1000
I
JAMES WOOD,
Chemist and Druggist,
118, Northbrook Street, Liverpool.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Drying Photographic
Negatives, Part of such Improvements being Applicable also for
Washing Photographic Prints.
I, JAMES WOOD of 118 Northbrook Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist and Druggist, 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
in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object
Firstly, an improved rack in which photographic negatives may be placed for
inserting them into and withdrawing them from the washer, and in which such plates
may be afterwards allowed to dry; and,
Secondly, improvements in the washer employed for washing photographic negatives
or for washing photographic prints.
Referring to the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rack with parts broken away for
the sake of clearness.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of my improved washer.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of construction hereinafter described.
Referring first to Figure 1 :-
A rack constructed according to this invention, and applicable for the purposes
above mentioned, is formed as a rigid outer frame A provided with corrugated
ends B B', the two sides, which may be of double thickness, are notched or cut away
partly through their depth at four places, more or less, as shown at a a, to receive a
movable corrugated partition C. At the bottom of each corrugated end B, and also,
on the movable corrugated partition C, is placed a wire or strip of tin or its
equivalent b, so that the photographic plates may rest thereon, their edges being
retained between the corrugations. The corrugated material need not reach to the
bottom of the rack, but may stop short thereof, as is shown in the case of the
partition C. The rack may rest on suitable legs.
A rack constructed as above described is very convenient, for, by means of the
movable corrugated partition C, the rack will take plates of many various sizes.
The rack is provided with suitable handles c, so that, after the plates have been
washed, the rack containing the plates may be hung up, this greatly facilitates the
drying of the plates.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 :-
A washer constructed according to this invention, for the purposes above set
forth, comprises a main chamber D provided with an outer chamber E.
The bottom D' of the main chamber D, is not flat but of semicircular contour, and
preferably made in one piece with the ends D. This chamber is fed with water

page_text: through an inlet pipe d (or pipes, in large washers) the pipe terminating in a fine
orifice just beneath the normal surface of the water contained in the said main
chamber. The nozzle of pipe d being below the surface of the water, no air is.
carried down to the detriment of the prints or negatives. The action of the fixed
level overflow pipe contained in the outer chamber E (hereinafter to be described)
prevents the water from overflowing the edges.
The outer chamber E, Figure 3, is attached to one side of the main chamber D,
and communication between the chambers is obtained by means of a number of holes
or perforations e in the side of the main chamber D.
In the outer chamber E is the fixed level overflow pipe E', which, not only prevents
an overflow of water from the sides of the main chamber D, but, by means of the
elbowed branch E2, which reaches almost to the bottom of the outer chamber E, the
hyposulphite of soda or any surplus of chemical used in treating photographic
negatives, or photographic prints, which has been washed from such negatives, or
prints, as the case may be, is carried with the water, and passes away up this branch
and down the straight pipe E¹. The bottom of the outer chamber E is closed but
perforated to allow of the passage of the pipe E¹. A prolongation E³ of the straight.
pipe E¹ is carried above the joint of the branch E³, and is open at the top, and this
construction maintains a fixed level of water. Although an outer chamber for the
overflow pipe is described and shown it will be evident that, if preferred, this might
be attached to the inside of the main chamber.
The mode of action is as follows:-
If it be desired to use the apparatus for washing prints, the inlet pipe d is con-
nected with any suitable water supply, and the main tank D is partially filled with
water. The water issuing from the pipe d in the form of a jet is deflected from the
curved bottom D', and thus a good circulation is secured, and a rotary motion imparted
to the prints.
At the same time the water flows through the perforations e into the outer
chamber E, and also from the bottom thereof up the elbowed pipe E³, till it
reaches the level of the elbow, whence it makes its exit by means of the pipe E'. It
will be seen from this description that a constant level and circulation may be
obtained.
To empty the water from the apparatus, the upper or prolonged end E³ of the
pipe E may be stopped with a cork or the like, and the pipe Ei E² then acts as
a syphon.
For washing glass negatives, etcetera, the rack containing them is simply placed
so as to rest on the bottom of the tank, and the water automatically circulated
as before.
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. An improved rack for holding photographic negatives or the like during
washing, drying, or otherwise, consisting essentially of a preferably bottomiess
receptacle, provided with vertical corrugations upon the interior of its two opposite
ends, and a vertical movable partition, also corrugated, and devices for supporting
the same in different positions, and having also means, such as strips b, for retaining
the said plates within the corrugations, whereby the rack may be adapted to hold
plates of different sizes, substantially as described..
2. A washer adapted to contain a rack such as described, or photographic prints,
or the like, having a hottom of semicircular or curved contour, and means, such as a
pipe d, for injecting a stream or streams of water therein, and the orifice of which is
below the normal surface thereof, and having also a forked overflow pipe contained in an
outer chamber E, which allows the escape of the contaminated water from the bottom
of said tank, while maintaining a constant level therein, and which may also he
transformed into a syphon for emptying, if desired, substantially as described
and shown.

page_text: 3. In apparatus for washing photographic negatives, prints, or the like, the
combination of a washing chamber with the water delivered under the normal
surface, and a branched or forked overflow pipe drawing from the bottom, bút
allowing of overflow only when the water is at ordinary surface level, except when
used as a syphon, substantially as described and shown, and for the purposes
set forth.