Improvements in Drying Photographic Negatives and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying Photographic Negatives and the like.
I, ARTHUR MUSKER, of Dundas Street, Bootle, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the drying of photographic negatives or photographs
after they have been developed and are in a wet condition, by artificial heat and
without affecting detrimentally the quality of the picture or negative.
According to this invention, I apply heat, say of a burner or lamp burning gas or
oil, which acts upon a holder, base, or the like, containing or having upon it metallic
plates between which plates the negatives or photographs are adapted to be placed and
held. In some cases, the heat is conveyed to such plates by having a hollow chamber
or space between two metal plates into which the gases for heating pass, or the heat
may be conducted to such plates by the plate or part on which they are mounted, and
to which heat is imparted by the lamp or burner.
The action is that the plates between which the negatives or photographs are placed
radiate the heat onto thein to the required degree, and in a manner which renders the
artificial drying by heat practicable and without liability of in any way detrimentally
affecting the quality of the negative or photograph.
By this means, negatives and photographs may be rapidly dried, and thereby the
greater portion of the time they take to dry in, when dried in the ordinary way,
saved.
Dated this 27th day of November 1895.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drying Photographic Negatives and the like.
I, ARTHUR MUSKER, of Dundas Street, Bootle, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, 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 the drying of photographic negatives or photographs
after they have been developed and are in a wet condition, by artificial heat and
without affecting detrimentally the quality of the picture or negative.
According to this invention, I apply heat, say of a burner or lamp burning gas or
oil, which acts upon a holder, base, or the like, containing or having upon it metallic
plates, between which plates the negatives or photographs are adapted to be placed and
held. In some cases, the heat is conveyed to such plate by having a hollow chamber
or space between two metal plates into which the gases for heating pass, or the heat
may be conducted to such plates by the plate or part on which they are mounted, and
to which heat is imparted by the lamp or burner.
The action is that the plates between which the negatives or photographs are placed
radiate the heat onto them to the required degree, and in a manner which renders the
PQ71

page_text: artificial drying by heat practicable and without liability of in any way detrimentally
affecting the quality of the negative or photograph.
By this means, negatives and photographs may be rapidly dried, and thereby the
greater portion of the time they take to dry in, when dried in the ordinary way,
saved.
The drawing illustrating one form of apparatus according to this invention is
annexed hereto, Figure 1 being an elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 2 a plan.
Referring to the drawing, the base portion of the apparatus consists of a box a, say
of sheet metal, the top of which consists of a metal plate b, comparatively thick,
say about inch. In the base of this box there is an atmospheric or Bunsen gas
burner c, the flames from which act upon the underside of the plate b, and heat it ;
while the burnt gases pass out of the box at the upper part by the holes d'. Or,
as a modification of this, the burnt gases may be led away from the box by a tube or
funnel.
.
Upon the upper side of the plate 6, the structure in which the photographic plates
are held and dried, is erected. This structure consists of upright bars d, fixed in the
plate, and horizontal bars e, extending. between and carried by the standards d.
The bars e are corrugated or made of zig zag form, the inside spaces between the
bends of which form grooves or gaps through which the photographic plates are
passed, and by which they are held in the vertical position, and kept at the desired
distance apart. At the lower part of the upper structure, bars. f, disposed within
and fastened to the standards d, are provided, and constitute rests on which the lower
edges of the photographic plates are supported.
.
The photographic plates are placed in position by simply sliding them downwards
through the gaps in the corrugated bars e. In the apparatus shewn, the plate holding
part is made longer in one direction than in the other, so as to support and carry
plates of different sizes; viz., a smaller size of plate will be carried by the bars e,
forming the longer part, or sides, of the apparatus, while larger plates will be carried
by the shorter or end bars of the apparatus.
can be
In some cases, the bars forming the upper structure may be connected together
by detachable or disconnecting fastenings or connections, of any suitable kind; while
the standards d. would be fixed, in the plate 1, in sockets from which they
readily removed so as to enable the apparatus to, be readily taken to pieces and
stowed in a small space, to render it more suitable for being packed and carried about.
Or, in lieu of this, the parts may be jointed and adapted to fold in a small compass.
In some cases, the hot plate 6 is arranged at small inclination so as to shoot off any
water that may fall from the plates onto it, and so prevent vapour being formed and
passing over the plates.
gas flames
The action of the apparatus is as follows: The, heat, resulting from the
of the burner c, heats the plate band the photographic plates above it thereby
become warm, while an upward flow of air between the plates takes place, the
surrounding air passing freely and unrestrictedly in between them and up over their
surfaces. The. effect is, that. by the heat and the free access and circulation of air
(which passes to the spaces between them both from below and at the sides) carries off
the moisture or water gently, and efficiently, and dries them without any detrimental
effect. of the photographic materials, of surfaces upon them.
The above construction constitutes a simple and efficiente form of apparatus for
artificially drying photographic plates or like media, but the invention is not restricted
to the particular form of construction shewn, as it may be carried out in different
modified,ways without departing from the essential characteristics thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner. the same is to be perforined, I declare that what is claimed
in respect of the herein described invention is:-
1. Apparatus for artificially drying photographic plates or the like, wherein the
plates,are, supported, and held and subjected to radiant heat given out or imparted-to

page_text: them by a heated body, as a plate, adjacent to them, and so arranged as to cause air
to pass over the surfaces to be dried; for the purposes set forth.
2. Apparatus for artificially drying photographie plates or the like, comprising a
cage adapted to hold said plates in an upright or inclined position, and open freely to
the air; and a plate below same heated on the side opposite to the cage by a gas
burner or by other suitable heating medium; substantially as set forth.
3. Apparatus for drying photographic plates and the like, having parts arranged
and constructed, and adapted to operate, particularly as set forth with reference to and
shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of August 1896.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.