DE2508473A1 - Film development system - has individual containers with driven transport rollers coupled to supply pipe of processing fluids - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for processing photographic films, has a closed container (1) in which top and bottom rollers and a washing spray are fixed and a coupling device at its base. A large housing unit (18) has further coupling devices (22) into which the individual containers are slotted, and a drive system (21) to drive the film transport rollers during processing. Each roller has a mid region construction and a pair of top and bottom rollers of small diameter and a pair of large diameter top and bottom rollers are provided. Drive to the rollers is via a chain wheel (9) attached to the large diameter top roller and penetrates the chamber (1) wall.

Description

DlPL-ING. H. FINK PATENTANWALT · D 7300 ESSUNGEN NEAR STUTTGART - HINDENBURGSTRASSE

Pot.ntanwo »Fl N K - D 7300 Estlinflen (Nadcar). MnfenburgrireB «44

February 26, 1975 Vö P 6258

Eiji Oshima, 3-2-9 »Kumochibashidori, Fukiaiku, Kobe, Japan

"Method and device for developing films"

Claimed priority of Japanese patent application 71 576 / 1974- of June 21, 1974.

The invention relates to a method and a device for developing a predetermined length of an exposed roll film.

Usually, the standardized roll film is developed using a required number of developing tanks each containing different types of developers, being operated as follows: By a photo camera .exposed films are processed in two different ways. In one type, the film is wound up and perpendicular hung, and in the other continuous type, the films are joined together at the ends. The one through a movie camera exposed films are quite long and are therefore processed in a continuous process.

In the case of hanging the film, however, it is stored in the

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Developer immersed in the potion and taken out of it, whereby There are different periods along the entire length of the film of immersion in the developer. This method also suffers from the fact that the film of a fresh solution is insufficient long exposure. In order to increase the effectiveness of the procedure, additional complicated facilities are required, e.g. for vibrating movement of the film itself or for accelerating the flow of the developer by blowing in Nitrogen etc.r. from the bottom of the tank.

On the other hand, the continuous process is not suitable for developing a mass of films, only a small number of them. For special cases, e.g. for color films, envelope development is used. This method needs arrangements for long term treatment and requires additional equipment to shorten the time by one Procedure under high temperature. Since the film must be continuously moved and treated in this process, the result is if the movement is interrupted during the process, for example when cutting off the film, a very detrimental influence on the whole part of the film, which is why in this arrangement facilities are needed to have this kind of influence to prevent, so that the device becomes complicated and expensive. - /

Also see the usual continuous or interrupted Development process for each type of developer individual tanks before, in and out of which the films are alternately moved. For this, many developer tanks are needed, as well as the preparation and tracking of developer solution to a constant Maintain effectiveness of each solution. In addition, a test strip is necessary for security purposes of the film before and during the process and at suitable intervals and maintain a consistent effectiveness

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of the developer in every tank, including a big one Ma3 of technical experience and work and a high level of technology are necessary for such a technical implementation. In particular, chemical engineering comes into play in the development of a ITarbfilr.es particular importance to it.

The present invention is based on the object of a method and a tankless device for development with a reduced design effort and without complicated Calculations of the amount of solution to be fed and other high to create technical artifacts. Furthermore, the removal of used liquid should be made easier. Finally will aimed at effective development with simple temperature control.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Advantages of the invention emerge from the following description, the claims and the drawing. In this a preferred embodiment is shown. In the drawing demonstrate

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device,

2 shows a partially sectioned container,

Fig. 3 shows a program of the operations and

Fig. 4 is a view of the process inside the container.

Outwardly closed containers are denoted by Λ , rollers generally with 2, with rollers 4, 5, 6, 7 large and small diameter are provided, each of the constrictions 3 for

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Have a film A in the container. The upper small roller 5 is arranged just below the upper large roller 4, while the lower small roller 7 is arranged just above the lower large roller 6. The wave of the lower small roller 7 is inserted into a longitudinal groove of a roller support 8, on which the shaft is slightly vertically displaceable. The shaft of the upper large roller 4 extends outside the container and carries a sprocket 9 at one end.

A spray device 10 within the container 1 has tubes 11, many of which are directed towards the inside of the space 13 of the container Nozzles 12 are provided. The lower parts of the tubes are connected to a connection socket 14 at the bottom of the container.

A viewing window in the container 1 is denoted by 15; Guide legs with 16 on both sides of the floor and a hanging device on container 1 with 17

Carriers 19 are arranged on the top of a housing 18 parallel to one another and with recesses 20 at equal intervals to accommodate the container 1 provided. Along one side of the carrier and by a suitable device, not shown drivable, a drive device 21 is provided, which with the chain wheel 9 on the shaft with the rollers 4 large Diameter is positively and rotatably connected. Coupling pieces 22 at equal intervals on the bottom of the housing 18 must each coincide with the recesses 20 of the carrier 19 and are preferably automatically with the connection socket 14 of the container 1 is coupled when the container is inserted into the housing 18. The coupling pieces 22 of the housing are connected to a suitable system, such as a developer feed system, to transport the developer to the spray device To promote 10 within the container, with a device

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for removing used developer from the container and With a device for feeding a gas mixture of ammonia and nitrogen and the like. In the container from outside arranged sources. The coupling pieces 22 and the connecting sleeves 14 of the container 1 can open their mouths when they are, for example, electromagnetically connected to one another while the corresponding ends are usually closed. Rails 23 are on both sides on the bottom of the housing provided for receiving the guide legs 16 of the container 1.

During operation, the number of work processes is taken first and then the temperature, etc., of each developer to make the times of the processes equal. Each coupling piece 22 is with the various devices for feeding ' the solutions, for the removal of used solution, for the introduction of gas and the like. Connected. A guide strip 24-specific Length is fed into the container in advance continuously on the rollers 2 in an endless sequence in such a way that the strip is wound first between the narrow rollers 5 and 7 and then between the larger rollers 4 and 6 by its front End guided and the two ends are finally connected to each other.

Then a certain point of the strip 24 with one end of a predetermined length of a single film A or linked films, which replace the * strip 24 over the rollers 2 and are looped end to end will be connected. Cure this film loading process is done in the dark.

Then the container provided with the film A is inserted into one of the ends of the housing 18 and as shown in FIG Work program periodically moved from one type of solution to another. The work program of FIG. 3 shows a Timing diagram used for each and for the whole procedure in the

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Treatment of color negatives is necessary where each inclined line in a container is carried out sequentially Steps and where the time span between dot marks required for each step is shown.

The container 1 v / earth inserted into the housing 18 that the chain wheels 9 of the rollers 4 in the drive device 21 for Driving the film A intervene. The connection sockets 14 · the Container 1 are connected to the coupling pieces 22 of the housing 18 in such a way that the solution through nozzles 12 via the line 11 is sprayed in fog-shaped to fill the container, where the surrounding film is exposed to the mist and treated.

For some types of solution, a gas mixture of ammonia and nitrogen, etc., is introduced through the connection sleeve 14 and the coupling piece 22 in order to remove the air in the container before spraying the solution to replace. The used solution is withdrawn from the containers via the connection sockets 14 and closed a circulatory system or elsewhere. The containers are inserted into the housing 18, moved in this at the same time and accordingly by a suitable conveyor removed by a suitable process program.

As described above, this development process proceeds the film in endless form within sealable and housed containers, each container is filled with a mist of individual solutions for developing the film. Also in this process is the development carried out after replacing the air in the containers with a gas mixture of ammonia and nitrogen in some types of solution is. This allows ideal performance in developing any type of film including color film with a multilayer emulsion, at which radical agitation must be avoided and a constant supply of fresh solution required is.

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In the usual process for continuous development by dipping, the emulsion-coated side of the film allows complete immersion in the solution and allows the film to be moved in a specific direction through the solution, so that a flow is created against the motion of the film in the solution due to inertia, the flow Sdb dirt lines generated. To prevent this from happening, the movement should generated in the solution by feeding nitrogen gas or otherwise the solution in the tube through a pump chamber be moved to prevent such flux accompanying the film, so that the coated surface of the The film can be exposed to the fresh solution.

The present invention as shown in Fig. 4- allows the film between the upper and lower rollers in Fig. 4 through fully extended Directions indicated by arrows to move in the container. A solution mist touches the film and is deposited in drops, which flow downwards according to the dashed arrows in FIG. 4 and a flow layer on the film form, thereby loading the film moving up and down. is acting. In this way, the direction of flow changes opposite the film periodically so that an alternating fluid layer movement caused by the present invention occurs, which is uniform and gentle on every part of the emulsion surface of the The film works and thus develops it perfectly.

The solution used in the subject matter of the present invention is calculated as follows:

If, for example, 62 m of a 16 mm film is to be developed, then its entire area is

1.6 cm χ 6200 cm = 9920 cm ²

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If a 0.02 cm thick surface layer of the solution is to be formed over the entire area, that is necessary Need for solution

9920 cm ² χ 0.02 cm = 198.4 ml = 200 ml.

About 200 al is the smallest unit for surface coating amount required for development.

Eight nozzles in the closed container, each of which Spray 150 ml / min, sprayed at the maximum

150 ml χ 8 = 1200 ml per hour.

Assuming that the smallest amount of solution is 800 ml, which in the effective spray circulation system, the humidifier, the pump and the liquid line is necessary, the total amount of solution per minute is

1200 ml + 800 ml = 2 liters.

This amount can be used multiple times for a period of time required to process 62 m of film.

Although 2 liters of solution are necessary per development process, half of the solution used and half of the fresh Solution, i.e. the same ratio of these can be practically used so that adequate amounts of silver ions and bromine ions can be mixed, thereby improving contrast and density over using a fresh solution alone will.

Accordingly, one liter of fresh solution is sufficient to develop 62 m of film in each work step. The ratio of the area of the

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Film of the amount of fresh solution results in 9.920 cm ² / 1,000 ml.

Therefore, the present invention permits development by filling lockable containers with a solution mist, which a film is exposed and moved in the container at the same time. This method of developing by continuous exposure the film surface of the solution only uses that on the Layer of the solution located on the surface, the side of which is used for or as an alternative to the lubrication. This saves a a considerable amount of solution and diminishes complexity Calculations on the amount of additional solution and other high engineering gimmicks. Since only a small total amount is used, the poisonous liquid is removed immediately. The process is efficient and the temperature is easy controllable. The method also allows such difficulties from container to container as easily overcome the tearing of the film during development so that the difficulties affect only a small area and therefore can be easily fixed. In addition, any type of film, whether it is narrow or wide, can be made by joining Units of different lengths are developed in the device.

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Claims (1)

- February 10 - February 26, 1975 Vö P 6258 Expectations 1. Method for treating a film, characterized by winding at least one film between upper and lower rollers in a closed container and by joining the ends of the film, by inserting a number of containers into a housing and moving the films in the containers, by feeding developing solutions into the containers in the form of a mist filling these containers, whereby the Films for treatment are exposed to the mist and by periodically moving the containers within the housing, to treat the films with any solution. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the solutions into the container through coupling devices arranged between the containers and the housing are fed in, these couplings each opening automatically when their mouths are connected. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that that the coupling devices keep their mouths electromagnetically closed in the normal state. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the air inside the container is replaced by a gas before the solution is sprayed in. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that that the gas is a mixture of ammonia and nitrogen. -11-509882 / 0653 - February 11 - February 26, 1975 Vö P 6258 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the containers according to a treatment program be moved. (7.J device for performing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by closed container (1), in which upper and lower lumps (2, 4- to 7) and a spray device are provided and each one coupling device (14) show at their bottom, by a housing (18) which has a coupling device (22) for connecting the devices for feeding in the solution, for discharging liquid and / or for feeding in gas at the bottom as well as a horizontally arranged drive device (21) for driving the rollers on the upper side, by at least one film that is wound between the rolls and by one pre-wound between the rolls. wound guide strip is guided, and the ends of which are finally connected to one another, the containers are inserted into the housing in such a way that shafts of the rollers form-fit with the drive device are connected and that the coupling devices of the container and the housing are connected to one another, the containers are periodically moved within the housing so that the film is covered with a mist of each solution within the individual container is treated alternately. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 ■> characterized in that the rollers (2, 4 to 7) have a pair of upper and lower rollers (5> 7) of small diameter and a pair of upper and lower rollers (4-, 6) of large diameter . -12- 509882/0653 - February 12 - February 26, 1975 Vö P 6258 9 · Device according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that each roller (2, 4 to 7) in the middle Area has a constriction (3). 10. Apparatus according to claim 3? characterized, that the shaft of the upper large roller (4; extends out of the container (1) and a sprocket (9) contributes to the positive connection with the drive device. 11. The device according to claim 7 »characterized in that that the housing (18) has rails at its lower end and with recesses (20) on the top in is provided at regular intervals to accommodate the shafts of the rollers (4-). 12. Apparatus according to claim 7? characterized, that the container (i) with legs (16) arranged on both sides of its bottom for guiding through the rails are provided. 509882/0653 Blank page