GB2115180A - Device for feeding films into a processor - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for use in feeding films mounted on hangers (3) into a film processor comprises a downwardly inclined ramp (1,2) arranged to carry a plurality of hangers (3). A stop member (8) defines a forward hanger positioned at the leading end of the ramp (1,2) such that a hanger (3) positioned there can be lifted by a hanger lifting means. An elongate plate (10) having an angled upper edge (11) is movable between a first position in which it permits a hanger (3) to slide into the forward hanger position and a second position in which it prevents such sliding. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Film feeding device This invention relates to a device for use in feeding films into a film processor.

Processors are known which are of the socalled dip-and-dunk type. In such processors hangers carrying the films to be processed are dipped in a succession of baths, the raising and lowering of the hangers which is necessary for this being carried out by mechanical means. The successive baths are located side by side which means that a hanger being transferred from one bath to the next must successively be lifted from the first bath, moved sideways to locate it over the second bath and then located into that second bath.

Hangers carrying films which are waiting to be processed are normally dealt with in one of two ways. The first is for the hangers to be attached at predetermined intervals along a belt which is periodically indexed forwards to bring the leading hanger into a position in which it is taken off the belt by the mechanical means referred to above. However, there are difficulties associated with this method, in particular the difficulty for an operator in correctly locating the hangers on the belt, bearing in mind that the whole operation must normally be undertaken in darkness. A second way of dealing with the hangers is to stack them one behind the other on a downwardlyinclined ramp. The lower, front end of the ramp is so positioned that a hanger located there is in the correct position to be picked up by the above-mentioned mechanical means.

When this leading hanger is picked up the other hangers slide down the ramp under their own weight to bring a new hanger into position for picking up next time. However, this way of dealing with hangers also has its difficulties. In particular, the sliding of the hangers down the ramp is uncontrolled and depends crucially on the friction between the hangers and the ramp, and on the slope of the ramp. When the leading hanger is lifted the remaining hangers must slide down the ramp reliably, but they must not slide down so fast that the new leading hanger interferes with the hanger being lifted nor must they slide down so fast that there is excessive swinging movement of the hangers which might cause films on one hanger to become caught in an adjacent hanger.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for use in feeding films mounted on hangers into a film processor, comprising a downwardly inclined ramp arranged to carry a plurality of hangers, means defining a forward hanger position at the leading end of the ramp such that a hanger positioned there can be lifted by a hanger lifting means, and a hanger control means movable between a first position in which it permits a hanger to slide into the said forward hanger position and a second position in which it prevents such sliding.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the embodiment; and Figure 2 is an end view showing part of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

The device shown in the drawings comprises a pair of side plates 1 whose upper edges 2 define a downwardly inclined ramp. The ramp carries a plurality of film hangers 3. Each hanger comprises a plate 4 and a rod 5 the end regions of which bear on the edges 2.

Each plate 4 is formed with a pair of slots 6 to which are attached clips (not shown) for carrying the films. Instead of the slots other means may be used for carrying the films, for example, appropriate clips may be bolted to the plate 4. Each rod carries a pair of flange members 7 which serve to space the hangers from one another, as indicated in Fig. 1. The flange members 7 may suitably be made of a plastics material.

At the leading end of the ramp is a stop member 8 which defines a forward hanger position. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the rod of the leading hanger comes to rest against the stop member 8, and the hanger is then in a position where a lifting device, whose movement is indicated by arrow A can move down and lift it upwards and thence into the first bath of a film processor located to the righthand-side of the device shown in Fig.1.

A hanger control means 9 prevents the remaining hangers from sliding down the ramp. The hanger control means 9 comprises an elongate plate 10 having an angled upper edge 11. The plate 10 is formed with an elongate groove 1 2 through which passes the shank of a bolt 1 3. On either side of the plate 10 the bolt 1 3 carries a retaining disc 14 made of a material having low friction properties, for example a suitable plastics material.

The bolt 1 3 is held by a fixed backplate 1 5.

The hanger control means further comprises a lever 1 6 which is capable of pivotal movement about a fixed pivot 17. This pivotal movement is effected by a motor (not shown).

At its other end the lever 1 6 is pivotally attached by a pivot 1 8 to the plate 1 0. An identical hanger control means 9 is provided on the opposite side of the ramp, the two means 9 operating in unison.

The device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 operates as follows. With the device in the position shown in Fig. 1 the leading hanger is in a position to be lifted by the above-mentioned lifting device. Once the leading hanger has been lifted the lever 1 6 pivots anticlockwise which causes the plate 10 to move downwards. As this downward movement takes place the rod 5 of the next hanger slides forwards in a controlled fashion along the angled edge 11 until eventually sufficient downward movement has taken place to allow that hanger to move into the forward hanger position against the stop member 8.

The lever 1 6 then starts to rotate clockwise.

This brings the angled edge 11 into contact with the rod 5 of the next hanger. Not only does the plate 10 move upwardly during this clockwise rotation, but also, through the cooperation of the bolt 1 3 and the slot 12, tilts towards the inclined position shown in Fig. 1.

This pushes the rod 5 in contact with the edge 11 leftwards slightly, and accordingly pushes all the hangers slightly leftwards. The effect of this is to leave a small gap 1 9 between the flange member of the leading hanger and the flange member of the next hanger. This is desirable because it means that when the leading hanger is lifted by the hanger lifting device its flanges are not interfered with by the flanges of the next hanger.

Fig. 1 also shows a slot 20 in the trailing edge of the plate 1. This is to enable a hanger to be mounted with the ends of its rods 5 in a respective one of the slots in each of the plates 1 during film loading. When the films have been loaded on the hanger it is then placed on the ramp defined by the surfaces 2 of the plates 1.

In a modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 1 7 is extended in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper and carries a radial lever thereon. This radial lever is acted on by the same mechanism as that which moves the hangers into and out of the baths. This modification avoids the need for a separate motor to pivot the lever 1 6 and automatically provides the necessary synchronism between the operation of the device according to the invention and the movement of the hangers into and out of the baths.

Claims (9)

1. A device for use in feeding films mounted on hangers into a film processor, comprising a downwardly inclined ramp arranged to carry a plurality of hangers, means defining a forward hanger position at the leading end of the ramp such that a hanger positioned there can be lifted by a hanger lifting means, and a hanger control means movable between a first position in which it permits a hanger to slide into the said forward hanger position and a second position in which it prevents such sliding.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the hanger control means is so arranged that in moving from the said first position to the said second position it pushes rearwardly the hanger or hangers located rearwardly of the said forward hanger position.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hanger control means has an angled upper edge along which each hanger slides in sliding into the said forward hanger position.

4. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the hanger control means is movable by a motor.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hanger control means is arranged to be actuated by a mechanism which also serves to move the hangers into and out of the baths of the processor.

6. A device for use in feeding films mounted on hangers into a film processor, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A method of feeding films mounted on hangers into a film processor, wherein a film feeding device according to any preceding claim is used, and wherein the hangers are provided with means for spacing apart films mounted on adjacent hangers.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the spacing means of each hanger comprises a pair of flanges located at the opposite laterial edges thereof.

9. A method of feeding films mounted on hangers into a film processor, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.