US1185191A - Photographic developing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

WLF. GARLAND.

PHOTOGRAPH) DiVELOPING MACHINEJ APPLICATION min 020. I7. 1909.

Patnted May 30,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. F. GARLAND.

PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING MACHINE.

atented May 30, 1916.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7' 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1/; xa/w /al W. F. GARLAND. PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING MACHINE.

a d 7 m 4 TL W M w M R7. Mm w n m. nu u APPLICATION FILED DEC- 17, I909.

Wifnesses m M MN WILLIAM F. GARLAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING-MACHINE.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM F. GARLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Developing-lvlachines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to a machine for developing, fixing and washing photo graphic films having a large extent of surface whether in the shape of long,'narrow strips, such as are used for making negatives or positives of so-called moving pictures, or films whose dimensions in both directions are large, or for developing together a large number of smaller films.

The invention has been made especially with the idea of providing a machine for developing the long-moving picture films, and one part of the invention relates especially to the handling of such films, but aside from this feature the invention will be found useful and is intended to use in developing other large films or a number of smaller films at one time, as above stated. In using theavord film to describe the article or articles on which the machine or the invention is intended to operate, I intend this word to include not only the transparent sheets of coated celluloid or other substance to which the term is usually applied and which are employed for making negatives or transparent positives, but also to include sheets of paper or other material having a coated or otherwise sensitized surface, and which are usually employed for making positive prints from photographic negatives.

The object of'the invention is generally to provide a photographic developing machine or apparatus by which films introduced into the machine will be subjected to the successive steps of developing, fixing and washing, and drying, if desired, either entirely without manipulation or attention by the operator during eration, or with only such attention. from the operator as is required to set into operation the mechanisms which cause the film carrier to be shifted from the station where one step of the treatment is carried out to Specification of Letters Patent.

the performance of; these successive steps of the treatment, the machlne being entirely automatic in its op-' Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed. December 17, 1909. Serial No. 533,520.

the next station; to avoid the necessity of handling the film from the time it is first placed on the carrier to be developed until it has been carried through the successive steps of developing, fixing, washing and drying; to avoid the necessity of manual transfer of the film carrier from one solution to another; to provide for either automatic control or control at will of the timing of the development and the strength of the developing solution; to secure a clean and uniform development with the use of a minimum quantity of solution; to effect the various steps in the process or'treatment of the film with maximum economy in the use of solutions without sacrifice of efiiciency;

to provide a machine which shall be continnous in its operation on successive film carriers in such a way that a plurality of carriers may be passing through the machine at the same time, successive carriers being at the development station while preceding carriers are at the fixing and washing stations; and to provide for the winding of -long narrow films on a carrying drum, which is the preferred form of film carrier, with uniform tension, so that it will maintain its position on the carrier during its progress through the machine.

To these ends and with other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinations of parts of a complete organized machine for developing, fixing, Washing and drying photographic films, and of parts or features of such complete organized machine, as hereinafter fully described and specifically pointed out in the claims.

As a full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a .complete machine embodying the various features of the invention in a preferred form, such a description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings showing such a machine and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine partly broken away and with parts such as the tanks and piping for supplying the developing, fixing and other solutions and the cooling water omitted. Fig.

2 is an elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the various developing, fixing and washing trays with the piping by which the water and solutions are supplied thereto. Fig. 4 shows in elevation the parts shown in Fig. 3 together with certain additional parts shown in full lines, and with the track or runway for the carrying drums shown in dotted lines, and with the positions of the carrying drums at the various stations at whichthey stop during their progress through the machine shown by dotted lines. Fig. 5 is an end view of the machine looking from the left in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 of Fig. 3 and showing the lower part of a carrying drum in position. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a broken sectional view on line 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a section on line 10 of Fig. 1, showing the timing mechanism in elevation. Fig. 11 is a side view of the timing mechanism shown partly in section on line 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is an enlarged modified sectional view of the timing mechanism taken on lines passing through the several axes and the contact pieces. Fig. 13 is aview' in elevation of the portion of the machine indicated by the line 13 on Fig. 1 showing one of the shifting sections of the carrier drum track in its shifting position.

F 1%. 14 is a section taken on line 14 of Fig. 1 s owing the first light door, its frame and operating connections. Fig. 15 is a detail view of part of the film winding mecha-- nism.

Referring first briefly to the general construction of the machine, the films to be developed are applied to the peripheral faces of one or more carrier drums according to .the amount of film to be developed. The

carrier drums are then caused to advance step by step through the machine with their axes horizontal, and each drum as it is advanced through the machine is stopped at successive points or stations for predeterminedor desired periods of time. At each such station the drum is caused to rotate with the lower portion of its film carrying periphery dipping into a tank or tray containing the liquid or solution to the action of which the film is to be subjected at such station. The carrier drums are caused to advance between the stations by rolling on "a track or guideway which is made up of a succession of stationary inclined portions combined with suitable lifting devices at each station, which operate to lift thedrums when they are to be advanced from one station to the next'to cause them to roll over the intervening inclined track to the next station. Such lifting devices may be operated manually by means of suitable hand levers, or may be automatically operated b means controlled by a timing device which in the case of the lifting means for raising the drums from the developing station is preferably adjustable for varying the time 'of development as desired. The number of stations at which the carrier drums are stopped for treatment of the film may be varied according to the number of different operations to which it is desired to subject the films. I prefer, however, to arrange the machine so as to provide for a preliminary wetting station, a developing station, a plurailty of fixing stations, preferably three, and a plurality, as for example five, of washing stations. Separate tanks are provided for the preliminary wetting and the developing stations, and preferably a separate tank is provided for each fixing station, and a single long tank for the plurality of washing stations. Additional stations with their necessary tanks and fittings may, of course, be provided for subjecting the films to the action of other solutions which it may be desired to use in the process of developing and fixing, such as a glycerin solution which is sometimes used after the washing of the film, or a hardening solution after the fixing and before the washing. It is common practice in the development of photographic films to wash the film between the developing and fixing steps of the process, and an intermediate washing station may, of course, be provided in the machine for this purpose. lVith my apparatus, however, in whlch both the developer and the fixing solution are constantly changing during the developing and fixing of the films, the danger of staining is practically if not entirely eliminated, and the principal reason for washing the film between developing and fixing is therefore avoided, and I therefore do not consider it necessary to provide for the washing of the film between developing and fixing.

From the last washing station, the carrier drums pass into a drying room or chamber. Since development must take place in a so-called dark room or chamber from which the actinic rays of light are excluded, it is desirable to provide means for permitting the passage of the carrier drums from the dark room or chamber without admitting light to the dark room, and for this purpose automatically operated doors or shutters are preferably provided. Such shutters are best located beyond the last fixing station, and I prefer to place them between the last washing station and the drying chamber, although it will be understood that they may be otherwise located.

' The tanks for the developing and fixing solutions at the developing and fixing stations are preferably made with their bottoms curved to correspond substantially with the curvature of the carrying surface of the drums, and are set relatively to the drum supporting and rotating devices so that the film carrying surface of the drum will travel in close proximity to the bottom of the tank; and during the time that a drum is being rotated over each tank the solution is constantly supplied to that tank at one point other point. a constantly changing,

fresh and uniform solution, is thus secured,

While at thesame time the amount of solution necessary to be contained in the tank is so small that the total amount of solution required to be used is less than the amount required in developing according to the old methods and with the large tanks heretofore used.

A single carrier drum may be sent through the machine alone, making its variousstops at the successive stations, or a plurality of carrier drums may be started successively and while others are still passing through the machine, so that a number of drums will be passing through the machine at the same time.

The machine is preferably provided with meansfor winding the'long or moving-picture films on to the carrier drums, such means comprising a carrying and feeding device for the reel on which the film comes from the camera or printing machine, and guiding means by which the film is guided from the moving reel to a drum which is being rotated at the wetting or receiving station located ahead of the developing station. Drums carrying films other than the long or moving-picture films will also preferably be started in the machine at such receiving station so as to cause the films to be wetted before being advanced to the developing station, so as to insure an even and uniform application of the developing solution thereto.

, Referring now to the drawings, the carrier drums are advanced through the machine along two tracks or ways spaced according to the length of the carrier drums, and at intervals of the length of the tracks are arranged the drum-supporting and driving devices and the lifting devices of the successive operating or resting stations at which the drums are arrested and rotated.

Each track is formed of a plurality of stationary sections 10, and a plurality of movable sections 11 one of which is pivotally mounted adjacent to the front end of each of the stationary sections. The front ends of the movable track sections 11 forms the lifting devices by which the carrier drums ar lifted from the supporting and rotating devices at one station when they are to be advanced to the following station. The stationary sections 10 are inclined downwardly from front to rear, and

each movable section 11 when in its elevated position as shown in Fig. 13, stands in line with its corresponding stationary section 10 so as to form a continuous inclined rail or runway extending between adjacent drum stations. The front or movableends of the sections 11 are formed with upwardly extending shoulders 12, as shown clearly in Fig. 13, whichserve to prevent back movement of the drums and to give the drums a quick forward startwhen the sections are lifted to their elevated position. The stationary and movable sections of each track are shown as mounted between side plates or frames 13, which side plates or frames also serve to support most of the other operating parts of the machine. The last stationary track sections 10 beyond the last drum station are shown as extended beyond the ends of the side plates 13 to form, or are arranged in line with, long inclined tracks 11 on which the drums roll past the movable light shutters or doors and through the drying chamber, and these two tracks 14: are made of suflicient depth to have the required rigidity and to form a supporting means for operative parts of the machine located beyond the ends of the side plates 13.

The carrying drums 15 may be of any suitable or desired construction, but are preferably of ordinary squirrel cage construction, as indicated in detail in Fig. 9, having end disks 16 connected by longitudinally extending peripheral bars 17 which form the supporting surface for the films, and having supporting trunnions 18 extending from the end disks. The trunnions 18 at each end of the drums are formed each with two guide flanges 19 spaced and located to correspond to the width and position of the tracks or runways, and with a supporting flange 20 beyond the flanges 19. The ends of the films may be secured to the bars 1? of the carrier drums in any suitable manner, as by the use of suitable clips or hooks.

The machine as shown in the drawings has ten drum stations, marked A, B, G, D, E, F, G, H, I and J, of which A is the preliminary wetting station and also the winding station for long films, B is the developing station, C, D and E the fixing stations,

and F, G, H, I and J washing stations.

Each of the first five stations, as shown, is provided with separate tanks a, b, 0, d, 6, respectively; each of which. is located so that a carrier drum rotating at the corresponding station will dip into liquid contained in the tank as it rotates; and a single long tank f is provided for the five washing stations. The means for supplying the various liquids and solutions to the several tanks and for maintaining the solutions in the developing and fixing tanks at the desired temperature will be hereinafter described.

At each drum station there is provided at each side of the machine a pair of supporting and driving disks 21 and 22. These supporting and driving disks at each sta tion are arranged with relation to the sta. tionary track sections so that as a carrier drum advances and its trunnions pass beyond the end of the pair of track sections on which they have been running, the drum will drop until its supporting flanges 20 come into contact with the supporting and driving disks as shown in Fig. 2. The supporting and driving disks'are formed with grooves to receive the drum flanges 20 and with gear teeth on either side of the grooves. To give better driving friction and to avoid all danger from sparking, the drum flanges 20 are preferably provided with rims or tires of rubber or other suitable friction increasing and non-sparking material. The gears of each pair of supporting and driving disks mesh with a driving gear 23 by which the supporting disks are continuously rotated.

Any suitable driving connection may be provided for operating the driving gears 23 at. both sides of. the machine. As shown, the gears are all driven from a maindriving shaft 25 from which the driving gears 23 at each side of the machine at the developing station B are driven by vertically running sprocket chains indicated by the dotted lines 26 in Figs. 2 and 5. The driving gears 23 at the preliminary station A at each side of. the machine are driven by means of sprocket chains 27 running on sprocket wheels on the shafts of the driving gears at the stations B and A, as shown in Fig. 1. The sprocket wheels on the shafts of the driving gears at the station A are shown larger than the driving sprockets for the chains 27 on the shafts of the gears 23 at the station B for the purpose of giving slower motion to the supporting and driving rolls at the station, A. The driving gears 23 at the stations C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J are driven on the far side of the machine as it appears in Figs. 1 to 4 of the'drawings,

by means of a sprocket chain 28 running on sprockets on the shafts of the respective driving gears and on a driving sprocket on the shaft of the driving gear at station B, as shown in Fig. 1. On the near side of the machine, the driving gears at the stations C to J, inclusive, are connected by a sprocket chain 29 running on sprocket wheels on the shafts of the respective driving gears, and are driven by a vertically running sprocket chain 30 running'on a wheel on the shaft of the driving gear 23 r at the station C and on a sprocket wheel on a shaft 31 which is driven from the driving shaft by means 'of a sprocket chain 32. This different arrangement of the driving connections on the near side of the machine is for the purpose of removing the driving connections from the timing devices.

Drums carrying films to be developed may be started in the machine at the developing station B, but in order to insure an-even and uniform starting of the action of the developer on the film, it is desirable to have the film moistened or wet before it is presented to the developing solution. This wetting of the film is effected at the station A. The films to be developed may be applied to the carrier drum before it is placed in position at the station A or while the drum is slowly rotating at such station, and

such position for causing the drums to advance from the station A to the developing station B atwill by means of either one of a pair of hand levers 35 mounted on a transverserock shaft 36 which also carries at each side of the machine a short arm 37 connected by a link 38 with the corresponding track section 11, so that if either of the hand levers 35.. is thrown to the left, from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the track sections 11 at the station A will be raised to elevate the carrier drum which has been rotating at the station A and lift its driving flanges 20 clear of the driving and supporting disks 21 and 22. The drum will then roll along the inclined track to the developing station B where it will run from the end of the stationary track sections 10 and will come to rest with its driving flanges 20 on the supporting and driving disks 21 and 22 at this station. At each of the, stations B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J, one of the side plates or frames 13 at each side of the machine is formed with an upwardly extending stop shoulder 40 for preventing the drum coming to the station from rolling beyond the station. Such stop shoulders are of such a height as not to interfere with the onward movement of the drums when they are raised by the movable track sections 11.'

The movable track sections 11 at the developing station are each connected by a downwardly and rearwardly extending link 41 with a horizontally arranged movable rod 42 so that by a forward movement of the rods 42 these movable track sections will be raised to lift the drum from the supporting and drivingrolls at the developing station, and cause it to be advanced to the station C. Means are provided for giving the required forward movement to the rods 42 either manual y at will or automatically. For operating the rods 42 manually, hand levers 45 are provided carried by a transverse rock shaft 46 which also carries arms 47, each of-which is connected by a link to one arm of a lever 48, the other arm of which extends downwardly in position to engage a collar 49 on the corresponding rod 42, as shown for one side of the machine in Fig. 2., By throwing either of the hand levers 45 to the left in Figs. 1 and 2, the levers 48 will be operated to throw the rods 42 to the'left and thereby cause the track sections 11 at the developing station to be elevated Automatic operation of the rods 42 for lifting the track sections at the developing station is effected in the machine shown through the operation of electromagnets 50 and 51, the magnet 50 being in a position to attract an armature on the rod 42 at the near side of the machine in Figs. 1 and 2, and the magnet 51 being in position to attract an armature on the rod 42 at the far side of the machine. As shown, the magnets are of single spool form, having a central perforated core through which the rod 42 passes, and the armatures on the rods 42 are formed by the collars 49 above referred ,to. The magnets and their armatures are so shown for the sake of clearness in the drawings, and it will be understood, of course, that the arrangement, as by suitable lever connections between the armatures and the rods 42 or other suitable expedient, should be such that the armatures will stand normally close enough to the magnets to be attracted thereby with sufficient strength to effect the movement of the rods 42. For closing the circuits to the magnets 50 and 51at the time when it is desired that development shall cease and the carrier drum should be advanced from the developing station to the first fixing station, a timing mechanism is provided which is automatically set in operation when the carrier drum reaches the developing station and which is adjustable for varying the time of development as desired.

A timing mechanism of preferred form is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in detail in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. This timing mechanism as shown also includes means for timing and controlling the movement of the carrier rolls from the stations C to J inclusive. It will first be described with reference to the developing station. The timing mechanism ineludes an ordinary clock movement mounted between supporting plates 55, said clock movement having a train of gears including a driven gear on an arbor 56 which carries twodriving gears or pinions 57 and 58 and which mayand as shown is intended to be driven at a speed corresponding to the speed of the minute hand of a clock. The clock movement will be provided with a spring or other operating device of suflicient power to cause the movement of the parts of the timing mechanism, and will operate constantly so that the driving gears 57 and 58 will be constantly rotating. A movable contact arm 60 carrying'at its outer end an insulated contact piece 61 is mounted on a short shaft 62 carried by an arm 63 which extends downward from a rock shaft 64 and normally stands in the position shown in Fig. 11 when there is no carrier drum at the developing station. The arm 60 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 11 by a weighted arm 65. The shaft 62 carries also a segment gear 66 adapted to engage with and be driven by the driving gear 57 but which when the arm 63 is in its normal position shown in Fig. 11 is out of engagement with the gear 57. .The rock'shaft 64 carries an arm 67 which extends forward inside the side pieces 18 on the near side of the machine. in position to be engaged and depressed by the trunnion of a carrier drum coming to position at the developing station. The downward movement of the arm 67 rocks the shaft 64 so as to throw the arm 63 upward to carry the segment gear 66 into engagement with the driving gear 57, by which the gear 66 and shaft 62 will then be rotated to swing the contact arm 60 to the right. A stationary arm 68 is mounted so as to be adjustable about a pivot which stands in line with the shaft 62 when the latter is in the position in which the gear 66 is in engagement with the driving gear 57, and this arm 68 carries an insulated contact piece 69 in position to be engaged by the contact piece 61- of the arm 60 as the latter arm is moved to the right in Figs. 2 and 11 by the gears 57 and 66. A graduated dial plate 70 is preferably mounted between the arms 60 and 68, and its graduated scale is marked with time divisions preferably corresponding to minute intervals, and is extended sufficiently to show the greatest number of minutes, as, for example, twenty,'through which it may be desired to' continue the development of a film.

v The contact pieces 61 and 69 on the arms 60 and 68 respectively, are in electrical connection with a battery or other suitable source of electrical energy and with the two magnets 50 and 51, so that when the contact pieces are in engagement with each other the circuit will be closed through these magnets. 'As shown in the drawings, the stationary contact piece 69 is connected with one pole of the battery 71 by wire Z, and the magnets 50 and 51 are connected in multiple with the other pole of the battery through wire on, and are also connected through wire n with the contact piece 61.

The parts of the device as above described normally stand in the position shown in Fig. 11. When a carrier drum drops from the ends of the stationaryrail sectionsto the supporting and driving disks at the developing station, the arm 67 is depressed and the arm 63'is thrown upward to carry the gear 66'int0 engagement with the driving gear 57 the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 2. The gear 66 and shaft 62 will then be rotated to swing the arm 60 to -manually at will or automatically.

the right in Figs. 2 and 11 until its contact piece 61 comes into engagement with the contact piece 69 carried by the adjustable arm 68 and closes circuit to the magnets 50 and 51. The magnets will thereby be energized to attract the armatures 49 and thereby operate the rods 42 to cause the track sections 11 at the developing station to be raised to lift the carrier drum and cause it to roll bodily forward toward the station C. When the carrier drum is thus lifted, the arms 67 and 63 will be allowed to swing back under the influence of gravity or a suitable retracting spring to their normal position, disconnecting the gear 66 from the driving gear 57 and drawing the contact piece of the arm 60 out of engagement with the contact piece 69 to break the circuit to the magnets 50 and 51. The arm 60 will then be free to swing back under the influence of the weighted arm to its normal vertical position as shown in Fig. 11, and the timing mechanism for. the developing station and the parts which set it in operation will be then returned to normal position and ready for the next carrier drum which comes to the developing station. It will be seen that by adjusting the position of the stationary contact arm 68 to the rightand downward in Fig. 11, the development period may be len thened, and by adjusting the arm to the lef and upward the period -may be shortened, so that the timing device may be set to give any desired length of development within the capacity of the device as constructed, and that the development period will be timed from the moment a carrier drum comes into position at the developing station, and that at the end of the period for which the timing mechanism is set the developing drum will be automatically advanced from the developing station to the next station. a

The means provided. in the machine for operating the movable track sections at the several, stations following the developing station, that is, at the fixing and washing stations in the machine shown, are similar to the means for raising the movable sections at the developing station, but are preferably arranged so that the movable track sections at all of such succeeding stations will be operated together. For this purpose, a sin le long horizontal operating rod is p'roi'id ed at each side of the. machine and to such rod at each side of the machine there are connected a number of connecting rods '7 6 one of which extends downwardly and rearwardly from each of the movable-track sections at the stations C to J inclusive. Means are provided for operating the rods 75 elsthefi' 11C means are similar to the means provided for operating the rods 42. The rods are operated at will by means of hand levers 77 at each side of the machine carried by a transverse rock-shaft 78, which shaft also carries at each side of the machine a downwardly extending arm 80 which is connected by a link to one arm of a lever 81, the other arm of which lever extends downward to engage a collar 82 on one of the rods 75, so that when either of the hand levers 77 is thrown to the left in Figs. 1 and 2 the rods 75 will be moved to the left so as to force the upper ends of the connecting rods 76 and the forward ends of the movable track sections 11 at the several stations C to J inclusive upward for causing carrier drums which may be at any one or more of such stations to move forward to the next station.-

For operating the rods 75 automatically, electromagnets 85 and 86, similar to the magnets 50 and 51, are provided one at each side of the machine for each of the rods 75. Such magnets which may be of the single spool form shown with hollow cores through which the rods 75 pass, operate to shift the rods by attracting when energized suitable armatures which are shown as formed by the collars 82. The circuits to magnets 85 and 86 are controlled from the timing mechanism through contact closing means which is caused to be operated by the timing mechanism whenever a carrier drum is in position at either of the stations O to J inclusive. Such contact closing mechanism is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in detail in Figs. 10 to 13.

As shown in the drawings, a movable con tact arm 88 is carried by a short shaft 89 which also carries a segment gear 90 and is mounted in an arm 91 pivoted on a shaft 92. The arm 91 normally stands in the position shown in Fig. 11, and the contact arm 88 is normally .held in the position shown in this figure by means of a weighted arm .93. The segment gear 90 is adapted to engage the driving gear 58 of the timing mechanism, but it is held out of engagement therewith when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 11. The shaft 92 also carries an arm 95 which extends rearwardly and up wardly inside the inner side plate 13 on the near 'side of the machine in position, as shown in Fig. 13, to be engaged and depressed by the trunnion of a carrier drum falling into position on the supporting and driving disks at the station C. A similar rearwardly extending arm 95 is rovided at each of the stations D to J inclusive, and the shaft on which each such arm is mounted at each of such stations also carries a downwardly extending arm 97 similar to the arm 91, and the lower ends of the several arms 97 and the arm 91 are connected by a horizontally extending connecting rod 98 so that when any one of the arms 95 is depressed by a carrier drum coming into position at any one of the stations C to L, the arm 91 will be thrown forward, or to the left in Fig. 2, and such forward movement of the arm 91 will be sufficient to carry the segment gear into engagement with the Continuously rotating driving gear 58. By such engagement of the gear 90 with the gear 58 the contact arm 88 willbe swung upward, and-such movement will be continued until a contact piece 100 carried by the arm 88 comes into engagement with a stationary contact piece 101. By such engagement of these two contact pieces circuits including a battery. 102 and the magnets 85 and 86 will be completed. The stationary contact piece 101 is connected, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 12, with one pole of the battery 102 by wire 72, and the magnets 85 and 86 are connected in multiple with the other pole of the battery through wire and with the contact piece 100 through wire 7.

By the closing of the circuits themagnets will be energized and will attract the armatures 82 on the rods 75, thus moving the rods to the'left in Figs. 1 and 2, and causing the movable track sections 11 at each of the stations C to J .to be elevated as shown in Fig. 13 and the drum or drums at any one or more of such stations to be advanced to the next station or stations. When the track sections 11 are thus lifted to raise the carrier drums which may be at any one or more of the stations C to J, the arms will be allowed to swing upward and the arm 91 and arms 97 to swing back to normal position under the influence of gravity or of a suitable retracting spring so that the segment gear 90 will be disconnected from the driving gear 58 and the contact piece 100 on the arm 88 will be drawn out of en-- gagement with the stationary contact piece 101, breaking the circuit to the magnets 85 and 86. The arm 88 will then swing back under the influence of the weighted arm 93 to the position shown in Fig. 11, and the parts of the timing mechanism for the stations C to J and the devices which set it in operation when a drum comes to any one of these stations will thus be returned to normal position ready to operate again when a drum comes'to position at any one of these stations. A carrier drum coming to the station C will thus be automatically advanced from the station C to the station D and thento and from the station E and the remaining stations, resting at each station while the arm 88 is being moved by the. clock movement and until the contact pieces 100 and 101 are in engagement to close circuit to the magnets 85 and 86. If several drums are passing through the machine at the same time, they will be shifted 'from station to station together, maintaining their relative positions until they are successively advanced from the last washing station. It is notnecessary to provide for varying the time that the drums rest at these fixing and Washing stations, and a fixed time or period of three minutes Will be found suitable, although a longer or shorter period may be provided for if desired.

It will be noted that, after the magnets have been energized to raise the movable track sections at the station B and at stations C to J, the magnet circuits are almost immediately broken again. In order to prevent the track sections from dropping back to the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 so quickly as. to interfere with the onward movement of the carrier drums to the adjacent stationary track sections, means are provided for checking or delaying the downward movement of the movable track sections. For this purpose, checking devices are shown at 105 for checking or restraining the return movement of the operating rods 42 under the influence of springs 106. Such check devices may be of any suitable form, such as the common one-way pneumatic checks shown, and will be arranged and adjusted so as not to interfere with the movement of the rods 42 to the left under the influence of the magnets, but so as to restrain or retard the return movement of the rods to delay the downward movement of the track sections 11 at the station B sufficiently to insure the movement of any carrier drum which has been raised-by these track sections on to the adjacent stationary track sections 10. Similar pneumatic check devices are shown for similarly restraining the return movement of the rods 75, and thereby delaying for the same purpose the downward movement of the movable track sections at the stations C to J.

\Vhen the operating rods 7 5 are moved to the left for raising the track sections connected thereto, the rod at the near side of the machine also acts to raise the first light door 115. This door is a vertically sliding door mounted to normally close an opening 116 in the end wall or partition 117 at the end of the dark room or developing chamber beyond the last washing station in the machine shown, through which opening the carrier drums pass from the developing chamber. The door is raised by means of-a cord 118 which passes upwardfrom the door over the guide pulleys 119 and 120, thence downward at one side to a large pulley 121 the shaft of which carries a small pulley 122 on which is wound a cord 123 which passes downward between guide pulleys 124 and is attached to the endof the the station J when the magnets 85 and 86 were energized.

In order to prevent the door 115 after having been raised from closing too soon and preventing the passing'of the drum through the opening 116, a catch 125 is provided to hold the door in its raised position until the catch is tripped to release the door and permit it to close behind the passing drum. The catch is tripped by the carrier drums which pass through the opening 116. lVhen a drum has passed through the opening, one of its end disks will engage and push upward a rearwardly extending tail piece 126 carried by the catch, thereby swinging the catch on its pivot and retracting it to release the door and allow it to close behind the drum. If there should be no drum at the last-washing station when the rods 7 5.are operated to elevate the movable track sections and raise the door 115, the door will then be held in its open position until a drum is advanced from the last washing station and passes through the opening 116, light being meanwhile shut out from the developing chamber by a second vertically sliding light door 130.

The second light-door 130 normally closes an opening 131 in a wall or partition 132 beyond the partition wall 117 and distant therefrom a distance greater than the diameter of they carrier drums. The space between the walls 117 and 132 is closed to form an intermediate dark chamber or vestibule so that light will be cut off from the developing chamber when either one of the doors 115 or 130 is closed. The door 130 is raised by operating means which is controlled so that the door will be raised only when the door 115 is closed. Such operating means as shown comprises an electroma'gnet 133 which is shown as of the single spool hollow core form, and which operates to attract an armature 134 mounted on a rod which is guided to pass through the core of the magnet. A flexible cord 135 extends from the armature around a guide roll 136 and is fastened to a small pulley or drum 137 on a shaft which alsocarries a large pulley 138, to which is fastened a cord 139 extending upward over: suitableguide pulleys, one of which is shown at 140 in Fig. 2, and thence downward to the door 130, in like manner as the cord 118 which is connected'to the door 115 as shown in Fig. 14. WVhenthemagnet 133 is energized, the cord 135 is drawn from the pulley 137,-"'thereby rotating the pulleys 137 and 138 and causing the cord 139 to be wound on the pulley 138 and drawn downward to raise the door 130 to' the position shown in Fig. 2.

The ;circuit by which the magnet 133 is energized from a battery 140 or other suitable source of electrical energy includes two 66 separate contact closing devices or means,

one controlled by the first light door 115, and the other by the carrier drums passing the door 115. Both of these contact devices must be closed in order to close the magnet circuit. The contact device controlled by the door 115 includes two terminals 141 and 142 connected in the magnet circuit, and a contact closing piece 143 carried by the door 115 and adapted to enter between and close the circuit across the terminals 141 and 142 when the door reaches its closed position. The contact device controlled by the passing carrier drums includes a contact piece 144 formed by or carried by the lower end of a lever 145 and a stationary contact piece 146 mounted in position so that when the lever 145 is in its normal position, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 2, the circuit will be broken between these two contact pieces, and when the lever 145 has been thrown b a carrier drum which has passed through the opening 116 to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, the contact piece 144 will have been moved into electrical engagement with the contact piece 146. With this arrangement of contact devices, the circuit to the magnet 133 will be normally opened even when the door 115- is closed. When the door 115 is raised, the circuit will be open at two points, and will then remain open until a carrier drum passes through the opening beneath the door. The passing drum will then throw the lever 145 over from its normal position to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, thereby closing one break in the magnet circuit. The magnet will not be energized, however, until the door 115, which has been released by the tripping of the catch 125, is fully closed behind the passing carrier drum. When the door reaches its lowermost position, the other break in the magnet circuit will be closed and the magnet will be energized to attract its armature 134 and raise the second light door 130 to permit the drum to pass on through the opening 131 into the drying chamber beyond the wall 132.

When the second light door has been thus raised, it will remain in its raised position until the magnet circuit is again broken to denergize the magnet. This is accomplished through the movement of a lever 147 which is mounted on the frame 14, and which is connected by a link 148 with the lever 145, so that when the lever 145 stan'ftls in the position shown in full lines in Fig.2, the upper end of the lever 147 will project upward in position to be struck by the trunnion of the carrier drum passing the door 130. When this lever 147 is struck .by the trunnion of the drum, it will be thrown to the position shownv by dotted lines in Fig.2, and thetlever 145 will be thrown back to its normal position and the contact piece 144 moved away from the 1 in position so 5 supporting and driving disks will rotate under surface of The edges of splashing of contact 146 to break the magnet circuit. The magnet will thus be deenergized and the door 130 will drop to close the opening 131. a

The films on the carrier drums which have assed from the developing" chamber past the two light doors will preferably be allowed to remain on the carrier drums until dry. After passing the second light door, the drums may be removed by hand or otherwise to a suitable place for drying the films. Preferably, llOVQVGI'ythB chamber or space immediately beyond the second partition 132 forms a drying chamber, one end of which is indicated in Fig. 4, and the tracks 14 extend into this drying chamber so that the carrier drums, after passing the second light door 130, will immediately enter the drying chamber and be. supported therein on the tracks 14. Light need not, of course, be shut out from this chamber, and the drums may rest on the tracks 14: during the whole time required for drying, or may be shifted or handled in. any suitable manner.

The tanks at, b, 0, d and e at the preliminary wetting station, the developing station and the fixing stations, as shown in Figs. 3, 4., 6 and 7, are of elongated trough-like form curved to correspond with the curvature of the carrying surface of the drums, and are'mounted at their respective stations that a drum resting on the with the lower portion of its film carrying surface dipping into and passing throughthe liquid in the tank, as shown in Flg. 7. the tanks extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the drums are curved upward and inward as shown at 150 above the surface-of theliquid in the tank so as to avoid or reduce to a minimum-the liquid from the tanks, The tanks 1), 0,11 and e are each provided with a chamber or passage 151 through which cooling water'may flow in contact with the the bottom of the tank for cooling the liquid contained in the tank. A single long tank f is provided drums rotating at the five washing stations F, G, H, I, J. This tank may be of any suitable form, but is preferably a shallow tank mounted as shown in Fig. 4 so that the drums at these several washing stations will rotate with their film carrying surfaces dipthe water contained in' the tank.

ping into "In order to prevent any fixing solution which might be thrown from the fixing tank,

a from striking the film on a carrier drum at the developing station or from reaching the developing tank, a splash guard 152 is provided pivotally mounted adjacent to the edge of the developing tank and held yielda weighted arm 153,

for containing water for washing the films onso that it may he swung downward out of the way by the end disks of carrier drums passing from the developing station to the fixing station C. A similar splash guard 151 extending upward from the preliminary wetting tank a protects film on a carrier drum at the station A from developer which might be thrown from the tank I).

Water is -supplied to the preliminary wetting tank a and to the washing tank f and to the cooling chambers of the developing and fixing tanks through a pipe 155 which leads preferably from constant level supply tank 156. Water flows to one end of the tank a through a branch pipe 157 and escapes from the other end of the tank through an outlet pipe 158 which opens to the tank at a proper point to maintain the desired water level in the tank. A valve 160 between the supply tank and the branch 157 serves to out off or regulate the flow of water from the supply tank, and a valve 161 in the branch 157 controls the supply to the tank a. Each of the cooling chambers 150 of tanks 6, c, d, e is connectedwith the supply pipe 155 by a branch pipe 162 leading to one end of the cooling chamber, and each chamber is provided with an outlet pipe 163 leading from the other end thereof to a pipe 95 164 through which the water from the several cooling chambers flows to one end of the washing tank 7. An outlet pipe 165 leads from the other end of the washing tank, and opens thereto at'the proper level to maintain the desired water level in the tank..

Developing solution is supplied to the developing tank I) from a supply tank 170 through a pipe 171 which leads to one end of the developing tank. The tanks 0, d and e, which in the machine shown are all intended to be fixing tanks, are supplied with fixing solution from a supply tank 172 through pipes 17 3, one of which leads to one end of each of the fixing tanks. From the end of each of the tanks 7), 0, d and e, opposite to that at which the inlet pipe enters the tank, an outlet or overflow pipe 175 leads to a common discharge pipe 176. The overflow pipes 17 5 open to the tanks at the proper level to maintain the desired level of the solution in the tanks, and each tank is preferably provided also with a drain pipe 177 for draining the tanks empty of solution when desired. Each of these drain pipes is provided with a valve 178 which will be closed when the machine is in operation.

The developer with an inlet valve 180 which is normally closed to out off the fiow' of developing solution and which is automatically opened to permit developing solution to fiow through the developing t 'nk when a carrier supply pipe 171 is provided the developing Station. Such automatic opening of the valve 180 is secured by connecting the valve stem with an arm 181 carried by a shaft 182 which also carries an arm 183 extending inside the side frame mat the far side of the In chine, as shown in Fig. 1, in position to he engaged and depressed by the trunnion of a carrier drum coming to position at the developing station. When the arm 183 is so depressed, the arm 181 will be moved downward to open the valve 180. Developing solution will then be supplied to one end of the developing tank and escape from theother end thereof so long as the carrier drum remains at the developing station, and when the carrier drum is lifted and moves onward from'the developin to the first fixing station, the arm 183 wil be released and the shaft 182 will be rocked back under the influence of suitable means such as the weighted arm 184 to close the inlet valve 180. Developing solution will thus be supplied to the developing tank during all the time that a carrier drum is in position at the developing station, and a constant supply of fresh solution during the development of films will thus and when there is no carrier drum at the developing station, the supply of solution' to the developing tank will be cut off.

It is desirable to provide for diluting the 7 developing solution with water to vary its strength, and especially to decrease the strength of the solution as'the time of development is increased. A pipe 185 running from the watersupply pipe 155 to the pipe 171 is therefore provided for supplying water to mix with the developing solufrom the tank 170. The amount of water owing through this pipe 185 is controlled by a valve 186, and a valve 187 is provided in the pipe'171 between the supply tank and the point where the water pipe joins pipe 171 for controlling the flow of developer from the tank. A check valve 188 serves to. prevent water flowing to the tank 170 when the valve 180 is closed, and in case the water pressure should be sufiicient to cause such flow. A valve 189 in the pipe 171 below the pipe 185 serves to cut off or regulate the amount of developing solution flowing to the developing tank when the valve 180 is open.

For automatically of the developing solution so that a weaker developing solution will be supplied to the developing tank asthe time of development for which the timing mechanism is set is increased, the valve 186 is provided with an operating arm 190 connectedby a link 191 with a lever 192 carried by a shaft 193 whichextends across the machine and carties on the near side of the'machine a segmentgear 194 which meshes with a segbe secured,

regulating the dilution Ynent gear 195 formed on the hub of the adjustable pivoted arm 68 of the timing mechanism. These parts and connections are so arranged that when the arm 68 is moved over to the right in the drawings-t0 mcrease the time of development, the valve 186 will be operated to increase the flow of water to the developer supply pipe 171, and as the arm 168 is moved to shorten the development period the supply of water to be mixed with the developer will be cut down The strength of the developer will thus be automatically regulated according to the time of development, a stronger developer being supplied for a short developyeloper supply pipe, and each of these valves 1s 0 ened when a carrier drum comes to rest at t of an arm 201-connected to the valve stem and carried by a rock shaft 202 which also e corresponding fixing station by means carries an arm 203 extending in position to be engaged and depressed by thetrunnion of the carrier drum to open the valve. When the carrier drum is raised and passes on to the next station, the arms 201 and 203 and shaft 202 return to their normal position under the influence of a weighted arm 204;- to close the valve 200. Valves 205 are also provided in each of the supply pipes 173 for independently controlling the 'flow of fixing solution to each of the fixing tanks.

Referring now to the winding mechanism for winding the long moving picture films or other long filmson the carrier drums at the station A, such mechanism as shown in Figs. 1,2, 4, 5 and 15 of the drawings comprises a carriage 210 mounted to travel on two slide bars or rods 211 acrossthe machine at the front or starting end thereof. The carriage is provided with means for rotatably supporting a reel or spool 213 carrying a film rolled thereon, and with two guide rolls 214 and 215. The film is passed from the reel up between the guide rolls'and then about the roll-215 and upward to the top of a carrier drum supported at the 'station'A. The end of the film may be fastened to the vdrum by a hook or'clip engaging one of the bars 17 of the drum or in any other suitable manner. The guide roll 215 is carried by-a swinging arm 216 so as to be movable toward and away and extending from the roll 214, and is pressed toward the roll 214 by means of a weighted arm 217. The roll 215 may thus be moved away from the roll 214 to permit the film to be passed between the rolls, and when released the roll 215 will be pressed toward the roll 214 to grip the film and provide the friction necessary to secure an even wi ding of the film in the drum under a slight strain or pull sufiicient to insure its lying flat on the surface of the drum after it becomes wet. The roll 215 is provided with guiding I flanges as shown in Fig. 15, and in order to avoid contact with and possible scratching or other damage to the sensitized surface of the film as it passes between the rolls 214 and 215, the peripheral surface of the roll 214 is cut away as shown in Fig. 15 to leave two narrow edge gripping fianges so that the film will be engaged by the roll 214 only at its edges, and the'central portion and nearlyall of the sensitized surface of the film will not be touched as the film passes between the guide rolls.

For moving the carriage on its rods 211, the roll 214 is journaled on a sleeve as shown in Fig. 15 which runs over about a threaded rod 218 extending between the side frames 13 parallelto the rods 211, and the roll 214 carries a finger or. nut 219 which engages the thread of the rod 218, so that as the roll is rotated by the film passing from the reel to the rotating carrier drum atthe station A,'the finger or nut 219 running in the thread of the rod 218 will cause the carriage to move slowly along the rods, and the film will be wound spirally on the drum as indicated in Fig. 5. The pitch of the thread on the rod 218 and the diameter of the guide roll 214 should be such that the carriage will move a distance equal to or but slightly greater than the width of .the film at'each rotation of the carrier drum. The film will run from the guide rolls to the drum at a slight angle to the perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum, and in order that the film shall draw true from the guide rolls, the guide rolls are mounted with their axes slightly inclined to the axis of the drum, and this result is secured in the machine shown by setting the slide rods 211 and the threaded rod 218 at a slight angle to the axis of rotation of the drum. Tomove the carriage back to starting position, it is only necessary to lift the finger or nut 219 from the threaded rod and slide the carriage back to the desired position.

The operation of the machine will be understood from the foregoing description, and need not be further set forth.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts of the complete machine shown in the drawings and to which the foregoing description has been in large part confined, but that it includes changes and modifications thereof within the claims.

It will also be understood that features of the invention may be used independently of other features thereof, and in machines differing widely from that shown in the drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a carrier drum ada ted to support films on itsperipheral sur ace, a guideway for guiding the carrier drum from the developing tank to the fixing tank, and means for moving the carrier drum over the guideway from the developing tank to the fixing tank.

2. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a carrier drum adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, a guideway for guiding the carrier drum from the developing tank to the fixing tank, and automatically operated means for moving the carrier drum over the guideway from the developing tank to the fixing tank.

3. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, carrier supporting means at the developing tank, carrier supporting means at the fixing tank, and carrier supporting and shifting means for moving the film carrier from the supporting means at the developing tank to the supporting means at the fixing tank.

4. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, carrier supporting means at the developing tank, carrier supporting means at the fixing tank, carrier supporting and shifting means for moving the film carrier from the supporting means at the developing tank to the supporting means at the fixing tank. means for operating said supporting and shifting means automatically, and means for operating the supporting and shifting means manually.

5. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, carrier supporting means at the developing tank, carrier supporting means at the fixing tank, carrier supporting and shifting means for moving the film carrier from the supporting means at the developing tank to the supporting means at the fixing tank, and timing mechanism for controllingthe operation of said supporting and shifting means.

6. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, a

the developing tank to the fixing tank, means for moving the film carrier over the guideway from the developing tank to the fixing tank, and timing mechanism for con-.

trolling the operation of said carrier moving means, said timing mechanism being adjustable for varying the time that a film carrier remains at the developing tank.

7. In a mach'ne .for developing photo: graphic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, carrier supporting means at the developing tank, carrier supporting means at the fixing tank, carrier supporting and shifting means for moving the film'carrier from the supporting means at the developing tank to the supporting means at the fixing tank, and automatically' controlled means for operating said supporting and shifting means.

8. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of adeveloping tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier for carrying a film detachably secured thereto, means for shifting the film carrier from the developing tank to the fixing tank, electrically operated means for operating said shifting means, a timing mechanism for controlling the operation of said electrically operated means, and means adapted to be controlled by the film carrier for setting said timing mechanism in operation.

9. In. a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a series of tanks including a developing tank and one or more fixing tanks and a washing tank, a I

film carrier, carrier supporting -imeans at each tank, and carrier supporting and shift- 111g means for shifting the film carrier from the developing tank to a fixing tank andfrom a fixing tank to the washing tank.

10. Ina machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a series of tanks including a developing tank and a I plurality offiXing-tankS, a film carrier, carfixing tank or tanks,

rier supporting means at each tank, carrier supporting and shifting means for s'h fting the film carrier from the developing t: nk to the first fixing tank and togthe remaining timing mechanism for controlling the operation of said supporting and shifting means, and means for regulating the timing mechanism for varying the time that a film carrier developing tank.

11. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, means for shifting a film carrier from the developing tank to the fixing tank, timing mechanism for controlling the operation of said shifting means, said timing mechanism being adjustablefor varying the time that a film carrier remains at the developing tank,

and automatically operated means for varying the strength of the developing solution remains at the according to the time of development for which the timing mechanism is set.

12. In a machine for developing'photographic films, the combination of a developing tank, a fixing tank, a film carrier, means for shifting a film carrier from the developing tank to the fixing tank, and automatically operated means for supplying develo ing solution to the developing tank on y while a film is at the developing tank.

13. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of adeveloping tank, one or more fixing tanks, a washing tank, a film carrier, means for shifting the film carrier from the developing tank to a fixing tank, means for shifting the film carrier from a fixing tank to the washing tank, a cooling chamber for the developing tank, and means for causing water to flowg through said cooling chamber and thence to porting means.

15. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film car rier, a tank, means for supporting the carrier in position to have film carried thereby acted upon by liquid in the tank, and means controlled by the carrier for supplying liquid to the tank.

16. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrier, a tank! provided with an inlet and an outlet, means for supporting the carrierin position to have the film carried thereby actedupon by liquid in the tank, automati- .cally operated means for controlling the flow of liquid through the tank inlet to admit liquid to the tank only when a carrier is supported by said sup rting means.

17. In a machine or developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier .drum adapted to support films on its pcripheral surface, a tank, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in'the tank,

the bottom of the tank being close 'to the path of movement of the carrying surface of 'thecarrier 'drum and being curved to correspond substantially to'the curvature ofthe carrying surface of the carrier drum, and

means for supplying liquid to one end of the tank, the tank having a-n'outlet from the otherend. g

18. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier drum adapted to supportfilms on its peripha the supporting means,

eral surface, a 'tank, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in the tank, and automatically operated means forsupplying liquid to the tank.

19. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier drum adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, a tank having an inlet and an outlet, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in the tank, and means operated by the carrier drum for controlling the flow of liquid through the inlet to the tank.

20. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier drum' adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, a tank, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in the tank, and means for removing the carrier drum from said supporting means at the end of a predetermined period.

21. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier drum adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, a tank, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface Will move through liquid contained in the tank,

shifting means for removing the carrier drum from said supportingmeans, timing mechanism for controlling the operation of said shifting means, and means for starting said timing mechanism in operation when the drum carrier comes to position on said supporting means.

22. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a carrier drum adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, a tank, supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position so that its film carrying surface will move through a liquid solution contained in the tank, timing mechanism for controlling the operation ofsaid shifting means, said timing mechanism being adjustable to vary the time that the carrier drum remains at a liquid for diluting the strength of the solution as it flows to the tank, and means for automatically controlling the operation of the means for supplying the diluting liquid according to the adjustment of the timing mechanism.

23. In a machine for developing photo graphic films, the combination of a carrier drum adapted to support films on its peripheral surface, means for advancing the carrier drum bodily, and means for subjecting film on the carrier drum successively to means for supplying the action of developing solution and fixing solution. v

24. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrier, a plurality of stations each provided with devices for supporting a film carrier, track sections between the stations, and means for causing a film carrier to travel on said track sections from station to station.

25. In a machine fordeveloping photographic films, the combination of a film carrier for carrying a film detachably secured thereto, means for advancing the film carrier bodily, means for subjecting film on the carrier successively to the action of developing solution and fixing solution, means for varying the solution, and automatically operated means for varying the strength of the developing solution according to the time that the film is subjected to the action of the same.

26. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrying drum, means for advancing the carrying drum bodily, and means for subjecting film carriedby the drum successively to the action of developing solution, fixing solution and a washing liquid. 1

27 In a machine for developing photo graphic films, the combination of a film carrier for carrying a film detachably secured thereto, means for advancing the film carrier bodily, means for wetting the film on the carrier, means for subjecting the Wet film on the carrier successively to the action of developing solution and fixing "solution, I

and means for operating the carrier to subject successive portions of film carried thereby to the action of the developing and fixing solutions.

28. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrier for carrying a film detachably secured thereto, means for advancing the carrier successively from each of a plurality of resting stations, means for subjecting film on the carrier to the action of a developing solution at one of said stations, means film to the action of a fixing solution at another of said stations, and means for operating the carrier to cause successive portions of the film to be subjected to the action of the developing and fixing solution.

29. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combinationv of a filmcarrying drum, means for advancing the carrying drum successively from each of a plurality of resting stations, means for subjecting film-on the carrying drum to the action of a developing solution at one of said stations, means for subjecting the film to the action of a fixing solution at another of said stations, means for rotating the carfor subjecting the 1 rying drum during the developing and fix-' ing operations, and means for washing the film at another of said stations.

30. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrier for carrying a film detachably secured thereto, means for advancing the carrier successively from each of a plurality of resting stations, means for wetting the film at one of said stations, means for subjecting the film to the action of a developing solution at one of said stations, means for subjecting the film to the action of a fixing solution at another of said stations, means for washing the film atanother of said stations, and means for operating the carrier to subject successive portions of the film to the action of the wetting, developing and fixing solutions.

31. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of. a filmcarrying drum, means for advancing the carrying drum successively from each of'a plurality of resting stations, means for subjecting film nthe drum to the action of a developing solution at one of Said stations, means for subjecting the film to the action of a fixing solution at another of said stations, and means for rotating the drum during the developing and fixing operations.

32. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a filmcarrying drum, automatically operated means for advancing the carrier drum successively from each of a plurality of resting stations, means for subjecting film on the drumto the action of a developing solution at. one ofsaid stations, means for subjecting the film to the action of a fixing solution at a plurality of" said stations, means for rotating the drum while at said stations, and adjustable meansfor varying the time that the drum remains at the developing. station. I

33. In a machine fordeveloping photographic films, the combination of a filmcarrying drum, a plurality of stations each provided with a tank and with drum supporting means for supporting and rotating thedrum in position to have film carried thereby acted on by the liquid in the tank, and means for advancing the drum succemively from station to station.-

34. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of'a carrier .drum adapted to support filmson its peripheral surface, a plurality of stations each provided with a tank and with supporting means for supporting and rotating the carrier in position So that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in the tank, and means for advancing the carrier successively from station to station.

35. In a machine for developing photoautomatically operated graphic films, the combination of a filmcarrying drum, a plurality of stations each provided with drum-supporting and rotating means, drum advancing means at each station, means for operating the drum advancing. means automatically at predetermined intervals, means for subjecting films on the drum to the action of a developing solution at one of said stations, and means for subjecting the films to the action of a fixing solution at another of said stations.

36. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a film carrier, a plurality of stations each provided with carrier supporting and operating means, carrier advancing means at each station, means for operating the carrier advancing means automatically at predetermined intervals, means for operating the carrier advancing means at will, means for subjecting film on the carrier tothe action of a developing solution at one of said stations, and means for subjecting the film to the action of a fixingsolution at another of said stations.

37. In a machine for developing photo-- graphic films, the combination of a film carrier, a plurality of stations each provided with carrier supporting means, carrier advancing means at each station, means for graphic films, the combination of a film' carrying drum a plurality of stations each provided with devices for supporting and rotating a carrier drum, track sections between the stations, and means for causing a carrier druinto travel on said track sections from station to station.

39. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination 0 a plurality of film carrying drum stations each provided with supporting devices for supporting and rotating a. carrier drum, inclined track sections between the stations, and a lifting device at each station for lifting the carrier 'drum from the supportin devices and causing it to roll on the incline track section to the next station.

40. Ina machine for develo photographic films, the combination 0? a plurality of film carrying drums, a developing station and a plurality of stations beyond the developing station including one or more fixing stations, supporting devices at each of said stations for supporting and rotating a carrier drum, inclined track'sections between the stations, a lifting device at each station for lifting the carrier drum from the supporting devices and causing it to roll on the inclined track section to the neXt station, means for operating the lifting devices at the stations beyond the developing station simultaneously, separate means for operating the lifting device at the developing station, and an adjustable "timing mechanism controlling the said means for operating the lifting device at the developing station.

41. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a plurality of film carrying drums, a plurality of stations each provided with a tank and with supporting devices for supporting and rotating a carrier drum in position so that its film carrying surface will move through liquid contained in the tank; means for supplying developing solution to the tank at one of said stations, means for supplying fixing solution to the tanks at one or more of said stations, track sections between the stations, means for causing the carrier drums to travel on said track sections from station to station, and means controlled by the carrier drums forcontrolling the supply of developing solution to the tank at the develo ing station. a

4: In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a plurality of film carriers, a dark room, means for simultaneously advancing a plurality of film carriers in and from the dark rooms, means for subjecting film on each carrier successively to the action of developing and fixing solution in the dark room, and means for preventing entrance of light to the dark room as the carriers are successively advanced therefrom.

43. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a plurality of film carriers, a dark room, a plurality of stations in the dark room each provided with supporting devices for supporting a film carrier, track sections for the film carrier between the stations, a track section leadingfrom the last station to a point outside the dark room, means for causing the film carrier to travel on said track sections from station to station and from the dark room, a wall of the dark room having an opening for the passage of the film carrier from the dark room, a door for closing said opening, and means for preventing entrance of light to the dark room when said door is open.

K 4A. In a machine for developing photographic films, the combination of a dark room,'developing and fixing means in the dark room, a film carrier, means for supporting the carrier during the development and fixing of the film, means for transferring the carrier after the development and fixing of the film from the dark room to apoint outside the dark room, and means controlled by the carrier for preventing entrance of light to the passage of the carrier therefrom.

. 7 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. GARLAND.

Witnesses:

JEANNETTE S'roRK, A. L. KENT.

dark room during the

Images