US1561953A - Method of and apparatus for developing films - Google Patents

Description

Nov.I 17,1925.` y 1,561,953

- E'. J. lSWEETIJND IBTHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING FILES A Filed Nov. 15. 1919 5 A TTORNEY Nov'. 17., 1925'. g l1,561,953 J. SWEETLAND METHOD 0I' AID Al-PARATUS FOR DEVELOPING FILIS f Filed Nov. 15. 1919 5 Sheretsheet 2 4?' 44 A TTORNEY Nw. 17,' v1925. I

x A. 1,561,953 E. J.-SVVEETLAND Ilm-Ion oF Anm APPARATUS Fon DEVELOPING xmms FiledNov. 15, 1919 5 Shees-Sheet 3 A A, l A 4.111111111111111/111 Nov. 17,1925. y 1,561,953 E. J. swEETLANo IBTHOD 0F AND APPARA'US FOR DEVELOPING FILMS meauov; 1s. l191s) s sheets-suela: 4

mamy

Patented Nov. -17, 1925.

UNI-TED STATES ERNEST J. SWEETLAND, or MoN'TcLAIE, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OE lAND APPARATUS FOB DEVELOPIG FILMS.

strips of film, such as arey usually supplied upon rolls for use 'with hand cameras.v

The objects of the invention are to pro vide a film developing apparatus for meehanically moving the film through the developingsolutions or causing the solution to flow over the-film; to -provide novel means for lthe mechanical manipulation of f ilm developing devices, such as described in my United States Patent No. 1,285,462; dated Nov. 19, 1918 tosecure' means for develo ing large nlunbers of strips of film in rapid A succession; lto provide means for ensuring the thorough treatment' of the -film by the .developing solutions; to ensure against under or overdeveloping'of the film byprovision of mechanical means, whereby the film is subjected to treatment for predeter- `mined periods of time; to secure means for producmg the successive treatment of the film to the various solutions and. to mechanieally transfer samev from oney solution to another; to provide means for removing the lilm from the apparatus whenV completely developed; to secure the proper agitation of the solutions over the film; and to attain other objects and results as maybe brought out by the 'followingl description. Referring to the accompanying drawings,

in which like numerals of reference indicate theysame parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a yside elevation of a filmadeveloping apparatus showing one embodiment of my invention adapted for daylight developing with devices such as'I shown vin my before-mentioned Patent No.- 1,285,462;

portions-'being shown in section;

Figure 4 1s a front lelevatlon ofthe ap- 55 Applicatonled November 15", 1919. -Serial No. 338,268.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof; F lgure 3 1s a View similar to Figure 1, showing a dark room developing apparatus,

paratus 'shown by Figure 3,;

Figure 5'is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through another embodiment of my invention;

Figure 6 is an end elevation thereof; y' 60 Figure 7 is a perspective View of the film enveloping device or bag used in connection with the apparatus shown by Figure 1;'

Figure 8 is van enlarged plan View of the film attaching means shown by Figure 3; y :Figure 9v is an enlarged side elevation of the film attaching or hold ing device used in connection 'with the apparatus shown by Figures 5 and 6; and

Figure 10 is a plan viewv of one end 70- thereof.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Figures 1, 2 and 7, the numerals 1 designate a pair of spaced end standards or uprights which are formed in lower and upper sections 2 and 3, respectively, pivotally connected at 5 by a horizontal shaft 6 extending between the standards 1. Rigid with the upper sections 3 and supported thereby is a bed or table,7

upon which is mounted the film-carrying belt 8 extending around roller pulleys 9 and 10 mounted on dshafts y11 and 12, respectively, which are journaled in brackets 13 and 14, the said shafts extending transversely of the 'table 7 at the ends thereof. The shaft 12 is adjustable in the bracket 14 in a conventional manner to take up slack in the belt 8. Arranged between said belt roller pulleys 9 and 10, and under the up- 90 'per reach of the belt area series of-transversely extending supporting rollers 8a journaled in frames 8b mounted on the table 7, said rollers supporting the intermediate portions of the belt between the pulleys.

Thedrive 'shaft 6 carries a wormA wheel 15 which meshes with a worm-17 on the shaft of'a conventional inotor `18 so that the shaft 6 is rotated by the motor 18. One end of the drive 'shaft 6' is provided with afrigidly 100 connected crank arm 19 pivotallyv connected to one end of a link 20, the other end of which is pivotally connected, as at 2l, to the end of the table 7, the said pivotal connec- 6 tion being adjustable in various openingsA 22 to vary the leverage of the link 20. Ob-

i viously, as the drive shaft 6 rotates, the table 7 is oscillated about the pivotal Yconnections of the standards 1. A belt pulley 23 10 is also fixed on the drive shaft 6 and is connected by a belt 24 to a pulley 25 mounted on a countershaft 26, journaled in brackets 27 depending from the table 7 the said countershaft also carrying a worm 28 meshl5 ing a worm wheel 29 on a stub shaft 30 journaled in a bracket 31 on the table 7. This stub shaft is provided with a sprocket 32 connected by a chain 33 to a sprocket 34 mounted on one end of the roller shaft 11.

lIt will thus be seen that the film carrying belt 8 is also actuated over the rollers 9 and 10 by the motor 18. The belt 8 is adapted to receive the films to be developed, the film being first laced in a flexible bag 35 l(see Figure 7 as escribed in my United States Patent N o. 1,285,462. One end of the film 36 is secured by a clip 37 in the bag 35 -and the film unrolled or laid fiat in the bag, after which the' developing solution is poured into the bag and the free end thereof turned over and'fastened externally by a clip 38, which holds the film extended. Assuming the belt 8 to be traveling in the direction indicated by the arrows,` the bag 35 is then laid upon the upper reachy of the belt 8, as shown by Figure 1, over the pulley 10. As the bag is being carried by.

the belt toward its other end, the table is being simultaneously oscillated by' the crank arm 19 and link 20, so that the developing solution is constantly agitated over the film from one end of the bag to the other. The

` belt 8 is preferably sufhciently long so that .by the time the bag 35 reaches the pulley 9, the film has been sufficiently treated by the solution. 'The bag is then removed from the belt, the develop-ing solution poured out of the b and then the Washing, fixing'and final was ing operations can be performed identically as described in connection with the developing solution. Obviously, the bags 35 lcan be successively applied to and removed from -the belt. 8 so as to constitute 5 a continuous process, it being possible to 5 develop large numbers of films in `rapid succession. In case only one film is placed on the belt, the clip 38 can be provided With an extending finger 39 to engage an electric circuit closing device 40 at the finish end of the belt, and said circuit closer Acan be connected in a conventional Way to a suitable alarm to warn the operator of the completion of the developing operation, so as to prevent over developing.v With this apparatus, the tiresome manual manipula-A or container 41 to receive the developing solution, and the shafts 11a and 12a are pro- 75 vided With sprockets 42, and arranged Within vthe pan 41over which sprockets are arranged spaced 4and parallel chains 43, which take the place of the belt 8. These chains 43 are provided with oppositely arranged spaced hooks 44 between which the films are sus-- pended. In the use of this form of the invention, the film 45l is 'x stretched between clips 46 and 47 (see Figure 8), one of said clips in the present instance, 46, being pro- 55 vided ,with an extension 48 having an opening 49 to receive one of the hooks 44 on chains 43, while the other clip 47 has connccted thereto one end of'a spring 47a, the opposite end of which is providedwith an eye 50 to fit over another of thehooks 44 on the opposite chain 43, as shown by Figure 3. In developing, the films are stretched between the chains 43 at one end thereof, the springs 47a keeping them flat and straight, and as the chains are 'driven the films are drawn edgewise through the developing solution,'which is agitated longitudinally over the films by oscillation 'of the table 7, as above described. The construction of this form of the invention is otherwise identical With'that shown by Figures 1 and 2, and it is though-t unnecessary to repeat the description thereof.

In both forms of the invention above described, it is necessary to either pour off the various solutions as they are 'used and supply the'next successive solution, or provide a number of machines, one for each solution. This necessity is obviatcd by the construction shown by Figures 5, 6, 9 and 10. This construction comprises the standards 1, and, oscillating table 7 exactlyas above described and driving mechanism therefor, as shown by Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, further description of which is unnecessary. Supported by the table 7 is a container 51, said container being divided into compartments by transverse partitions 52, each compartment boing adapted to receive a differentF solution, as for instance, the compartment 53 would contain the developing solution compartment 54, the first wash Water; compartment 55, the fixing solution, and compartment 56, the final Washing' Water. The strips of film are drawn successiveiythrough these solutions by means of endless chains 57 driven from the motor `18. A pulley 58 is fixed to the drive shaft 6 and is connected by a belt 59 to a belt pulley 60 on a counter- `63 also suspended from the table 6." This shaft 61 suspended from the table 6, said countershaft carrying a worm 61,I meshing with a worm wheel 62 on a sub-countershaft sub-countershaft is provided with a sprocket 64 connected to a sprocket 65 on a stubshaft 66 by means of-a chain 67. A mutilated gear 68 is keyed te the--stub-shaft 66 and meshes with a pinion 68 on a short shaftl 69, which shaft is provided with a gear 70 meshing with a pinlon 71 on one end of one film chain shaft 72 arranged transversely of the container 51 adjacentone end thereof. A rectangular frame 73 is arranged vertically upon the table 6 over the container 51, said frame supporting a plurality of idler sprockets 74a on opposite sides thereof *over which pass lthe pair of spaced and parallel film carrying chains 57, said chains being driven from the sprocket 74 on the film chain shaft 72 before-mentioned.

The chains v57 are provided with `spaced and oppositely disposed hooks 75 and normally travel in the direction of the 4arrow on Figure 5, and the operatorstandingat the front of the machine beside a suitable stand or table 76 upon which the rolls 77 of films may be placed. The films are unrolled and the ends thereof fastened between a pair of similarly formedclips 78, which are provided with eyes 79 to fit over the hooks 75 on the chains (see Figures 9 and 10). The

,. ments of the container 51 are films are then stretched between the chains 57 and the eyes 7 9 on the clips slipped on the hooks 75, as shown by Figure 6. The chains then carry the films successively through the solutions'in the container 51. The compartp-referably sufficiently large that one passage of the films through each completes the developing thereof, and the chains arek driven with an intermittent motion by means of the mutilated gear 68v to allow longer periods of time in each solution, and also to allow the operator to easily attach the films to the chain hooks, the stopping of the chains allowing-k sufficient time for this operation. The in-4 termittent movement of the chain and the film, which is carried thereby through the solutions, constitutes one of the important features of my invention. Obviously the stoppage oftheir travel not only facilitates the placing of the filmsin the machines but it also lends itselflargely toward the efficiency of process of treatment of the film. For instance, the time of the treatment of the film by the respective solutions may be controlled and regulated, so that maximum speed can be maintained in order that the machine can be utilized to greatest .advantage. Furthermore, it is desirable to have thel speed of" motion such that the film after being properly developed in compartmentS 53 will pass entirely through the compartment 54, in which the film is washed of all 92 from any suitable source of developing liquid before passing into the fixing solution in compartment 55. This 1s made possible by the intermittenty mechanism heretofore described.

The arrangements may be such that the motion distance of travel of the film during the intermittent motion will cause the film to pass from the developing compartment 53 into each of the solutions they are carried to the 4 upper reaches of the. chains andthrough a drying chamber 80 arranged at thetop of the frame'73. At the rear end of this drying chamber is arranged a blower fan 81 which forces a current of airthrough the drying chamber over a heating coil 82. When the films reach the front end of the upper reaches of the chains 57 they are thoroughly developed and dried, and are ready for removal from the chains. This canbe accomplished manually or automatically. For automatically removing the films fromthe chains, a pair of vertical rods 83 are arranged on a suitable support 84 at the front of the machine,.the upper ends of said rods beinfr offset toward the chains and arranged in alinement with openings 85 in ears 86l projecting from the clips 78. As the .ears 86 approachthe rods' 83, the openings in the ears slip over the ends of the rods, and downward movementof the chains then draws the hooks 75 on the chains from' the eyes 79 fon theclips. The films and clilps then slip downwardly by gravity on tie rods 83 to the support 84, from where they lcan be removed by the operator.

If desired, a brush 87 can be arranged in the compartment 53 to brush the solution over the films so as to remove any air bells or foreign matter that may have adhered to the film and to ensure proper treatment of the films thereby. The brush, in the present instance, is shown as pivotally mounted at its ends by links- 88 on brackets 89 projecting inwardly from the frame, andis adapted to reciprocate transversely of the container 5l or longitudinally of the films with a brushing action, by any suitable means such as the connecting rod ecce'ntrically connected to a disc 91 driven by abelt wer.

It .will be understood that the films are drawn successively through the solutions in the compartments by the chains 57 passing over the idler sprockets 7 4, and driven from the motor 18. Simultaneously with their .130

passage through the solutions, the films are thoroughly washed and treated therewith by agitation 'of' the solutions by oscillation ofl the table 7 and container 51. Thus, this form of my apparatus is adapted to carry an exposed film completely through a developing process to its drying, and it iS obvious that a large number of films can be passed through the apparatus at the same time in rapid succession. In all the forms of' the invention, the fundamental idea is to eliminate the manual manipulation of films in tbe developing process by mechanical means which simulate the manual nio-tions and steps incident to a developing process., The solutions are mechanically moved over the films so as to insure thorough treatment, and

the apparatus is constructed so as'to continue the treatment through the proper periods of' time. All the operations-that are necessary f'or the operator to perform are the insertion and the removal of the films from the apparatus.

Obviously many detail modifications and changes can be made in the construction of my apparatus without departing from the spirit and sco-pe of the invention, and

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself except as required by the following claims when construed prior art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim' as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive film treating solution, means for holding a strip of film unrolled in position to'be immersed in'said solution` means for maintaining said solution in motionfwhile the film is immersed therein, and means for moving said film transversely to its length simultaneously with said motion of the solution.,

2. AIn film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacley to receive a film treating solution, means for immersing a film in said solution, and means for bodily moving said film edgewise, said moving means regulating the period of immersion of the film. k

3. In film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive a film treating solution, means. for moving saidreceptacle, and means for immersing a film edgewise in said solution in the receptacle while said receptacle is in motion.

4. In. film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive film .treating solution, means for immersing a film in 'said solution and means for moving said film a predetermined distance edgewise while so immersed, the movement of said film over said distanceconsuming a period of time necessary for treatment of the film in said solution.

in the light of the 5. 'In film developing apparatus, the Combination of a receptacle to receive film treating solution, means for maintaining said receptacle' -in motion to agitate the solution, and means for moving a film edgewise through said solution while the same is agitated.

6. In film developing apparatus, the combina-tion of a receptacle to receive film treating solution, a pair of spaced conveyor members movable through said solution,

and means for supporting a strip of film between said members for moving the film through said solution.

7. ln film ldeveloping apparatus, the combination of' a receptacle to receive film' treating solution, a pair of spaced conveyor members movable into and out of' said solution, means for regulating the period of their movement in said solution, and means for supporting a strip of film between said members. f

8. In film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive film treating solution, a pair of spaced endless members, a portion of each of which passes through said solution, and means for supporting a strip of film between said members.

9. In film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive" film treating solution` means for maintaining said receptacle in motion to agitate the solution, a pair of spaced members movable through said liquid and rigidly supported with respect to said receptacle, and means for conand means for actuating said film carrying mechanism with an intermittent motion.

l2. In film developing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of receptacles, each adapted to contain a different film treating solution, and means for moving strips of film successively edgewise through saidv receptacles, the length of travel of the film through each receptacle consuming a period of time sufficient for proper treatment of the film by the solution in that receptacle. p

13. In film developing apparatus, the combination of a receptacle to receive film treating solution and strips 4of film in parallel relation, of means for moving the strips of film through the solution in a direction transverse to their length, brush means adapted t0 engage the surface of the films Aand mea-ns for imparting'oscillatinfr movement to he brush means in a direction, parallel to t e film. i

14. The method `of filmV development which consists in arranging a plurality` of strips of film in parallel relationand passing them through il'm treating solutions always in. a direction transverse to their length.

15. The method of lm j development which consists in arranging a plurality of strips of lm in parallel relation and passing them through film treating solution with.

a stepv-by-stepV or intermittent motio'n transversely to their length.

ERNEsT J; SWEETLAND. y

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