US166847A - Improvement in machines for washing photographs - Google Patents

Description

I. L. CAYLOR.

Machine for washing Photographs.

Patented Aug. 17,1875.

UNITED STATES VPATENT @Trice JACOB L. CAYLOR, OF BONHAM, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES EOR WASHING PHOTOGRAPHS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,847, dated August 17, 1875; application filed July 26, 1875.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB L. CAYLOR, of

A Bonham, in the county of Fannin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic lVasher, of which the followin gis a specification:

This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for washing photographic prints after fixing, for the purpose of removing the double hyposulphite of soda and silver formed in the body of the paper during the process of fixing. This salt, if left in the minutest traces in the print, invariably causes the destruct-ion of the same in the process of time. As the said salt is comparatively insoluble in water, great difficulty has hitherto been experienced in its removal.

Heretofore it has been customary to run the prints through. several successive baths of fresh water in batches, or to soak the same in a large quantity of water over night, or submit a quantity of them to the action of running water a suitable length of time. These means have proved defective for the purpose, owing to the fact that the prints become inatted or massed together, and in this condition are imperfectly reached by the water, resulting 4in the presence ofthe salt in a large portion of every batch of pictures, even after the most prolonged washing.v

My invention is designed to obviate these defects by providing an apparatus in which the prints may be successively and continuously carried automatically under a stream of falling water, in such manner that the entire surface of each will be thoroughly exposed to the actionof the same, in order that all may be thoroughly washed.

My invention consists of an upright framework, carrying an overshot water wheel, above which is supported a distributing water-trough, which receives its water from a tank or water-supply above, directing the same into the buckets of the wheel in such manner as to put it in motion, the prints being arranged in the spaces between the said buckets upon strips of netting or other fabric secured to the periphery of the wheel.

rlhe drawing represents a perspective view of my improved apparatus, in which the let- 'ter A indicates the upright frame-work, and

B the overshot-wheel, mounted on a shaft, C, journaled at its ends in bearings D on opposite sides of the frame A. At any convenient height above said wheel is a trough, E, provided with distributing-tubes F extending downward, and terminating over the Wheels to one side of the same, so as to direct the water into the buckets as they are Y successively brought under the saine.

The buckets are indicated by the letter G, and may be of any approved construction, and to the periphery of the wheel in the spaces between the same are secured strips H, of cotton, rubber, netting, or other suitable woven fabrics, which form a support for the prints.

Upon the top of the frame-work A is secured a tank or water-supply,I, from which extends a tube, K, provided with a stop-cock, L, extending over the mouth of the trough G, so as to discharge directly into the saine.

The operation of my apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The prints, after removal from the fixing-bath, are spread upon the netting between the buckets of the wheel, to which they adhere with sufiicient tenacity to prevent being washed off by the falling Water as they pass under the distributing-spouts F. The water is supplied to the Wheel in proper quantities, being regulated by the cock L, causing the wheel to revolve at any desired velocity, which brings each print successively 'under the action of the falling stream, thoroughly exposing its surface to successive washings until the double hyposulphite of soda and silver is entirely removed. The network forins a foraminous support for the prints that allows the water to pass freely through the same, and thoroughly wash the under as well as the upper surfaces, insuring a most perfect washing of said prints.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The apparatus for washing photographic prints, consisting, essentially, of the bucketwheel (l, having netted or woven fabric attached to its periphery for the reception of the pietulzesthe trough E, #providedv with dis- In testimony that 1- I claim .the foregoingwI tributi11gspouts F, `and the watersupply have hereunto set; my hand in'gthe-fpyresence tank I above the same, provided with a tube of' the subscribing;r Witnesses.

and stop-cock for" directing the Water in the JACOB L. CAYLOR. spout, all combined and arranged to oper- Witnesses:

ate substantially as and for the purpose de l F. I. WELLS,

scribed. Y 1;?? A.V DUNCANA

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