US1728361A - Photographic developing process and temperature regulation - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1929. s. N. PIFER PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING PROCESS AND TEMPERATURE REGULATION Filed Aug. 25. 1927 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE N. TIFER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN PHOTOTURE COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING PROCESS AND TEMPERATURE REGULATION Application filed August 25, 1927. Serial No. 215,287.

This invention relates to certain improvements in photography and has particular reference to the development of an exposed sensitized surface and the regulation of the temperature of the developing solutions.

This invention is in part a division of and in part a continuation of my application Serial No. 758,989 filed December 31, 1924, for automatic photographing machine.

In my prior application I have disclosed an automatic photographing machine wherein an exposure is made on a sensitized strip for the negative, and after the exposed surface is developed an exposure is made on a sensitized element for a positive picture, and after development of the second exposed surface the positive picture is ejected from the machine.

For the development both of the negative and the positive, a method isemployed which is both very effective and rapid in action, this method involvin the directing of atomized developing, washing and fixing solutions successively onto the exposed surface, the solutions being in finely divided form and being blown onto the surface being treated by a stream of air. The advantages of this method of development will be pointed out in a detailed description.

The above, process, while disclosed in my prior application, is claimed herein, and to that extent this application is a divison of my prior application. I

I have found that the process of development, briefly explained above, not only is very satisfactory and rapid in action but it lends itself to a very eflective, inexpensive and easily applied method of temperature control and regulation of the developing solutions.

It is well known that in photographygenerally the temperature of the developing s0- lutions should be tempered both in extreme ly hot and extremely cold weather,the solutions, of course, being cooled in warm weather andwarmed in cold weather. When the conditions are such thatthe solutions are exposed to the extremes of temperature, the tempering of the solutions is generally accomplished by applying a coollng or a heating medium to the solutions in bottles or other containers, but generally these are quite bulky, with a result that the temperature regulation is not accomplished easily or inexpensively. I have found that the temperature of the solutions can be tempered and regulated to a nicety very easily and cheaply by my process simply by warmin or cooling, as the case may be, the

,The single figure of the drawing illustr'ates conventionally or diagrammatically my improved method in its different phases.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 represents a memberhaving a sensitized surface 11 exposed in any suitable manner, as in an automatic photographing machine or otherwise, which surface may be on the element used in the production of the negative or on the element used in the production of a positive picture. In carrying out my process, while it is not essential that'the solutions used be in four receptacles, I prefer to use four receptacles 12, 13, 14 and 15 as it simplifies the movement of the plunger which is utilized in controlling the air which atomizes the different solutions. In case four receptacles are employed, as indicated, they will be provided, respectively, with a washing solution (water), a developing solution, a washing solution, and a fixing solution. These receptacles, for convenience, may be in the form of bottles, the necks of which may be extended into funnel-like chambers 16 connected by tubes 17 to chambers 18 in which the solution will stand at the same level as in the funnels 16. From the chambers 18, tubes 19 extend. to nozzles 20 arranged close together and in substantially parallel relation while held in a suitable support 21.

The air which is utilized in atomizing the solutions is supplied by a suitable motor driven pump or a fan which is usually of small size. The outlet side of the pump is connected by a tube or pipe 23 to a. chamber 24 in which is slidable a plunger 25 and which is provided in this instance with four air nozzles 26, the ends of which are just above and are close to the ends of the solution nozzles 20.

The plunger 25, which may be actuated in an suitable manner, is hollow and it is provi ed on one side with an elongated slot 27 which at all times registers with the supply pipe 23. On the other side it is provided with a discharge opening 28 which, when the plunger is moved endwise, is adapted to register successively with passageways extending through the four air nozzles 26.

Normally the plunger is stationary and occupies a given position such that the discharge opening 28 is closed and out of registration'with the different air nozzles 26. To bring about the development of a sensitized surface, the plunger 25 is given a stepby-step motion so as to successively position the discharge opening 28 in registration with the passageways extending through thefour air nozzles 26 and then it is moved back to neutral position. The efiect of this is to atomize the solutions and to first direct onto the exposed surface an atomized developing solution from receptacle 13, then an'atomized washing solution from receptacle 14, then an atomized fixing solution from receptacle 15, and then again an atomized washing solution from receptacle 12. The first three movements of the plunger neecssary to accomplish the above are in the same direction to ward the right, and then the plunger is moved back toward the left to bring the opening into registration with the air nozzle over the left-hand or end nozzle 20 connected to receptacle 12, after which the plunger is moved to neutral position until needed'for the next developing operation. In this waythe different solutions in very finely divided form are successively blown onto the surface beingtreated.

When this process is employed in an automatic photographing machine as disclosed in my prior application referred to, the .plunger 25 is aetuatedautomatically at the proper time in the complete cycle of steps or operations necessary to produce the finished picture, and, of course, the plunger also has a predetermined dwell when the opening 28 is brought into line with each of the different nozzles 26 to cause the atomized solution, whether it be a developing solution, a washing solution, or a fixing solution, to be 'di' rected onto the surface for just the desired length of time. Furthermore, as disclosed in my prior application, the exposure is made for the negative, then the negative is. developed, then an exposure is made from the negative onto a sensitized blank for the positive picture, and this is followed by a development of the positive. This requires two sets of the nozzles 20 and 26 and two of the plungers 25, but only one set of the solution receptacles and one air pump are needed for the two atomizing outfits.

The two receptacles for water are utilized for convenience merely because it simplifies the movements to be given to the plunger. If desired, one bottle or receptacle may be em ployed for the water which is utilized for the wash after both the atomized developing and fixing solutions have been applied.

This method of development is particularly efficacious inasmuch as the solutions are rapidly and automatically carried awayfrom the surface by the air stream blown thereon and, furthermore, the action of the solutions is greatly accelerated by reason of the fact that they are atomized, which is responsible for a much quicker chemical action or oxidation than with the immersion process. further advantage in the use of this process is the fact that the solutions can be localized or directed onto only that part of the surface which is to be treated. This enables the use of cards or other blanks containing a sensitized portion placed or located in any desired .position and covering any desired portion. However, the chief advantage is the fact that the entire developing operation can be carried out quickly and effectively by the enhanced oxidizing action due to the atomized condition of the solutions.

Considering next the second feature of the invention, i. e., the temperature control or regulation, to accomplish this result, it is only necessary for me to regulate the temperature of the air which is supplied for atomizing the solutions and this can be done most efficiently by heating or cooling the air as it passes through pipe 23 between the air pump 22 and the chamber 24. This can be accomplished in numerous ways but in this instance a portion 23 of the tube or pipe 23 is extended into. a chamber 29 adapted to con tain water which can be cooled by ice or other refrigeration means and which can be heated in any suitable manner as by extending into the chamber in contact with the water an electrical heating element 30. In this manner, in cold Weather the air which" is utilized in atomizing the solutions employed in developing the surface may be warmed and in hot weather it may be cooled. In either case, the solutions themselves are warmed or cooled and the development will take place 'under temperature conditions which will produce the best results. It is, therefore, unnecessary to attempt to apply the heating or cooling medium direct to the solutions, as, for example, in the containers 12 to 15.

While I prefer to regulate the temperature at which the developing is accomplished by warming or cooling the air as it passes from the pump 22 to the nozzles, still this is'not essential as the air may be warmed or cooled before it is supplied to the pump. In the event that the air iswarmed or cooled while passing from the pump to the nozzles, it is, of

course, unnecessary to employ a receptacle such as shown at 29, and other ways of heating or cooling the air may be employed, as, for example, by surrounding suitable portions .of the tube or pipe between the pump and the nozzles with a heating coil and with a refrigerating or'cooling coil.- I, therefore, aim in my claims to cover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. The process of developing an exposed photographic surface which comprises dlrecting onto the surface an atomized developing solution.

2. The process of developing an exposed photographic surface which comprises directing onto the ex osed surface a stream of air containing a ely divided developing solution.

3; The process of developing an exposed photographic surface which comprises directture has been raised or lowered as the case may be.

8. The method of developing a photographic surface with temperature regulation which comprises directing atomized solutions onto the exposed surface with an air streamand either cooling the air stream if the temperature is high or warmingthe air stream if the temperature is low.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

GEORGE N. PIFER.

ing successively onto the exposed surface ato mized developing, washing and fixing solutions. p

4. The process of developing an exposed photographic surface which, comprises directing onto the exposed surface a stream of air containing finely divided developing, washing and fixing solutions which are applied successively. a

5. The process of developing an exposed photographic surface which comprises directing an atomized developing solution onto the surface and regulating the temperature of the atomizing medium to bring about the development at the desiredtemperature.

6. The method of regulating the temperature at which a photographic surface is de-' veloped which comprises blowing a finely 'di-.

vided developing solution onto the surface with a stream of air whose temperature has been regulated. 7,. The method. of regulating the temperature at which a photographic surface is de-

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