US1736557A - Process and apparatus for the production of relief images on cinematograph-film strips - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1929.

E. THORNTON PROCESS AND ARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF RELIEF IMAGES ON CINEMATOGRAPH FILM STRIPS Original Filed March 27, 1927 INVENTOR Q g yw Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, OF JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN OWDEN I OBRIEN, 0F MANCHESTER, ENGLAND raocnss AND APPARATUS non THE PRODUCTIO or RELIEF IMAGESON cmmm'ro- GRAIPH-FILM STRIPS Original application fled March 27, 1927, Serial No. 174,945, and in Canada March 17, 1927. Divided and this application filed March 22, 1928. Serial No. 263,853.

I have filed an application for this invention in Canada on March 17, 1927.

The present application is a division of Serial No.174,945, filed March 27, 1927.

This invention relates to a process for antomatically developing a series of colloid relief-images upon a sensitized continuous film-strip which has been exposed and printed, and for treating and finishing the filmstrip, and for removing a temporary rein forcing paper from the film-strip after the images have been developed, and also to apparatus for carrying out the process as a continuous one, the exposed and printed film entering at one end of the apparatus and the dried film-strip with the developed and treated images thereon emerging at the other end of the apparatus.

A feature of the invention is that while the process of producing a series of colloid images in relief upon a continuous film-strip is carried out as a continuous and automatic process, it is efiected by successive stages or steps, which follow each other and are carried out by separate units of the complete apparatus through which the film-strip passes 1n succession. v The first step consists in passmg the filmstrip'through a hot water bath to loosen and dissolve the unexposed and soluble portion of the colloid.

Although it is quite possible for this first bath to dissolve the whole of the soluble colloid, the hot water therein would be more or less contaminated by the large quantity of dissolved colloid, and where this colloid is of the colored or dyed variety for producin ready-colored relief images without a su sequent dyeing. process, the volume of dissolved colloid and dye accumulating in the first bath would prove a great objection by preventing the production of a sufiiciently clean product in one bath.

In the second step the film-strip 1s therefore passed through a second bath of hot water, or is subjected to the action of hot water sprays, for the purpose of completing the development by removing any remain-- ing soluble colloid from the relief images; and thus by this second step the film-strlp 1s made sufficiently clean and its images so completely developed that it can be used without further treatment. But should it be found necessary or desirable the film strip may be .thefilm-strip with a hardening solution such as chrome-alum, formaline, or other suitable hardening agent. Whilst such treatment may if desire terminate the third stage of the process, the colloid would be hard and brittle and would tend to split away from the celluloid support, and it is therefore advisable to counteract such tendency by treatin the colloid with a dilute solution of glycerine, syrup or sugar and water to render the colloid sufiiciently flexible and prevent its extreme contraction in drying.

The hardening solution and the flexing solution may be applied separately, or they may be mixed and applied simultaneously in a single bath, or by spraying them on to the colloid surface.

When the film strip is provided with a temporary reinforcing strip ,of paper, the paper is loosened from the film-strip during its passage through the hot bath and can be removed by suitable means upon emerging 'In this drawing the developing apparatus:

comprises two tanks or,baths A and B to which hot water is supplied by pump C and removed by the pump D. The supply pump C is connected to the top of the pipe 0 and to the top of the tank B by the pipe 0 and the exhaust pump D is connected to the bottom of the tank A by the pipe d and to the bottom of the tank B by the pipe al The tank A is provided with a series of upper rollers a arranged in pairs between which the film E passes and a series of lower rollers a, the top rollers a being driven and the bottom rollers a} being idle. The tank the tank A by sprays E are fed by a pump B is also provided with a series of upper rollers Z) arranged in pairs and a series of lower rollers Z2 the upper rollers 5 being driven and the lower rollers 5 being idle.

A guide roller A- is arranged at the inlet end of the tank A to guide the continuous film-strip E to the first pair of rollers a; and apair of reels or rollers A are arranged above the point where the film-strip E emerges from the tank A, which reels or rollers serve to draw away -the temporary reinforcin paper strip E from the filmstrip E, t e cement attaching the reinforcing paper to the film having been softened during the passage through the tank A. A guide roller A 'is, arranged above the winding rollers A the film-strip E stripped of its reinforcement passing over this roller before passing to the guide roller B at the film entrance of the tank B.

A number of powerful sprays B are arranged over the top rollers b' of the tank B to act on the film-strip E as it passes over each top roller and assist in loosening and dislodging colloid from the depressed parts of the relief images therein. The sprays B are fed with hot water from the pump C through the pipe 0 which is connected to the pipe 0 7 Although the apparatus is-shown in the drawings with two developing baths A and B, aidditional baths may be employed if desire A guide roller B is arranged at the end of the tank B from which the completely developed film strip E emerges, and the film strip E may then pass from this roller B to any desired drying, winding or other apparatus. In the drawings the film E after leaving the tank B is shown as being passed vertically between a pair of sprays E; the G to apply a combined finishing or varnishing solution containing hardening and flexing agentsvto the surface of the film or separate solutions of each applied successively. The surplus solution runs down into the tank H and is re-circulated by the pump G. llhe film E after being passed between the finishing sprays E passes between a pair of squeezing rollers F to cause the finishingsolution to be evenly spread over the film. Other 501- vents may be used instead of hot water if preferred such as cold solution of bichromate or an, acid such as acetic, such alternative solvents being already known but less convenient than hot water. paratus remain the same if such other sol; vents are used.

What l claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 2-- l. A process for producing a series of colloid relief images upon a continuous filmstrip, carried out as a continuous and automatic process, consisting in applying a sol- The process and apfil meats? 2. A process for producing a series of colloid relief images upona continuous filmstrip comprising a plurality of stages of treatment of an exposed and printed colloid filmstrip by means of a solvent applied by a plurality of baths and spraying devices by which all soluble colloid is removed from the film-strip and any} temporary reinforcing strip of paper is loosened, detached and removed from the film-strip, leaving a series of relief images of insoluble colloid upon the film-strip. I

3. A process for producing a series of colstrip carried out as a continuous and automatic process consisting in applying a solvent in a plurality of stages, the first stage removing most of the soluble colloid from the film strip, and the next stage removing the remainder of the soluble colloid left on the film-strip after the first stage, and subsequently treating with a hardening agent to harden the insoluble colloid relief images.

4.- A process for producing a series of colloid relief images upon a continuous filmstrip carried out as a continuous and automatic process, consisting in applying a solvent in a plurality of stages, the first stage removing most of the soluble colloid from the film strip, and the next stage removing the remainder of the soluble colloid left on the film-strip after the first stage, subsequently treating with a hardening agent to harden the insoluble colloid relief images and finally treating with a flexing agent to render hardened colloid of the relief images flex- 1 e.

5. A process for producing a series'of colloid relief images upon a continuous filmstrip carried out as a continuous and auto- .ly treating with a hardening agent to harden the insoluble colloid relief images, treating with a flexing agent to render the hardened colloid of the relief images flexible, and finally completing the process by drying the 6. Apparatus for carrying out the process for the development of relief-images in stages upon a continuous film-strip, comprising two each of which is provided with a series of rollers at the topand bottom around which the film passes, a pair of reels or rollers ar loid relief images upon a continuous film- I25 tanks through which a solvent is circulated,

ranged between the two tanks, and a series lit? I the second tank of sprays arranged over the top rollers of to act on the film over each top roller thereof, pumps to-circulate the solvents through the tanks, and a series of sprays to act on the film after leaving the second tank to apply a finishing solution to the developed relief images;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand;

J QHN EDWARD THORNTON.

as it passes

Images