US1772834A

US1772834A - Film-developing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1772834A
Application number: US216556A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Hopkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-08-31
Filing date: 1927-08-31
Publication date: 1930-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1947-08-12

Description

ugflz, 1930- G. w. HOPKINS FIL DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 51, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,En/enf@ M/@M v4/gis.

Aug. 12, 1930. G. w. HOPKINS MLM DEVELOPING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-SheetV 2 56 U. 1 g fm Patented Aug. 12, 193.0

c UNITED STATES GEORGE W. HOPKINS, F CLEVELAND, OHIO FILI-DEVELOPING APPARATUS Application ied August 81, 1927. Serial No. 216,556.

This invention relates to a photographic film developin and fixing ap aratus and has for one of its o jects to provi e an a paratus which is simple in construction,"e cient in operation and .exceptionally inexpensive in co'st.

In the developing of photographic films after exposure, it is customary to submerge the film in a developing solution for a suitable length of time or until the subject upon the film is clearly visible, at which time the` film is transferred to a wash water and then to a fixing bath or solution. After the film has remained in the fixing solution or bath for a suitable length of time, it is thereafter transferred to a water wash or bath and ermitted to remain there until the film is t oroughly fixed, after which it is removed and suitably dried for interpretation.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in developing films, particularly during hot weather, inasmuch as the developing and fixing solutions become too warm, due to the surrounding atmospheric conditions, and, as a result, the photographic films, during the stage of development, are Very often stained and sometimes ruined. Similar difficulties are experienced during cold weather inasmuch as the developing solutions are con- 39 siderably colder, which materially retards the develo ing of the films, and various meth- 4 ods have een employed to reduce the temperature of the developing solutions in hot weather and to raise the temperature in cold weather. One of these methods of lowering the temperature of the developing solutions in hot weather is to place the developing tank in a tray of water containing ice, but this is very unsatisfactorv inasmuch as the ternperature is continually changing as the ice becomes melted or when new ice is introduced into the tray of water.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention to provide an apparatus having a developing solution, a fixing solution and running Wash water, all of which can be predeterminatelv maintained at any desired temperature irrespective of surrounding atmospheric conditions. It has been found that a temperature of about 65 Fahrenheit is the most satisfactory temperature at which to work with' these solutions, inasmuch as the best results are obtainable under that temperature condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type referred to in which running water is continually fed around the develo ing and fixing tanks to maintain the solutions contained therein at a predetermined temperature and then causing the water to flow through wash water tanks adapted to support the hotographic films after the latter have been eveloped and fixed, so as to wash the solutions from the films before drying.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a novel structure and arrangement whereby the photographic films, during the process of development, can be eiiiciently handled and the films developed with greater speed than is nowpossible when resorting to the customary methods of developing photographic films.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter defined and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on so line 1--1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the cover removed showing the arrangement of the developing and fixing tanks and the wash Water tank. l

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the manner in which the photographic film is supported within the developing tank.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view 90 taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and showing the manner in which the wash water tanks are supplied with running water.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of the wiring diagram and the refrigerating unit.

In the drawin s, 10 represents a box-like structure adapte to enclose and support theA entire apparatus which will be described in detail. Thisbox-likestructurewhich is preferably formed of wood has end walls 11 of 10U suitable depth and front and

back walls

12 and 13, respectively, of suitable length, all securely joined together by nails or other means, and having a bottom member 14 also of wood, or other suitable material, secured thereto. This box-like structure 10 is supported upon a tloor by a plurality of depending legs 15 secured to the underside of the bottom member 14. The box-like struc-ture 10 can be of any suitable height but should be of such a height that a person can conveniently reach within the interior while developing the photographic films.

Positioned centrally within the box-like structure 10 and spaced apart from the walls thereof is a water receptacle 16 supported upon and spaced from the bottom member 14 by a plurality of transversely extending supporting members 17 which can be secured, respec-tively, to the bottom member 14 and the receptacle 16, if so desired. The space between the receptacle 16 and the box-like structure 10 is iilled with cork insulation 18, or other suitable insulating material, to reduce, as much as possible, temperature changes of the water within the receptacle 16 by the surrounding atmosphere. The upper ends of the receptacle 16 and the structure l0 terminate in substantially a horizontal plane and are joined together by a horizontally positioned rectangular frame member 19 which closes the opening at the upper portion between the two receptacles.

Positioned transversely within the receptacle 16 and supported from the rectangular frame 19 are a plurality of tanks, the developing tank being indicated at 20, the fixing tank by 21 and the wash water tanks by 22. rlhese four tanks are spaced apart and grouped with the developing tank 20 and one water wash tank 22 at one end of the receptacle 16, and the fixing tank 21 and the other wash tank 22 at the opposite end of the receptacle 16. rlhe two water wash tanks are spaced apart suiciently to accommodate a rerigerating unit 23 suspended within the receptacle 16 by a horizontally extending transverse rod 24 connected to the front and back walls, respectively, of the receptacle 16, and for a purpose which will be later described.

The

tanks

20, 21 and 22 are of the same construction and are preferably formed of highly conductive metal having at their upper opposite edges outwardly offset portions 25 which are adapted to support frames 26 to which the photographic iilms are secured, the frames being suspended in vertical position, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The various tanks are wide enough to receive a number of frames containing photographic iilms and these tanks can be made of any desirable width, depending upon the number of films it is desired to handle at any one time. The de- Veloping tank 20 and iixing tank 21 are filled by hand, or otherwise, with develo ing and ixing solutions, respectively, from t e top of the tanks and do not contain any outlet other than the opening in the top of each tank. The water wash tanks 22 are provided with inlet openings 28 in the bottoms thereof through which water is continuouslyl supplied to the tanks by a pipe 29, connected to a horizontally extending pipe 30 supported in the upper ortion of the receptacle 16 between the end3 walls and the developing and

fixing tanks

20 and 21. At the fron-t and back ends ofthe pipe 30 are overflow pipes 31 which extend upwardly within the receptacle 16 but terminate slightly below the tops of the respective tanks. The water which is introduced into the receptacle 16 rises until it reaches the top of the overow pipes 31 which act to maintain the water within the receptacle 16 at a predetermined level. The water, however, being continually fed into the receptacle 16 results in the overiow being carried off through the overow pipes 31, which communicate through the pipes 30 and the pipes 29 with the wash water tanks 22 through the openings 28 in the bottoms of the tanks. The water within the tanks 22 will rise until it reaches the outlet pipes 32 secured in the upper portions of the tanks 22 and will be carried off through a drain pipe 33 and subsequently through the drain pipe 34 to any suitable sewerage system.

The wash water tanks 22 are provided with independent drains 35 connected to the bottom of the tanks and communicating through manually operated valves 36 with a drain pipe 37 leading to the drain pipe 34. By op eration of the valves 36, the water within the Wash Water tanks 22 can be drained out and the system emptied for cleaning or repair. The receptacle 16 can likewise be drained through the pipe 37 communicating through the manually operated valve 38 with the drain pipe 37.

The fresh water is fed to the receptacle 16 through a hot water supply line` 39 and a cold water supply line 40 into a manually controlled mixing chamber 41 having a discharge pipe 42 communicating with a pipe 43 through a T-section with the pipe 44 extending down the back of the apparatus and through suitable openings in the back 13 of the box structure 10 and receptacle 16 to a position adjacent the coils of the refrigerating unit 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The water. therefore, which is fed into the receptacle 16 is directed against the coils of the refrigerating unit 23. The operation of this refrigerating unit 23 is controlled by a thermostat 45 supported in the end of one of the overiiow pipes 30 and in Contact with the water.

A heating unit 46 is positioned adjacent the Water inlet pipe 44 within the receptacle 16 and preferably su ported from the supporting member 24. his unit is suitably connected in the circuit which controls the operation of the refrigerating unit 23 and if: employed to raise the temperature of the water within the receptacle up to a certain degree. The operation of the unit is controlled by t-he thermostat as, for instance, when the temperature of the water within the receptacle 16 drops a predetermined amount the thermostat 45 is all'ected which causes a switch in the circuit'with the heating unit 46 to be closed and the water is thereby brought up to the desired temperature.

The thermostat 45 is located within easy reach of the person Working at the developingr apparat-us and has a portion extending into the end of the pipe 3() which receives the water overflow from the receptacle 16. It is therefore apparent that the thermostat is all'ected by the changes in temperature of this Water with which it is in contact and by connecting the thermostat to a suitable switch in a circuit with a motor connected to the compressor of the refrigerating unit, the effective operation of the latter' can be c0ntrolled. For instance, if the tl'iermostat is adjusted to maintain the Water within the receptacle 16 at a temperature of 65 F., which is the desirable temperature at which to develop photographie films, any change in the temperature of the water in the receptacle, due to the fresh incoming water or to atmospheric conditions, will aflect the thermostat to an extent of either opening or closing the. switch of the motor circuit, thereby causing operation or non-operation ot' the cornpressor of the refrigerating unit.

In employing the apparatus for the development ot photographic films, the receptacle is continuously supplied with water through the inlet pipe`44. When the level of the Water rises to, the overflow pipes 31, the overflow of water is carried ofi therethrough and to the wash water tanks 22 with which the overflow pipes communicate. The water in the tanks 22 reaching the level ot' the outlet pipes 32 passes out therethrough into the drain 33. Itwill be observed that a continual circulation of Water around the

tanks

20, 21 and 22, through the wash Water tanks 22 and thence out of the apparatusby way ot the outlet pipes 32 is therefore established.

'lhe circulating water can be maintained at should be understood that changes and modifications may be made thereto without dcparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v

1. In an apparatus of the type described, a water receptacle, means for continuousl supplying water thereto, a developing tan adapted to contain a developing solution and positioned in saidv receptacle in contact with said water, a wash water tank positioned in said receptacle, a pipe in said receptacle communicating with said Wash Water tank for continuously supplying said latter tank with Water from vsaid receptacle, means for carrying ofi' the surplus water from said wash Water tank, and means for automatically maintaining said water at predetermined temperatures.

2. In an apparatus of the type described, a water receptacle, means for continuously supplying water thereto, a developing tank adapted to contain a. developing solution and positioned in said receptacle in contact with said water, a wash Water tank positioned in said receptacle, a pipe in said receptacle communicating with said wash Water tank for continuously supplying said latter tank with water from said receptacle, means for carrying ofi' the surplus water from said wash Water tank, a temperature control unit in contact with said water, and means for automatically actuating said unit upon a change in temperature of said water.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, a receptacle adapted to contain water, means for supplying Water thereto, a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a wash tank, means for supplying water to said Wash tank from said receptacle, each of said tanks being positioned in said receptacle and partially submerged in the water, and means for maintaining said water at a predetermined temperature.

4. In an apparatus of the type described, a receptacle, means for'continuously supplying Water thereto, a developing tank of conductive metal positioned in said receptacle in contact with said Water, a fixing tank positioned in said receptacle in contact with said water, a Wash water tank positioned in said receptacle in contact with said water and continuously supplied with water from said receptacle, means for carrying off the oversupply of water from said wash water tank, and means for automatically controlling the temperature of said water Within said receptacle.

5, In an apparatus of the type described, a receptacle, means for continuously supplying Water thereto, a developing tank of conduetive metal positioned in said receptacle in contact with said water, a, fixing tank positioned in said receptacle in contact with said water, a wash water tank positioned in said l tinuously supplying Water to said receptacle so as to freely circulate around said tanks,

means for continuously supplying Water to.

said Wash Water tanks from said receptacle, outlets for the Water in said Wash Water tanks, and means for controlling the temperature of the Water in said receptacle.

7. In an apparatus of the type described, a look-like structure, a receptacle supported therein and insulated therefrom,adeveloping tank, a liking tank, and a Wash Water tank associated with each of said tanks supported in said receptacle, means for continuously1 supplying Water to said receptacle so as to freely circulate around i said tanks, means 'for continuously supplying Water to said Wash Water tanks from said receptacle, out lets for the Water in said Wash Water tanks, a temperature control unit associated with said Water, and means for automatically actuating` said unit upon a change in degree of temperature of said Water.

8. In an apparatus of the type described, a receptacle, a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a. Wash Water tank associated with each oit said tanks supported in said receptacle, means for continuously supplying Water to said receptacle so as tofreely circulatearound said tanks, means for continuously supplying Water to said Wash water tanks from said receptacle, outlets for the Water in said Wash Water tanks, a temperature regulating unit associated with said Water, and means including a thermostat for actuating said unit upon a predetermined drop in the temperature of said water.

9. In an apparatus of the type described, areceptacle, means for continuously supplying water thereto, a developing tank positioned in said receptacle in Contact With said water, a Wash water tank positioned in said receptacle in contact with said Water, conducting means for continuously supplying Water to said Wash tank from said receptacle, and control means positioned in said conducting means for automatically controlling the temperature of the Water Within said receptacle.

l0. In an apparatus of the type described, a receptacle, means for continuously supplying water thereto, a developing tank posisignature.

GEORGE W. HOPKINS.

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