US2539884A

US2539884A - Fluid pumping film reel

Info

Publication number: US2539884A
Application number: US130427A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert M Barth
Original assignee: Fr Corp
Current assignee: Fr Corp
Priority date: 1949-12-01
Filing date: 1949-12-01
Publication date: 1951-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-30

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 R. M. BARTH FLUID PUMPING FILM REEL Filed Dec. 1, 1949 IN V EN TOR. P055??- M. QT/f A TTORNE YS Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE 2,539,884 FLUID PUMPING FILM REEL V'Roberth Barti1,"ieiham Manor, NrY., assignor to theFR Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Appiieaimnnecniber 1, 1949, serial N0. 130,427

. 3 Glainis. 1 The present invention relates generally to the art of photography. In particular it relates to the art of and apparatus for processing photographic or other film by subjecting same to the action of chemicals in fluid state. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to the apparatus wherein photographic film is disposed during processing by suitable fiuids of the type including a film supporting reel shown, for eX- ample, in Naylor and Fink U. S. 1fatent No. 2,298,963.

Experience'rhas shown that vit ishighly desirable 'in the development of photographic lm to agitate the same during the period of immersion thereof inthe developing fiuid. Proper agitation duringsuch immersion makes for evenness in the processing, if the entire area of the film is con-` tacted by the processing uids. Proper agitation also removes air bubbles on the film surface, thereby eliminating spots and the like. This agitation has been accomplished in previous constructions either by whirling the reel supporting the film within the tank or by rocking the tank on a, suitable support. These, however, are -haphazard methods, reflected in streaks and unevenly exposed areas. So far as is presently known, there is no device which functions positively to direct the iiuids forcefully through the nlm convolutions so as to ensure contact of the entire area of the lm being treated,

The main object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a film tank cornprising a casing having a rotatable film supporting reel therewithin, on which reel the film is wound in spaced convolutions, or otherwise held in spaced relation, rotation of which reel causes a positive and direct movement of the processing fluids within the tank across the entire surface of the lm being processed.

Another object of the present invention is in the provision of a device of the character described, wherein the film supporting reel is formed of a pair of spaced discs, each including a plurality of radially extending ribs, the upper and lower surfaces of which ribs are angled from the horizontal so that on rotation of the reel, a pumping action will be developedby the movement of the angled faces through the processing fluid.

With the device of my invention, a turbine effect is developed upon rotation of the reel within the tank whereby the rib portions of the reel will pump or force the fluid into and between the film convolutions, as a result of which the entire surface of the nlm will be contacted by and sub- 2 jected to the action of the film processing fluids.

Other, further and more specific objects vofthe present invention will inpart be obvious and'in part pointed out specifically in the following description of an illustrative embodiment. y

In the drawings "annei'ed hereto and 'forming a part hereof, j j p y Figure 1 is a vertical section through one form of device constructed according to and embodying my invention; y v l Figure 2 is a plan view of a disc component;

Figure 3 isa section on the line 3-'43 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 ure 2; and

Figure 5 isv a perspective view, from the underside, of a portion of the're'eldisc, partly broken away.

The `reel of my inventionis indicated generally by refernce numeral "la, andfco'riiprises a pairfof circular discs |12, i2.L In use, discs l2, I2 are spaced apart in parallel relationship o n a shaft i4, and maintained in a predetermined relative position by any suitable means. If desired, one of the discs may be formed as an integral part of the shaft I4, as is conventional in the art.

Each disc I2, formed as by molding, stamping otherwise, of plastic material or the like, comprises a circular outer ring i8, a film entrance opening 2U thereinto, and a helical wall 22, coiling inwardly from the periphery of the disc, adjacent opening 20, to a point adjacent the apertured centrally disposed core 2E. Core 26 is apertured, as at 24. The convolutions of Wall 22 dene a helical lm receiving groove or path 28. The helically winding wall 22 is supported from the underside thereof by a plurality of radial ribs or vanes 30, extending fromV outer ring I8 to core 25. In addition, a number of shorter supporting ribs or

vanes

32, 32 may be provided, reaching from outer ring IB to a point short of core 26.

)In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, eight full ribs or vanes 3i). 35i are provided, with eight stub ribs or vanes 32, S2, the full and stub ribs being alternately placed, thereby providing openings as Mi, iii between the convolutions of wall 22 adjacent ring i8, and openings 4'2, d2 adjacent core 25 for the free passage of fluid through the disc.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5, each of ribs 3S. .'52 is formed, in section, as an elongated member, the upper and lower sides 5B, E@ of which are angled from the horizontal. rEhe degree of angularity need be of such order as to develop a pOS- is atsection on the line 4-'4 Vof lFigtive driving movement of the fluid, and E haveA found, for example, that an angularity of 18 is quite satisfactory. The invention, howeve; is not to be so limited, except by the appended claims. When a pair of discs l2, i2 are spaced apart on support, as ifi, with openings 2?, in alignment, a film strip iii? may be threaded into the reel thus formed, either by attachment to the shaft id or cores Q, 26, and thence around iilin path 28 to the outer portion of the reei, ci' the film may be pushed into the reel from opening 2t thence inwardly along path 28 until the end of the lil-in is inserted in stop pocket 52. When the film is inserted in the reel, with the disc of Figure 2 as the lower one and a disc oi opposite curvature in respect of wall 22, the leading end of the strip will ride up the inclined top sides 5i), 5&3, of the nrst ribs 33a and thereafter slide inwardly between the opposed discs around the helical path 28. As seen in Figure l, the

walls

22, 22 dene opposing and aligned

pathn ways

28, 28, spacing apart the necessary convolutions of the lm. In Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that portions of the ribs project up into the lm receiving path,

When the film-loaded reel is then disposed within a suitable container or tank shell, as iii, and immersed in the processing fluid disposed therewithin, all parts of the lm will, or should normally, be contacted by the said huid. With the reel constructed as above described, on clockwise rotation of the reel, via actuation of shaft IQ., the angled upper faces of ribs Sii, 32 will move the fluid, and force saine upwardly through openings QE, d2 thereby ensuring a posiu tive directed movement and turhulation of the fluids against all surfaces of the nlm. When rotated counterclockwisely, the lower angled faces of ribs 3h, 32 will force the fiuid downwardly against the bottom of the container "iii and thence upwardly through openings fi'i, s2, securing the same directed and positive movement of the pros essing uids. Rotated in either direction, my

reel will develop a positive movement of the prociessing huid directing and forcing the fluid between the spaced iilin convolutions.

Having described my invention, what clair-.i and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A nlm supporting reel including a centrally disposed shaft, a pair of circular discs thereon spaced apart along the length of the shaft, a continuous helical Wall on each disc extending around the disc from a point adjacent the cente of the disc to a point on the periphery oi the disc, the wall convolutions of one disc opposing the wall convolutions of the other disc deiining a film receiving and retaining trackway, and means on the discs to support the convolutions of the continuous wall, which means comprise a plurality of ribs integral with the wall on the outer aspects of the discs extending axially thereof, the upper and lower surfaces of the ribs being angled with respect to the planes of discs.

2. .A film supporting reel as in claim l, in which only certain of the ribs extend the full distance from the outer periphery of the to the inner margin thereof.

3. A film sup zting reel as in ciaiin l, in which the angled ribs project into and between the wall convolutions but to a point spaced intvardiy of the tops of the walls.

ROBERT li/i. BARTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,843,317 Davidge Feb. 2, i932 2,187,948 Moore Jan. 23, i940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 598,532 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1948