US2892393A

US2892393A - Photographic print basket

Info

Publication number: US2892393A
Application number: US673274A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip E Hixon; Elmer E White
Original assignee: WHITE HIXON LAB Inc
Current assignee: WHITE HIXON LAB Inc; WHITE-HIXON LABORATORIES Inc
Priority date: 1957-07-22
Filing date: 1957-07-22
Publication date: 1959-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-30

Description

June 30, 195 P. E. HIXON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT BASKET 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1957 IN V EN TORS Eva/ E: ///x CZ Vap 67 449/22- P. E. HIXON ETAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT June 30, 1959 BASKET Filed July 22, 1957 INVENTORS P/l/L/P 5 69104 Y Emap Z. Ads :5.

; nmmn June30, 1959 P. E. HIX'ON ETAL 2,892,393

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT BASKET Filed July 22, 1957 3 Sheets-Sneet 3 j' INVENTORS 1031/40: 5 ///xcw By [may t? i United States Patent C 2,892,393 PHDTOGRAPHIC PRIN T BASKET Philip E. Hixon, Wantagh, and Elmer E. White, West Hempstead, N.Y., assignors toWhite-Hixon Lahoratories Inc, Westbury, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application July 22, 19 57, SerialNo. 673,274 6 Claims. (Cl. 95-100) The. present invention relates to the processing of photographic sheet material. More particularly, this invention relates to a receptacle or carrying-basket, hereinafter referred to as a basket, suitable for use in handling color prints and to a process for handling color prints involving the use of said basket. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to provide a satisfactory photographic print basket. However, prior baskets have had various disadvantages as a result of which they have. not gained wide acceptance. One disadvantage of the prior baskets is that they are not sufiiciently rigid, so that the handling of the prints is made diflicult and the results are unsatisfactory with respect to the quality of the prints. Moreover, the screening materials used in the prior baskets left their pattern on the prints. Furthermore, because of the nature of the material. used and the construction of the prior baskets, excessive processing solution is carried over from one tank to the other during processing, so that the various solutions soon become contaminated with the other materials used in the several steps of the processing treatments. As a consequence it has not been possible to obtain, with any degree of consistency, reproducible results of high quality.

It has now been found that the disadvantages of the prior baskets can be avoided by constructing baskets of polyethylene, saran, and other suitable polymeric screening material. The polymeric screening material employed inv accordance with this invention, particularly polyethylene, has a negligible adhesive afiinity for liquids so that the liquid carry-over, due to surface tension, is reduced to a minimum. Moreover, the polyethylene screening material used is inert to chemicals employed in color print processing. This property, together with its low aflinity for liquids, makes it possible for the water to flow rapidly from the basket of this invention.

The features of construction of the present device also avoid many of the disadvantages of the baskets heretofore used in the art. The basket of the instant invention is so constructed and arranged that the prints are kept from touching the screening material. Furthermore, the baskets of this invention have the requisite rigidity and are readily disassembled in order to replace or repair damaged screening material.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a photographic handling basket having separators or screens made of polymeric material.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a photographic handling basket having separators or screens of polymeric material as Well as structural details giving said basket the requisite rigidity.

, It is another object of the present invention to provide a photographic handling basket having screens of polymeric material and means for preventing the photographic paper from adhering to the screening material.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a photographic handling basket having screens of polymeric material, which basket is adjustable so that it can handle photographic sheet material of various size.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convenient method for processing photographic prints which avoids the difiiculty of the prior art processes. Other objects and advantages of this invention will, be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the drawings wherein preferred embodiments of this invention are shown, I I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a photographic print basket in accordance withthe present invention,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken, along line. 22 of Figure 1 in the direction of the-arrows,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view ofa section of Figure 2 illustrating the details of the V-shaped slot construction at the base of the pockets as seen in Figure 2',

Figure 4 is an exploded detail view of a portion of Figure 1 illustrating the manner in whichthe stainless steel angle is assembled at the corners of the device,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one of the screens shown in Figure 4 showing the means for attaching the polyethylene screening material to the bar from which it depends,

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken along line 6-6 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 6 taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6 in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of an embodiment of this invention illustrating the use of a divider means to accommodate various. size photographic paper,

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view ofthe device taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8 in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of another embodia ment of this invention illustrating a two-sectional de: vice which may be assembled for use in processing a large number of photographic prints.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the basket is designated generally by reference numeral 2 and comprises two

end walls

4 and 4, a wire mesh floor 5 and a stainless steel frame designated generally by reference numeral 6, which serves to connect

end walls

4 and 4 and wire mesh floor 5 together. A series of screens 7 of polyethylene, saran or other suitable polymeric. material are disposed between end walls 4 and 4' and are contained within the frame 6 in a manner hereinafter described in detail. Basket 2 is also provided with a pair of handles 3 secured to frame 6 as shown in Figure 2.

End walls 4 and 4' are of the same construction, and

comprise a plurality of vertically extending plastic bars 8. These bars are constructed of any suitable plastic material having sufficient rigidity to maintain its shape when the basket is assembled. By way of illustration, plastic bars 3 may be made of methyl methacrylate polymer. The plastic bars 8 are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced aligned holes. These holes are aligned with holes provided in vertically extending side frame members 12.

End walls 4 and 4' are formed by assembling a series of plastic bars 3 and positioning a pair of frame mem-. bers 12 adjacent to the end bars oftheassembly. Stainless steel tie rods 16 having threaded ends are then passed through the holes provided in bars 8 andas well as those provided in frame members 12. The assembly is held together by means of stainless steel nuts 18 which are screwed onto the threaded ends of rods 16'. End frame members 19 and horizontally extending side frame members 20 are provided with a hole at each end in alignment with the similar holes in bars 8, near the ends thereof. I members 20 are also secured to

end walls

4 and 4" by End frame members 19 and said frame.

upper end frame members 19 are fitted over the grooved upper surfaces of the bars 8 and are adapted to hold ends of rods 22 carrying screens 7 in position.

The wire mesh basket bottom 5 is preferably made of wide mesh, e.g. #2 mesh, stainless steel material and may be retained in place in any suitable manner. Thus, for example, the bottom 5 may be made integral with the lower end frame members 19, or may be removably secured to lower end frame members 19 and/ or lower side frame member 20.

As indicated above basket 2 is provided with a series of screens 7 made of polyethylene screening material carried by rods 22 which are supported, when assembled, as illustrated in Figure 4. The screens 7 may be secured to rods 22 in any suitable manner. Thus, Figure 5 illustrates one method of securing the screens 7 to rods 22. In this illustration rod '22 is shown as a hollow tube, preferably made of polyethylene or other suitable synthetic polymeric material, which receives an end of the screen through a slit provided in the tube.

Screens 7 are secured at their lower edges to the stainless steel screen floor 5 by means of polyethylene thread or cord 24 which is laced through the end interstices of screens 7 and those in bottom 5 along the whole lower edge of screen 7 as illustrated in Figure 3. This affords a V-shaped trough or pocket 28 adjacent to the lower portions of adjoining screens 7.

The mesh of the polyethylene screening used for screens 7 is of sufficient size to permit easy flow of liquids therethrough and to reduce to a minimum the amount of liquid that adheres to the basket on removing it from the treating tank. Preferably the polyethylene screens are made of the material known in the art as Linoweave Polyethylene which has a #4 mesh.

An important feature of the present invention is the rigidity of the basket, making for easy handling thereof. This rigidity is provided by using stainless steel end frame members 19 and side frame members 12 and which, when assembled and fastened to end

walls

4 and 4 and bottom 5, form a rigid frame.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a basket which may be readily disassembled in order to replace or repair damaged screening material. This is effected by simply unscrewing nuts 18 which serve to hold the assembly together and removing tie rods 16, whereupon the frame and plastic bars 8 may be easily separated and the elements removed or repaired in position.

In the use of the basket of this invention the prints are dropped into the pockets formed between the polyethylene screens. Normally, two prints are placed in each pocket in back to back relation. The prints stand on edge and the V-shaped trough at the bottom of the pockets serves to keep the prints in predetermined position relative to screens 7. The prints are moved during the processing by the intermittent discharge of an inert gas, e.g. nitrogen, from the bottom of the tank. When the nitrogen emerges from the bottom of the tank and enters the basket it tends, by virtue of the V-shaped trough construction of the basket, to force the prints away from the screens 7.

Figures 8 and 9 are illustrative of another embodiment of this invention. This embodiment is of substantially the same general construction shown in Figures 1 to 7, but shows pocket dividing means and additional means for making the assembly more rigid. Referring to Figure 8, there are shown two longitudinally-extending divider rod supporting means 29, each disposed on opposite sides of basket 2. The basket is also provided with two horizontally-disposed divider rod supporting means 30 also disposed on each side of the basket and located as shown in Figure 8. Divider supporting means 29 are secured at top and bottom thereof to upper and lower frame members 14 by means of a nut-and-bolt assembly 32. Divider rod supporting means 30 is secured at one end to frame member 12 and at its other end to divider rod supporting means 29.

Each divider

rod supporting means

29 and 30 is provided with a series of holes which are aligned with a similar series of holes in the corresponding member on the other side of the basket. A series of aligned holes at the same levels are also formed in the screens 7. Divider rods 34, preferably made of steel, are passed through the holes in the divider

rod supporting means

29 and 30, and screens 7 are supported near their ends by said supporting means.

The divider rods may be used when it is desired to process a larger number of smaller prints. Ordinarily, the modification of this invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 will contain nine pockets and will accommodate eighteen 16 X 20 prints. However, by virtue of the divider means, this modification is adaptable for use in processing eighteen 8 X 10 prints and eighteen 11 x 14 prints at the same time. This modification is also provided with an additional means for giving rigidity to the basket 2. For this purpose, it is equipped with a stainless rod 35 on each side of the basket. The stainless steel rods 35 are suitably secured to the frame members 12 at each end of the basket as illustrated in Figure 8.

The modification of this invention shown in Figure 10 has the same general features of construction as described above, except that the basket is built in two sections, each section being preferably one-half the height of the modifications of this invention described above. The sections are constructed so that they may be stacked one on top of the other and locked in position. For this purpose, any suitable locking means, for example, hinged locking means 36, may be employed. This construction enables the processing of seventy-two 8 x 10 prints at one time, since each of the sections may have nine pockets 2i inches in length and each pocket may be divided in half by stainless steel divider rods 34 to give 18 pockets. Each section, therefore, is capable of carrying 36 prints.

This invention has been illustrated by several specific embodiments described above. However, various modifications in design may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising two end walls, a bottom, a plurality of screens of polymeric material disposed between said two end walls, means for removably securing said screens to said bottom, removable rigid frame means adapted to hold said end walls, said bottom and said plurality of screens together, said end walls comprising a plurality of removably secured rod elements having means for supporting said screens, and separable bars for supporting rods there between the construction and arrangement being such that said basket may be disassembled for the purpose of replacing or repairing damaged screens.

2. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising two end walls, a bottom, a plurality of polyethylene, screens disposed between said two end walls, means for removably securing said screens to said bottom, removable rigid frame means adapted to hold said end walls, said bottom and said plurality of polyethylene screens together, said end walls comprising a plurality of removably secured rod elements having means for supporting said polyethylene screens, and separable bars for supporting said rod elements therebetween, the construction and arrangement being such that said basket may be disassembled for the purpose of replacing or repairing damaged polyethylene screens.

3. A basket according to claim 2 wherein the bottom of said basket between said polyethylene screens is provided with a V-shaped trough.

4. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising a stainless steel frame, two end walls, a perforate bottom, and a plurality of polyethylene screens all carried by and removably secured to said frame, said two end walls comprising a plurality of vertically extending plastic bars that are removably secured to each other and which are provided with means at the upper edges thereof for supporting said polyethylene screen means, said polyethylene screens being disposed between said end walls and supported above thereby and also being secured along their lower edges to said perforate bottom whereby pockets are formed whose side walls are made of polyethylene screening material, the bottom of said pocket being in the form of V-shaped trough.

5. A basket for use in processing photographic prints comprising a stainless steel frame, two end walls, a perforate bottom, and a plurality of polyethylene screens all carried by and removably secured to said frame, said two end walls comprising a plurality of vertically extending plastic bars removably secured to each other and provided with means at the upper edges thereof for supporting said polyethylene screens, said polyethylene screens being disposed between and supported above said end walls and also being secured along their lower edges to said perforate bottom, whereby pockets are formed whose side walls are made of the polyethylene screens, the bottom of said pockets being in the form of a V-shaped trough, and a plurality of removable divider means extending through said basket, whereby said basket is adapted for use with various size photographic prints.

6. A two-section basket for use in processing photographic prints, one section being adapted to be stacked on another section and removably secured thereto, each section comprising a stainless steel frame, two end walls, a perforate bottom, and a plurality of polyethylene screens all removably secured to said frame said two end walls comprising a plurality of vertically extending plastic rods removably secured to each other, which rods are provided with means at the upper edges thereof for supporting said polyethylene screens, said polyethylene screens being disposed between and supported above said end walls and also being secured along their lower edges to said perforate bottom, whereby pockets are formed whose side walls are made of polyethylene screening material, the bottom of said pockets being in the form of a V-shaped trough, and a plurality of divider means extending through said sections, whereby each section is adapted for use with various size photographic prints.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 846,109 Johnson Mar. 5, 1907 1,194,321 Randall Aug. 8, 1916 1,232,900 Dickson July 10, 1917 2,067,933 Krupa Jan. 19, 1937 2,106,751 Krupa Feb. 1, 1938 2,489,892 Jenkins Nov. 29, 1949 2,839,978 Trump June 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 506,553 France June 1, 1920 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics, vol. 25, number 6 for February 1945, page 76 cited.