US3117507A

US3117507A - Method and an apparatus for developing copies

Info

Publication number: US3117507A
Application number: US19835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Limberger Walter
Original assignee: Lumoprint Zindler KG and Co GmbH
Current assignee: Lumoprint Zindler KG and Co GmbH
Priority date: 1960-04-04
Filing date: 1960-04-04
Publication date: 1964-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1981-01-14

Description

- Jan. 14, 1964 w. LIMBERGER 3,117,507

METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Filed April 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 14, 1964 w. LIMBERGER 3,117,507

METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Filed April 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,117,507 METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Walter Limberger, Hamburg, Germany, assignor to Lumoprint Zindler KG, Hamburg, Germany Filed Apr. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 19,835 (Ilaims. (Cl. 95-89) This invention relates to an apparatus for developing copies in which layer carriers are fed into a fluid and in which at least two layer carriers are transported out of the liquid by means of a pair of transporting rollers simultaneously pressing diem together by means of a pair of squeezing rollers.

Particularly this invention is concerned with the utilization of a diffusion method, in which negative and positive sheets of paper are kept separate outside of the liquid and are fed separately into the liquid. lt is well known to feed the layer carriers through separate feedin slots which may for example be arranged at one side of the apparatus. Guiding surfaces adjoin these feeding slots and extend into the liquid and being curved in such a way that they will lead to a. pair of squeezing and transporting rollers which for example are partly arranged within the liquid in such a way, that the contacting surfaces and the outlet nip of the rollers are lying above the liquid.

In devices of this type the layer carriers are thus moved through the liquid and there is generally no possibility of letting the layer carriers rest for a certain time in the liquid. In this it should be considered that the leading edges of the layer carriers have completely passed the feeding slots. Even if the pair of squeezing and transporting rollers are kept at a standstill after the layer carriers have been introduced, only a certain section of the layer carriers can be treated in the liquid. If it is required to provide a possibility for letting the layer carriers completely rest in the liquid for a certain time, additional and voluminous driven transporting means must be provided, and in addition to that, the apparatus would have to be dimensioned considerably langer than the known apparatuses are already. Due to their construction the known apparatuses show already a relatively large evaporating surface for the liquid.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method and an apparatus for developing copies avoiding the disadvantages of the known methods and devices and which, besides this, have extremely small dimensions and a minimum evaporating surface for the liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to be readily mounted on exposure devices making it possible to supplement existing exposure devices so as to dorm complete devices for making copies without increasing the required space worth mentioning.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new method according to which the treatment of the layer carriers is carried out in such a way that they are moved forwards and backwards within the developing liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new apparatus inwhich the layer carriers are moved out tl'irough the same slots through which they have been inserted.

These and other objects of the invention are solved in the following manner:

According to the invention the method for diffusionice developing of copies using an exposed negative layer carrier with the latent image thereon and a positive layer carrier to which the developed image is transferred is carried out by wetting both layer carriers with developing liquid and pressing them together whereby both layer carriers are fed into a bath container with developing liquid in which they are immersed moving them forwards and backwards and out of which they are moved in the opposite direction squeezing them together for a moment after they have left the liquid.

An advantageous embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out this method comprises movable guide elements arranged within the developing liquid serving to guide the layer carriers when they are moved outwardly to the pair of squeezing and transporting rollers. Suitably the guide elements are formed by rollers or wheels provided with a rubber surface and movable as well as driven in dependence on the drive of the pair of squeezing rollers. The movement preferably takes place in form of pivoting.

According to one embodiment of the invention the rollers of the pair of squeezing rollers are rigidly mounted in the upper part of said cage forming pivotal guide elements. Below the pair of squeezing rollers the layer carriers are received by the cage and guided into the middle of the lower container part. When the pair of squeezing rollers are driven the upper edges of the layer carriers are moved towards each other due to the pivoted guide elements so that they will be positioned below the nip of the pair of squeezing roller.

According to an especially preferred embodiment of the invention the rollers of the pair of squeezing rollers are movable away from each other. In this embodiment the layer carriers are moved from above through the space between the squeezing rollers into a cage of the container. in order to move the layer carriers outwardly the squeezing rollers are pressed together by means of a suitable mechanism which at the same time will also move the guide elements into their operating position.

Preferably the cage is made basket-like for example out of wire or plastic material. The invention also includes an embodiment of the cage made of perforated and corrugated guide element-s in form of plates. A toggle joint or a device using an eccentric is suitably pro-- vided for separating the pair of squeezing rollers as well as the guide'elements. The actuating lever of this mechanism may, according to one embodiment, be opera-ted independently of thedrive or" the pair of squeezing rollers. According to another embodiment the actuating lever is operated in dependence of the switching on or of the drive, for example by means of a sliding clutch and resilient locking means.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become evident from the following description of several embodiments given by way of example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view along the line I-I in FIG. 2,

FlG. 2 is a split view of the apparatus seen from the left in FIG. 1, partially in section and partially in elevation,

PEG. 3 shows an elevation of a modified embodiment of the apparatus,

FIG. 4 is a partial view illustrating the support of a squeezing and transporting roller, and

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of an arrangement for releasably locking the squeezing and transporting rollers in engaging or spaced positions.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a narrow container 1 the height and length of which correspond substantially to the size of the layer carriers to be treated.

In the illustrated embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 the container 1 has an open top. The upper surface of the container has a width dimensioned with respect to the separating movement of the squeezing and transporting rollers in such a way that there remains a sufficiently wide slot between them for introducing the layer carriers after the squeezing and transporting rollers have been moved apart. It is to be noted that the invention includes the possibility to provide a separate container cover having an introduction slot. In the illustrated embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 the squezing and transporting rollers practically extending over the whole length of the container are serving to cover the upper surface except for the slot which must remain open for introducing the layer carriers.

The bottom of the container may be smaller in width than the upper surface. Therefore according to a suitable embodiment the container shown in FIG. 1 is converging downwardly. Only one side wall of the container shown in FIG. 1 extends somewhat inclinedly while the other wall extends vertically to facilitate its mounting on another apparatus.

Within the upper part of the container 1 the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 are movably supported. In the illustrated embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 the squeezing and transporting rollers have their

shafts

27, 28 rotatably mounted on a pantograph-like element comprising the pivoting levers 4, 5 pivotally arranged on a bolt 6 provided on each one of the face walls of the container.

A hand lever 9 has a pivot member 8 which is pivotally mounted in a wall of the container 1, and a lever 24 is secured at its middle to said pivot member 8 so that pivotal movement of said member 8 by means of the hand lever 9 causes the arms of said lever 24 to move in opposite di- 1 rections along a curved path having its center in the center of the pivot member 8. An arm of said lever 24 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 25 with one end of a link 29 which has its other end rotatably mounted on the shaft 27, while the other arm of said lever 24 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 26 with one end of a link 30 which has its other end rotatably mounted on the shaft 28. It is obvious, therefore, that if the hand lever 9 with the pivot member 8 is rotated in counter-clockwise direction (FIG. 1) the lever 24 will also rotate in the same direction and by means of the links 29, 30 move the pressure rollers 2, 3 on the pin 6 towards one another until gears 13, 17 secured to the rollers 2, 3 are in meshing engagement. Such movement of the pressure rollers 2, 3 is made possible by the fact that the wall of the container is provided with arcuate slots, similar to the slot 44 in FIG. 3, through which the shafts 2'7, 28 extend. Such slots may also be provided in the opposite wall of the container 1 to aid in the guidance of the

shafts

27, 28. One or the other of the

shafts

27, 28 is non-rotatably connected at the right end wall with a hand crank 49 shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a resilient support of a squeezing and transporting roller at the upper part of the lever 4.

The upper end of this lever is pivotally connected with the lever 29 by a pin 31.

According to FIG. 4 for example, the shaft 27' of the resiliently supported squeezing and transporting rollers 2 is contrary to FIG. 1 not disposed at the place of the pivot pin 31 but within a slide 32 movable in lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the arm 4, said slide being urged by a spring 33 towards the middle of the apparatus. This spring is compressed when the squeezing and transporting rollers are moved together and urged against each other.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a catch structure for the linkage 24, 2% 30. In this embodiment the pivoting lever 24 and the levers 29 and 30 pivotally connected therewith are arranged at the inner side of the face wall 34 of the container. The hand lever 9 is for instance rotatably supported within a sleeve 35 provided on this face wall. A projection 36 having a bore coaxially aligned with the bearing bore is fastened on the outside of the face wall 34. The face of the projection 36 remote from the wall 34 is provided with teeth 37 having evenly inclining or declining flanks.

The teeth 37 mesh with correspondingly formed teeth provided on a disc 38. The disc 38 has a center bore through which the hand lever 9 extends. The disc 38 is connected with the hand lever 9 in a nonrotatable but axially movable manner and is pressed by the spring 39 against the projection 36 with the teeth engaging each other. The disc 38 for instance is guided within a cup shaped housing 4 2 which is rigidly connected with the hand lever 9. The disc 38 is guided by

projections

40, 41 provided on the housing 42 extending into corresponding grooves arranged on the disc 38. The spring 39 is arranged between the face wall of the housing 42 and the face of the disc 38 or the bottom of a recess provided in this side of the disc 38.

According to another embodiment any suitable eccentric means may be provided for accomplishing the movement of the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 which may also be operated in a similar manner by snapping elements or an adjusting device having dead center positions.

The pivoting levers 4, 5, due to the low position of the pivot pin 6, extend into the liquid and carry guide elements 10, 11 also extending into the liquid. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 these guide elements or transfer element are formed by rollers or wheels provided with an elastic surface. The guide elements are supported by the pivoting levers 4, 5 in such a way, that they will become effective, when the squeezing and transporting rollers engage each other. The rollers 10, 11 are serving the purpose of transporting the layer carriers, which are entirely immersed in the developing liquid, to the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 when the layer carriers are to be moved out of the apparatus.

It is to 'be noted that the layer carriers are not immediately pressed together within the liquid. For this purpose an engaging surface 12 has been provided in the zone of the rollers 10,11 against which the layer carriers are pressed by the rollers 10, 11.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 one roller each '10 or 11 has been arranged in the middle zone of the container. The engaging surface 12 is of very little extent just adequate for engaging the rollers 10, 11. Thus the entire wetting of the layer carriers with developing liquid is not significantly restricted by the engaging surface 12.

FIG. 2 shows that the rollers 10, 11, are each mounted on a

shaft

13, 13 which is rotatably supported by the pivoting levers 4, 5 and the shaft 13 is shown as carrying a pulley 14 at its end which is driven via a belt 15 by a pulley '16 mounted on :the shaft of the squeezing roller which is arranged on the same pivoting lever. The squeezing roller may according to one embodiment be driven manually by means of a crank and according to another embodiment by means of an electric motor.

The drive by a crank 49 is schematicaly shown in FIG. 2 at the right hand side. In this embodiment the crank shaft extends through a slot in the face wall of the container corresponding to the path of movement when the squeezing rollers are pivoted.

In FIG. 3 an example for a motor drive is shown. At the face wall of the container the slot 44 is shown through which the shaft 27 of one squeezing and transporting roller extends to pivot with the pivoting lever. A pulley 45 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft. Another pulley 46 is fixed on the drive shaft of a motor 47 which for example may be mounted on the wall of the container. The

pulleys

46 and 45 are drivably connected by an endless helical spring 48.

A cage 19 is arranged within the container 1 which is made basket-like and adapted to hold the layer carriers in an upright position within the container 1. The passage of the fluid through the cage is obtained by providing great spaces between the parts of the cage and other guide elements. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the cage '19 is made of wires 76, 77 the upper ends of Which are resiliently urged to contact the shafts 13 and *13" respectively. These wires are disposed in rows parallel with the pivoting rollers 2, 3. By utilizing the resiliency of the wires a spring action is attained at the same time holding the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 in their separated position.

The cage 19 as a whole consists of several guide elements all of which may be required or only some of them. The first guide elements 12; provide an engaging surface between the rotatable guide rollers llil, 11 in a vertical direction. A second stationary guide element 20 is arranged in the same vertical plane with the first guide element 12 formed by a middle rod which allows the liquid to pass freely. Sidewardly of this second guide element 23 the third guide elements 76, 77 are provided which also allow the developing liquid to pass freely through the cage. The

guide elements

20, 76, 77 form the cage within which the layer carriers are maintained within the developing liquid.

According to FIG. 1 fourth guide elements 78, 79 are for example integrally formed with the guide elements 76, 77 and extend substantially between the guide elements 1G, 11 and one of the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 to ensure a guidance between the guide means and the squeezing and transporting rollers. When the illustrated apparatus is used a negative and a positive layer carrier are inserted with layers facing each other between the separated transporting and squeezing rollers '2, 3 in the direction indicated by the arrows 21, 22'. The layer carriers glide into the cage 19 and drop by gravity to the lower end of the cage. After the layer carriers have remained a sufficiently long time within the liquid, the level of which is just below the squeezing and transporting rollers Z, 3, the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 are for instance pulled together by actuating the hand lever 9 and in the relevant case pressed against each other by means of the springs 33. It is to be noted that this action may also be initiated automatically in dependence of the setting of a timing device.

By moving the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 together the rollers 10, 1 1 are likewise urged against the engaging surface 12 due to the pivoting movement of the pivoting levers 4, 5, one layer carrier being disposed on either side of the engaging surface between the latter and one of the rollers 10, 11. After the squeezing and transporting rollers 2, 3 have been moved together their drive is either automatically or manually switched on at the same time driving the rollers 16, '11 via the belt drives 15, 15 thus moving the layer carriers towards the pair of squeezing and transporting rollers. The upper edges of the layer carrier-s move in between the squeezing and transporting rollers, are engaged by them and are trans ported upwardly out of the apparatus at the same place where they have been introduced simultaneously squeezing the adhering liquid off from the layer carriers.

What I claim is:

1. A diffusion development apparatus, comprising, a container having an opening at the top thereof and being adapted to hold a developing solution up to a predetermined level, a pair of pressure rollers, means rotatably supporting said pressure rollers above said predetermined level, first guide means stationarily mounted in said container below said predetermined level and in a position to permit insertion of a photographic sheet to be developed at each side of said first guide means, a pair of transfer elements, means movably mounting said transfer elements below said pressure rollers and below said predetermined level one at each side of said first guide means and adjacent thereto in positions to engage said sheets on the sides thereof facing away from said first guide means, means for rotating said pair of pressure rollers in opposite directions, means pivotally connected with the container and carrying said pressure rollers so as to render them movable into and out of engagement with each other, said last-mentioned means also being connected with said transfer elements for moving them relative to said first guide means first in one direction when the pressure rollers are disengaged from each other to permit introduction between said pressure rollers of one of said sheets at each side of said first guide means between said first guide means and the respective transfer element, and then in the opposite direction for moving said sheets upwardly out of the container while pressed against each other by said pressure rollers when said pressure rollers are engaged with each other.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, including second guide means stationarily mounted in said container in the same vertical plane as said first guide means which plane extends parallel with the axes of said pressure rollers, said second guide means extending substantially from the level of said first guide means to the bottom of said container, and said second guide means being sufficiently perforated to permit substantially free movement of the developing solution within the container.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, including third guide means stationarily mounted in said container in planes parallel with said second guide means and spaced therefrom at both sides thereof, said third guide means being sufiiciently perforated to permit substantially free movement of the developing solution within the container, whereby said second and third guide means form an open cage with two adjacent parallel and substantially vertical compartments for receipt of said sheets one in each compartment.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said transfer elements comprise apair of transfer rollers, and means connected with said transfer rollers for rotating the same together in opposite directions.

5. A diffusion development apparatus, comprising, a container having an opening at the top thereof and being adapted to hold a developing solution up to a predetermined level, a pair of pressure rollers, lever means rotatabily connecting said pressure rollers with said container above said predetermined level, first guide means stationarily mounted in said container below said predetermined level and in a position to permit insertion of a photographic sheet to be developed at each side of said first guide means, a pair of transfer rollers mounted in said container below said predetermined level, means rotatably connecting said transfer rollers with said lever means one at each side of said first guide means and adjacent thereto in positions to engage said sheets on the sides thereof facing away from said first guide means, means connected with said transfer rollers for rotating the same together in opposite directions, thereby to cause corresponding movement of said sheets clamped against opposite sides of said first guide means by said rotatable transfer rollers, second guide means stationarily mounted in said container in the same vertical plane as said first guide means and which plane extends parallel with the axes of said pressure rollers, said second guide means extending substantially from the level of said first guide means to the bottom of said container, third guide means stationarily mounted in said container in planes parallel with said second guide means and spaced therefrom. at both sides thereof, said second and third guide means being sulficiently perforated to permit substantially free movement of the developing solution within the container, whereby said second and third guide means form an open cage with two adjacent parallel and substantially vertical compartments for receipt of said sheets one in each compartment, fourth guide means extending substantially from said transfer rollers to said pressure rollers for guiding said sheets during their movements into and out of said cage, said lever means comprising two pairs of levers, means pivotally connecting one of said pairs of levers with one of two oppositely disposed walls of said container below said predetermined level with the levers extending upwardly to above said predetermined level and rotatably supporting said pressure rollers in parallel relationship on the upper ends of said levers, means for moving said levers on their pivot points to move said pressure rollers towards and from each other, and means secured to said pressure rollers and adapted when said pressure rollers are closest to each other to couple said pressure rollers to each other so that rotation of one of said pressure rollers in one direction causes rotation of the other pressure roller in the opposite direction.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said means for moving said levers on their pivot points includes a linkage arrangement.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said means for moving said levers on their pivot points includes eccentric means.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, including an operating handle, and means connecting said operating handle with said means for moving said levers on their pivot points so as to releasably lock said levers in their adjusted pivotal positions.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said third and fourth guide means are integral, and shafts parallel with the axes of said pressure rollers interconnecting each of the levers in one of said pairs of levers with the corresponding lever in the other pair of levers, said transfer rollers being mounted on said shafts and said integral guide means being resiliently biased against said shafts.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said second, third, and fourth guide means comprise a plurality of substantially upright wires.

ll. A diffusion development apparatus, comprising, a container having an opening at the top thereof and being adapted to hold a developing solution up to a predetermined level, a pair of pressure rollers, means rotatably supporting said pressure rollers above said predetermined level, first guide means stationarily mounted in said container below said predetermined le el and in a position to permit insertion of a photographic sheet to be developed at each side of said first guide means, a pair of transfer rollers mounted in said container below said predetermined level, means rotatably mounting said transfer rollers below said pressure rollers and below said predetermined level one at each side of said first guide means and adjacent thereto in positions to engage said sheets on the sides thereof facing away from said first guide means, means for rotating said pair of pressure rollers in opposite directions, means connected with said transfer rollers for rotating the same together in opposite directions, thereby to cause corresponding movement of said sheets clamped against opposite sides of said first guide means by said rotatable transfer rollers, means pivotally connecting said means supporting the pressure rollers with the container, operating means mounted on the container, and means pivotally mounted on said container and connected with said operating means and with each of said pressure roller supporting means, whereby operation of said operating means in one direction causes said pressure rollers to be moved into engagement with each other, while operation of said operating means in the opposite direction causes said pressure rollers to be moved away from each other to form an open introduction slot between said pressure rollers.

12. A diffusion development apparatus, comprising, a container having an opening at the top thereof and being adapted to hold a developing solution up to a predetermined level, a pair of pressure rollers, means rotatably supporting said pressure rollers above said predetermined level, first guide means stationarily mounted in said container below said predetermined level and in a position to permit insertion of a photographic sheet to be developed at each side of said first guide means, a pair of transfer rollers mounted in said container below said predetermined level on said means supporting the pressure rollers and one at each side of said first guide means and adjacent thereto in positions to engage said sheets on the sides thereof facing away from said first guide means, means for rotating said pair of pressure rollers in opposite directions, means connected with said transfer rollers for rotating the same together in opposite directions, thereby to cause corresponding movement of said sheets clamped against opposite sides of said first guide means by said rotatable transfer rollers, two pairs of levers, means pivotally connecting one of said pairs of levers with one of two oppositely disposed walls of said container below said predetermined level with the levers extending upwardly to above said predetermined level and rotatably supporting said pressure rollers in parallel relationship on the upper ends of said levers, means for moving said levers on their pivot points to move said pressure rollers towards and from each other, and means secured to said pressure rollers and adapted when said pressure rollers are closest to each other to couple said pressure rollers to each other so that rotation of one of said pressure rollers in one direction causes rotation of the other pressure roller in the opposite direction.

13, The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, in which said transfer rollers are rotatably connected with said levers to cause said transfer rollers to move towards and from said first guide means when said pressure rollers are moved towards and from each other.

14. A diffusion development apparatus, comprising, a container having an opening at the top thereof and being adapted to hold a developing solution up to a predetermined level, a pair of pressure rollers, means rotatably supporting said pressure rollers above said predetermined level, first guide means stationarily mounted in said container below said predetermined level and in a position to permit insertion of a photographic sheet to be developed at each side of said first guide means, a pair of transfer rollers mounted in said container below said predetermined level on said means supporting the pressure rollers and one at each side of said first guide means and adjacent thereto in positions to engage said sheets on the sides thereof facing away from said first guide means, means for rotating said pair of pressure rollers in opposite directions, means connected with said transfer rollers for rotating the same together in opposite directions, thereby to cause corresponding movement of said sheets clamped against opposite sides of said first guide means by said rotatable transfer rollers, two pairs of le ers, means pivotally connecting one of said pairs of levers with one of two oppositely disposed walls of said container below said predetermined level with the levers extending upwardly to above said predetermined level and rotatably supporting said pressure rollers in parallel relationship on the upper ends of said levers, means for moving said levers on their pivot points to move said pressure rollers towards and from each other, means secured to said pressure rollers and adapted when said pressure rollers are closest to each other to couple said pressure rollers to each other so that rotation of one of said pressure rollers in one direction causes rotation of the other pressure roller in the opposite direction, second guide means stationarily mounted in said container in the same vertical plane as said first guide means which plane extends parallel with the axes of said pressure rollers, said second guide means extending substantially from the level of said first guide means to the bottom of said container, and third guide means stationarily mounted in said container in planes parallel with said second guide means and spaced therefrom at both sides thereof, said second and third guide means being sutficiently perforated to permit substantially free movement of the developing solution within the container, sheets during their movements into and out of said cage.

whereby said second and third guide means form an open References flirted in the file of this atent cage with two ad acent parallel and substantially vertical p compartments for receipt of said sheets one in each corn- UNITED STATES PATENTS partment. 5 2,360,438 Gumbinner Nov. 18, 1958 15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, including FORE G PATENTS f r h guide means extending substantially from said 556,794 Canada May 6, 1958 transfer rollers to said pressure rollers for guiding Said 77,816 Denmark July 12, 1954