US3463073A - Film processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

6, 1969 s. M. KNIBIEHLY FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed July 26. 1966 FIG.4

INVENTOR. EARLE M. KNIBIEHLY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,463,073 FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS Earle M. Knibiehly, Annandale, Va., assignor to Logetronics, Inc, Alexandria, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 26, 1966, Ser. No. 567,890 Int. Cl. G03d 3/12 US. C]. 95-94 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A photographic film processing apparatus having a frame defining a path of film movement, a pair of film engaging rollers journaled in the frame, a tube containing discharge ports interposed between the rollers, and a grille arrangement for directing the spray of processing fluid from the tube onto the rollers. The tube is interposed between the rollers substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers, and the discharge ports of the tube are arranged on axes parallel to the path of film movement and at an acute angle of inclination relative to the rollers. The grilles are interposed between the spray tube and the path of film movement to prevent the spray of the tube from coming into direct contact with the film being processed whereby the rollers effect an indirect transfer of the fluid from the spray tube to the film.

This invention relates to film processing apparatus of the type particularly useful in the development of photographic film.

It has been conventional in the past to immerse photographic film in the various treating liquids used in the development process by the use of positively driven belts and rollers. Application of the treating fluids has also been achieved by spraying the treating fluids onto the film undergoing treatment. These prior practices have involved disadvantages such as streaking of the film, accumulation of foreignmatter on the moving parts and failure to provide suflicient turbulence to assure uniformity of the treatment.

In accordance with the present invention, these disadvantages have been avoided so that there is no danger of streaking, by-products such as bromides are removed, circulation of the fluids is achieved, and by the reduction of bromide drag, directional developer effects and adjacency defects, as some of the difliculties are variously known, a more uniform processing results.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a spray rack for photographic film processing apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of film engaging rollers journalled in the frame and having substantially parallel axes, a tube interposed between the rollers substantially parallel to the axes for delivering processing fluid to the rollers, the tube containing discharge ports having axes intersecting the rollers and inclined at acute angles relative to the roller axes. It is contemplated that there be multiple pairs of film engaging rollers journalled in the frame with axes lying substantially in a plane, a tube interposed between each pair of such rollers substantially parallel to the axes for delivering processing fluid to the rollers, and each of the tubes containing discharge ports having axes intersecting rollers adjacent thereto and inclined at acute angles relative to the roller axes.

The acute angles are preferably between 30 and 60 and an angle of 45 has been found to produce highly desirable results. The tube or tubes contain discharge ports directed towards each adjacent roller respectively, so that the treating fluid will impinge upon the rollers rather than directly on the film undergoing treatment. The tube discharge ports may have their axes parallel for improvement 3,463,073 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 of the flow characteristics. It is contemplated that grille means be carried by the frame between the rollers and adjacent the tube for directing processing fluid from the tube to the rollers from which it will be applied to the film undergoing treatment. The tube or tubes communicate with a header from which the treating fluid is supplied. A polarizing joint is provided between the header and each tube to assure proper orientation of the discharge ports so that the treating fluid will impinge on the adjacent rollers and assure proper distribution of the fluid for the achievement of optimum results.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow from a description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partially in section depicting a roller spray rack sandwiched between a pair of belt racks within a housing;

FIG. 2 is an elevation, partially in section of the roller rack of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 44 of FIG. 3 on a still further enlarged scale; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation depicting a polarized joint between a header and spray tube, according to the invention.

The housing 10 of FIG. 1, suitably supports, in a manner not shown, a pair of belt racks 12 between which a roller rack 14 is sandwiched. The belts 16 are driven by their respective pulleys 18 respectively, in the direction indicated by the arrows 20 and 22. The belts are biased towards the rollers 24 by means of spring pressed frames 26 so that when film is introduced between the lefthand roller frame 12 of FIG. 1 and the roller frame 14, it will advance in the direction of the arrow 20 downwardly, until it reaches a guide member which directs the film upwardly between the roller frame 14 and the righthand belt frame 12 in the direction of the arrow 22, so that the film will remain in frictional relationship with the belts and rollers to assure its movement through the housing or container 10. The lefthand strut 28 of the frame member '14 as depicted in FIG. 2, is of channel-like configuration and receives between its flanges a header 30 having a fluid inlet connection 32. The header 30 communicates with three tubes 34, as depicted in FIG. 2 in a manner depicted in greater detail in FIG. 5. The communication between the header 30 and each of the three tubes 34 is effected through a nipple 36 having one end brazed or otherwise suitably joined to the header and the other end formed with a notch 38 to receive a complementary notched end 40 of the tube 34, whereby the tube 34 will always be polarized so that its discharge ports 42 will always be properly oriented with respect to the rollers 24 so that the fluid passing through the ports 42 will always impinge on the adjacent rollers.

Each tube 34 is coupled to its respective nipple 36 by means of a flexible, fluid tight sleeve 44 composed of a suitable plastic or elastomeric material that will withstand exposure to the fluids used. As will be noted from FIGS. 4 and 5, the discharge ports 42 have axes that are parallel and form FIG. 3 it will be evident that these axes are directed towards the rollers 24. Thus, fluid supplied to the header 30 will enter the tubes 34 and be discharged through the ports 42 against the rollers 24 as distinguished from impinging directly upon the film undergoing treatment. Inasmuch as the fluid will be discharged through the upper ports 42 of the tube 34 towards the right and through the lower ports 42 towards the left, there will be a cleaning action and a circulation in such a fashion as to reduce the danger of the accumulation of foreign material.

On either side of each tube 34 and between the rollers 24, directing means in the form of grilles 46 are provided, reinforced at their upper and lower edges by the attachment of rods 48 by welding. By the use of such grilles, rather than imperforate shields, the fluids are permitted to circulate much more freely and yet all of the discharge from the tubes through their ports 42 will impinge first on the rollers 24 before being applied to the film undergoing treatment.

As will be noted in FIG. 1, the housing l is provided with a drain tube 50 through which the treating fluid is withdrawn for recirculation or otherwise.

Whereas only one form of the invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, such variations as will be suggested to those skilled in the art are contemplated as coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spray rack for photographic film processing apparatus comprising a frame defining a path of film movement, a pair of cylindrical film engaging rollers journalled in said frame and having substantially parallel axes, a tube interposed between said rollers substantially parallel to said axes for delivering processing fluid to said rollers, a processing fluid inlet line in fluid communication with the interior of said tube, said tube containing discharge ports having axes parallel to said film path and intersecting said rollers at an acute angle of inclination relative thereto.

2. A spray rack according to claim 1 wherein multiple pairs of film engaging rollers are journalled in said frame with axes lying substantially in a plane, a tube is interposed between each pair of said rollers substantially parallel to said axes for delivering processing fluid to said rollers, and each of said tubes contains discharge ports having axes intersecting rollers adjacent thereto and inclined at acute angles relative to said roller axes.

1 wherein said respectively.

6. A spray rack according to claim 1 wherein said port axes are parallel.

7. A spray rack according to claim 1 including means carried by said frame for directing processing fluid from said tube to said rollers.

8. A spray rack according to claim 1 including grille means carried by said frame between said rollers and adjacent said tube for directing processing fluid from said tube to said rollers.

9. A spray rack according to claim 1 wherein a header carried by said frame communicates with said tube.

10. A spray rack according to claim 1 wherein a header is carried by said frame to supply processing fluid to said tube, and a polarizing joint is provided between said header and tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,162,016 6/1939 Howell -94 2,248,056 7/1941 Blaney 95-94 2,332,346 10/1943 Rowlandson 68-46 XR 2,913,974 11/1959 Sabel et al 95-94 3,344,729 10/ 1967 Kitrosser 95-89 3,382,790 5/1968 Matheson 95-94 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner FRED L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 118-419

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