US3785269A - Automatic film processor having switchable transport path - Google Patents

Automatic film processor having switchable transport path Download PDF

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Publication number
US3785269A
US3785269A US00357739A US35773973A US3785269A US 3785269 A US3785269 A US 3785269A US 00357739 A US00357739 A US 00357739A US 35773973 A US35773973 A US 35773973A US 3785269 A US3785269 A US 3785269A
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United States
Prior art keywords
film
processor
guide element
pair
transport path
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00357739A
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English (en)
Inventor
M Morioka
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AFP ACQUISITION Corp
LOG ELECTRONICS Inc
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Logetronics Inc
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Assigned to LOGETRONICS CORPORATION, reassignment LOGETRONICS CORPORATION, CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). 09/21/87 Assignors: AFP ACQUISITION CORPORATION
Assigned to AFP ACQUISITION CORPORATION reassignment AFP ACQUISITION CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: LOGETRONICS, INC.
Assigned to BANK OF NEW YORK COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, THE reassignment BANK OF NEW YORK COMMERCIAL CORPORATION, THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: AFP ACQUISITION CORPORATION
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D13/00—Processing apparatus or accessories therefor, not covered by groups G11B3/00 - G11B11/00
    • G03D13/001—Cassette breaking apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D13/00—Processing apparatus or accessories therefor, not covered by groups G11B3/00 - G11B11/00
    • G03D13/003—Film feed or extraction in development apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D13/00—Processing apparatus or accessories therefor, not covered by groups G11B3/00 - G11B11/00
    • G03D13/007—Processing control, e.g. test strip, timing devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D3/00—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion
    • G03D3/08—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion having progressive mechanical movement of exposed material
    • G03D3/12—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion having progressive mechanical movement of exposed material for plates, films or prints spread onto belt conveyors

Definitions

  • G03d 3/12 lected sheet can be provided with a distinctively [58] Field of 95/89 R, 94 R; ored leader, h p n f hich is de ected y a 226/27, 23; 355/10, 106 color-sensitive control system operative to alter the transport path, e.g., to divert the selected sheet of film away from the drier in the film processor and deliver it in wet condition to a catch tray.
  • Thelpresent invention relates to an improved form of automatic film processor comprising a transport system adapted to convey sheets of film in succession through a developing tank, a fixing tank, and a wash tank to a drier, and is more particularly concerned with an automatic switching apparatus which is incorporated in the transport system for selectively interrupting the normal transportsequence in respect to a selected sheet of film to divert said selected sheet of film out of the normal transport path.
  • Automatic film processors are now well known for the processing of lithographic film in graphic arts. Such processors are widely employed since they automatically perform the desired film processing steps in a desired, predetermined sequence once a sheet of film to be processed is fed into the equipment, and also because the quality of processing is extremely stable. Usually, once a sheet of film is fed into the processor, the sheet is transported from .one to another treatment station to cause the sheet to be developed, fixed, washed, and dried without interruption; and the processed sheet of film is thereafter ejected from the processor in completely finished and dried condition.
  • This difficulty is caused by the fact that it takes between two and three minutes for each of the developing, fixing, washing, and drying steps to be performed in an automatic film processor, i.e., a total of six to nine minutes may elapse between the time a particular sheet of film is fed into the processor and the time it has completed the wash step. Consequently, when sheets of film having different types of images thereon are fed into a processor successively, it is impossible to switch the transport system concurrent with the feeding in of a sheet of film of given type since this could disrupt the processing steps which must be performed in respect of a sheet of film of different image type earlier fed into the processor and still being processed.
  • the present invention is accordingly concerned with a mechanism which is automatically operative to alter the transport path of a selected sheet of film when such alteration is desirable, thereby to eliminate any need for manual control of the transport path, and which is operative to divert a selected sheet of film out of its normal transport path without disrupting or altering the transport path for other sheets of film being processed.
  • the trans port system in an automatic film processor is modified to include, at a preselected position along the transport path, a movable guide element, e.g., a pivotally mounted element, adapted to be moved by an electrically energizable solenoid.
  • a movable guide element e.g., a pivotally mounted element
  • the solenoid When the solenoid is not energized, and the element is in its quiescent position, a sheet of film is transported in normal sequence through the various treatment steps in the processor. However when the solenoid is energized, the guide element is respositioned to divert a sheet of film out of said normal transport path into an alternative path.
  • the guide element is located between the wash tank and drier in the processor so that when the element is in its quiescent position a sheet of film is directed from the wash tank into the drier, and when the guide element is repositioned the sheet of film is diverted away from the drier and into a catch tray disposed on the exterior of the processor.
  • Energization of the solenoid, to selectively alter the transport path is controlled by a sensor mechanism disposed closely adjacent to the guide element at a position upstream thereof, and responsive to an indicium of predetermined character on a selected sheet of film being processed for operating said guide element to its diverting position.
  • a leader having a distinctive color is attached to a sheet of film whose transport path is to be altered; and the sensor mechanism comprises a color sensitive photoelectric system which detects the presence of the distinctively colored leader as it is transported toward the movable guide element, to operate the guide element to its diverting position as said leader and the sheet of film attached thereto approach said guide element.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view, in partial section, of an automatic film processor transport system incorporating the present invention
  • FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the movable guide element and associated control mechanism of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 depicts a sheet of film having a colored leader attached thereto for controlling the switchable transport mechanism of the present invention
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagrammatic circuit representation, of the sensor mechanism of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view illustrating the film transport system of an automatic film processor incorporating the automatic switching apparatus of the present invention.
  • the processor includes one or more developing tanks (not shown) followed by one or more fixing tanks (also not shown) which are in turn followed by a wash tank 1 containing water 3.
  • Te wash tank 1 includes a plurality of rollers such as 4 and-6 associated with belts and 7 constituting a portion of a conveyor system. Film which is transported from the fixing tank into wash tank 1 is accordingly washed in said tank and is thereafter normally conveyed to a drying tank 2 which includes a further portion of the conveyor system, comprising rollers such as 8, 10, 12 operative to drive associated belts such as 9, 11, 13.
  • a sheet of film to be processed is fed into the processor at a position significantly upstream of wash tank 1, and is then transported by other portions of the transport system into and through the developer tank(s), then into and through the fixing tank(s), and is thereafter transported into wash tank 1 at a position upstream of roller 6.
  • the developed and fixed sheet of film is thereafter moved downwardly into the water bath 3, is turned around at a position near the bottom of said bath, and is then directed to a position between belts 5 and 7 and, being sandwiched therebetween, is pulled vertically upward through the water bath 3 and out of wash tank 1.
  • the washed sheet of film thereafer proceeds vertically along a guide 14 and is deflected thereby into a horizontal plane so as to pass between a first pair of squeegee rollers 15, 16 along guide elements 22, 24 and thence through a further pair of squeegee rollers 17, 18. Water which is wiped from the surfaces of the film sheet is discharged from the squeegee rollers into a tray 19.
  • the sheet of film is then deflected downwardly by a further guide so as to enter the drying tank 2 at a position between belts 9 and 11, is driven downwardly into said tank between belts 9 and 11, is turned around at the bottom of the tank by a further guide mechanism (not shown) and is thereafter sandwiched between belts 11 and 13 so as to be moved upwardly through the drying tank.
  • the dried sheet of film then proceeds out of the drying tank along the surface of a still further guide 21, and is deflected into a horizontal plane so as to exit from the film processor.
  • roller/belt elements shown in FIG. 1 similar such elements (not shown) associated with the developing and fixing tanks, and the various squeegee rollers constitute, together, a conveyor or transport system, and the several portions of that system operate synchronously with one another and in the direction indicated by the various arrows shown in FIG. 1.
  • the guide structure provided between the pairs of squeegee rollers 15, 16 and 17, 18 is made up of two guide elements, i.e., a fixed position guide element 22, and a movable guide element 24.
  • the movable guide element is mounted for pivotal'movement on a shaft 23, and is adapted to be selectively moved to the oblique position shown in broken line in FIG. 1 so as to deflect a sheet of film passing along guide 22 away from the drier 2 and, instead, toward a pair of further drive rollers 33, 34.
  • a washed sheet of film is transported from wash tank 1 through squeegee rollers 15, 16 along guide 22, and is then directed upwardly along the upwardly pivoted guide element 24 toward the nip of drive rollers 33, 34, whereafter the washed sheet of film, still in a wet state, passes over a further guide element 35 into a catch tray or pan 36 located on the top cover 37 of the automatic film processor.
  • the guide structure which is disposed between the paired squeegee rollers 15, 16 and 17, 18 is shown in further detail in FIG. 2.
  • the horizontal, fixed position -guide 22 comprises a plurality of bars disposed in spaced relation to one another to define a horizontal plane along which the washed sheet of film is transported by the action of squeegee rollers 15, 16.
  • Shaft 23 is mounted in said plane, and has a plurality of spaced bar-type guides 24 attached thereto at their inner ends respectively.
  • a crank arm 38 is attached to one end of shaft 23, and said arm 38 is provided with a groove which receives a pin attached to the plunger 40 ofa solenoid 39.
  • Solenoid 39 is selectively energized when it is desired to divert a sheet of film away from drier 2 and out of the processor into catch tray 36. Since only selected sheets of film are moved into this alternate transport path, however, solenoid 39 should be energized, and guide element 24 should be pivoted upwardly, only when such a selected sheet is approaching guide element 24.
  • each of said selected sheets of film is tagged" by an indicium of predetermined character; and a sensor system responsive to said indicium is positioned immediately adjacent to and upstream of the guide element 24 to energize solenoid 39 when such an indicium is detected.
  • leader 42 may be a transparency, and it may be attached to the leading edge of film sheet 41 by means of a strip of pressure sensitive tape 43, before the sheet 41 is fed into the processor.
  • Leader 41 may, for example, be either a red or yellow transparency.
  • the sensor system which is provided to detect the presence of colored leader 42 comprises a light source housing 25 containing a lamp 26 and a lens 27 positioned below fixed guide element 22 for directing a beam of light upwardly between the bars of said fixed guide element 22 (see FIG. 2).
  • a light sensor 28 is mounted at a position above fixed guide 22, e.g., on the top cover 37 of the processor (see FIG. 1).
  • Light sensor 28 includes a half mirror 29, a further mirror 30 disposed above mirror 29, a red filter 31r disposed in the path of reflected light from mirror 29 between said mirror 29 and a'photoelectric cell 32r, and a blue filter 31b disposed in the path of reflected light from mirror 30 between said mirror 30 and a photoelectric cell 32b.
  • the output of photoelectric cell 32r is connected to the input of a standard signal generator 44 (see FIG. 4) the output of which is in turn coupled to one inout of AND gate 47.
  • the output of photoelectric cell 32b is similarly coupled to the input of a standard signal generator 45, the output of which is inverted by an inverter 46 and thereafter applied to the other input of AND gate 47.
  • the output of gate 47 is coupled to an appropriate amplifier (not shown) and may be used to control a relay (not shown) for selectively energizing solenoid 39.
  • solenoid 39 will remain in its de-energized state when no sheet of film is present on guide 22, or when a sheet of conventional black and whilte film is transported onto said guide 22.
  • the guide 24 returns to its original position, e.g., under the influence of gravity or by means of an added spring, after the output from gate 47 ceases.
  • the length of the leader should be so selected that the leading edge of leader 42 will reach the nip of drive rollers 33, 34 by this time.
  • the films being processed in normal fashion must have a length sufficient to bridge the gap between rollers l5, l6 and 17, 18.
  • the resultant composite film sheet must have a sufficient length to bridge the gas between rollers 15, 16 and 33, 34.
  • the leader must, of course, be attached manually before the selected sheet of film 41 is fed into the processor. This requisite preliminary task can, however, be accomplished with little difficulty, and the advantages which are achieved by use of the invention more than compensate for the time required to prepare the selected film sheet.
  • An automatic film processor comprising a plurality of film treatment stations, transport means for normally transporting sheets of film to be processed along a predetermined path between and through said stations thereby to effect processing of each of said film sheets in a predetermined sequence of steps, said transport means including switchable means for selectively altering said transport path, and control means responsive to an indicium of predetermined character on a selected sheet of the film being processed for operating said switchable means to alter the transport path for said selected sheet of film thereby to vary the sequence of processing steps for said selected sheet of film.
  • one of said treatment stations comprises a drier, said switchable means being located adjacent the entry of said drier for diverting said selected sheet of film away from said drier.
  • said switchable means includes a first pair of superposed drive rollers disposed adjacent the entry of said drier, a second pair of superposed drive rollers disposed adjacent a catch tray, a movable guide element upstream of both of said pairs of rollers and normally positioned in line with the nip of said first pair of rollers, said guide element being mounted for movement to a position in line with the nip of said second pair of rollers, and operator means responsive to said indicium of predetermined character for selectively moving said guide element to direct said selected sheet of film into said catch tray via said second pair of rollers instead of into said drier via said first pair of rollers.
  • said indicium of predetermined character comprises a distinctively colored leader attached to said selected sheet of film
  • said control means comprising color sensing means for selectively generating a control signal in response to the presence of said colored leader
  • said operator means comprising a solenoid connected to said movable guide element, and means responsive to the generation of said control signal for energizing said solenoid to move said guide element.
  • switchable means comprises a movable guide element normally disposed in line with said predetermined path, said control means being operable to move said guide element away from said predetermined path thereby to divert said selected sheet of film into an alternative transport path.
  • said distinctively colored leader is transparent to light
  • said color sensing means comprising a light source on one side of said normal transport path, color filter means disposed on the other side of said normal transport path, and photoelectric means selectively responsive to light projected thereon from said source via said colored leader and thence via said color filter means for generating a control signal
  • said control means including solenoid means responsive to said control signal for moving said guide element.
  • said color filter means comprises a pair of differently colored filters, optical means for directing light passing from said source-across said transport path through both of said filters in parallel, said photoelectric means comprising a pair of photoelectric sensors disposed adjacent said pair of filters respectively and responsive to light passing through said filters respectively for producing output signals, and circuit means coupled to the outputs of said pair of sensors for inhibiting the generation of said control signal when both of said sensors produce an output signal and for generating said control signal when only one of said sensors produces an output signateg- founded 15, 1974 Patent Nog 1 69 Inventofls) Manslalmi M i k If is certified that error appears in the bbve-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Photographic Processing Devices Using Wet Methods (AREA)
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US00357739A 1972-10-31 1973-05-07 Automatic film processor having switchable transport path Expired - Lifetime US3785269A (en)

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JP10849972A JPS53697B2 (is") 1972-10-31 1972-10-31

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3913119A (en) * 1973-10-25 1975-10-14 Agfa Gevaert Ag Apparatus for wet treatment of webs of photosensitive material
US4100560A (en) * 1976-04-22 1978-07-11 Schochet Frank E Multi-purpose modification for lithographic plate-maker
FR2483094A1 (fr) * 1980-05-30 1981-11-27 Dainippon Screen Mfg Machine de traitement de films
EP0037561A3 (en) * 1980-04-03 1982-07-21 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Automatic reference background monitoring network for a film processor
US4943270A (en) * 1986-09-02 1990-07-24 Cx Corporation Photographic print cutter
US5012266A (en) * 1989-07-28 1991-04-30 Konica Corporation Apparatus for processing light-sensitive materials
WO1991010169A1 (de) * 1989-12-21 1991-07-11 Agfa-Gevaert Ag Vorrichtung zum entwickeln fotografischer schichtträger
US5241336A (en) * 1989-02-01 1993-08-31 Eastman Kodak Company Processing unit
US5477300A (en) * 1993-01-13 1995-12-19 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Method for processing photographic light-sensitive material

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2913974A (en) * 1956-10-01 1959-11-24 Haloid Xerox Inc Photographic material processing apparatus
US3472143A (en) * 1967-01-12 1969-10-14 Itek Corp Apparatus for processing photographic material
US3639061A (en) * 1970-03-30 1972-02-01 Eastman Kodak Co Device for determing that an unexposed film is developed by the proper process
US3698306A (en) * 1971-06-10 1972-10-17 Itek Corp Photographic processor

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2913974A (en) * 1956-10-01 1959-11-24 Haloid Xerox Inc Photographic material processing apparatus
US3472143A (en) * 1967-01-12 1969-10-14 Itek Corp Apparatus for processing photographic material
US3639061A (en) * 1970-03-30 1972-02-01 Eastman Kodak Co Device for determing that an unexposed film is developed by the proper process
US3698306A (en) * 1971-06-10 1972-10-17 Itek Corp Photographic processor

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3913119A (en) * 1973-10-25 1975-10-14 Agfa Gevaert Ag Apparatus for wet treatment of webs of photosensitive material
US4100560A (en) * 1976-04-22 1978-07-11 Schochet Frank E Multi-purpose modification for lithographic plate-maker
EP0037561A3 (en) * 1980-04-03 1982-07-21 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Automatic reference background monitoring network for a film processor
US4362376A (en) * 1980-05-22 1982-12-07 Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Film processor with a by-pass transferring mechanism
FR2483094A1 (fr) * 1980-05-30 1981-11-27 Dainippon Screen Mfg Machine de traitement de films
US4943270A (en) * 1986-09-02 1990-07-24 Cx Corporation Photographic print cutter
US5241336A (en) * 1989-02-01 1993-08-31 Eastman Kodak Company Processing unit
US5012266A (en) * 1989-07-28 1991-04-30 Konica Corporation Apparatus for processing light-sensitive materials
WO1991010169A1 (de) * 1989-12-21 1991-07-11 Agfa-Gevaert Ag Vorrichtung zum entwickeln fotografischer schichtträger
US5327189A (en) * 1989-12-21 1994-07-05 Agfa Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft Device for developing photographic film bases
US5477300A (en) * 1993-01-13 1995-12-19 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Method for processing photographic light-sensitive material

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NL7308902A (is") 1974-05-02
JPS4967627A (is") 1974-07-01
JPS53697B2 (is") 1978-01-11

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