US3882527A - Method and apparatus for automatically developing small film - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for automatically developing small film Download PDF

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Publication number
US3882527A
US3882527A US367438A US36743873A US3882527A US 3882527 A US3882527 A US 3882527A US 367438 A US367438 A US 367438A US 36743873 A US36743873 A US 36743873A US 3882527 A US3882527 A US 3882527A
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Prior art keywords
film
holder
film holder
chambers
bath
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US367438A
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English (en)
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Ryosaku Sawada
Tsutomu Sato
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HANSHIN GIJUTSU KENKYUSHO KK
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HANSHIN GIJUTSU KENKYUSHO KK
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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
    • G03D3/00—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion
    • G03D3/02—Details of liquid circulation
    • G03D3/04—Liquid agitators
    • 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
    • G03D13/02—Containers; Holding-devices
    • G03D13/04—Trays; Dishes; Tanks ; Drums
    • 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

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Exceptionally thin and small size film such as dental X-ray and other similar film is held by an annular film holder and rollingly passed automatically through a plurality of bath chambers for development whereby the film is developed free of any adverse effect and with a high degree of efficiency.
  • SHEET 5 BF 8 WENTEU am 61975
  • SHEET 7 BF 8 PATENTED rm 6 m5 SHEET 8 [IF 8 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DEVELOPING SMALL FILM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for developing particularly very thin, small size films automatically.
  • the present invention relates to an improved developing method suitable for small, thin films.
  • An object of this invention is to provide an improved process for developing a small size film by means of an annular holder which is adapted to hold the film firmly, thereby eliminating the necessity to manually grip the film directly, and which process includes traversing the annular holder generally rotatively along its outer periphery through a series of adjacently disposed filmdeveloping bath chambers in a developing case.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide novelly improved apparatus in which when the film is held and passed thru the solutions, so that the gripping power will not be delivered directly to the film but is transmitted to the film holder so that the film can be developed free of an excess pressure, with its surface kept out of contact with other articles.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide the improved film holder in the shape of a non-directional ring so that the film can be conveniently transferred from one bath chamber to another, and especially in a rolling fashion.
  • FIGS. IA and 1B are perspective views showing two practical embodiments of the ring shape film holder of this invention.
  • FIGS. 2A and 2B are vertical cross-sectional views taken along the lines I1 and the lines II-II in FIGS. 1A and 18 respectively;
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are further vertical cross-sectional views showing modifications of the holder in FIG. IA;
  • FIGS. 5A and SB are perspective views showing how the small size film is fitted into the respective ringshaped holders of FIGS. 1A and 13 using a guide;
  • FIGS. 6A and 6B, and FIGS. 7A and 7B are further views in vertical cross-section respectively showing the ring-shaped film holder and the guide before the film is inserted into the holder, and subsequently while it is being inserted into the holder, and wherein the respective FIGS. 68 and 78 represent vertical cross-sections taken along the diagonal line of the film;
  • FIGS. 8A and 8B are plan views showing the small size film after it has been inserted into the respective holders of FIGS. IA and 13;
  • FIG. 9 is a front elevational view with parts broken away to better show a developing apparatus having plu ral bath chambers
  • FIG. 10 is an enlarged view in cross-section taken substantially along the line 10-10 in FIG. 9;
  • FIGS. 11 and 12 are views in vertical cross-section taken along the lines 11-11 and I212 respectively in FIG. 9, and with certain generally duplicative center parts omitted for compactness of the drawings;
  • FIGS. 13 (1) to (4) are front views illustrated on a reduced scale showing stage-by-stage positions of windows of a plurality of bath chambers containing the same solution;
  • FIG. 14 is a view taken in vertical cross-section showing a modification of the foregoing apparatus which includes modified windows and arms;
  • FIGS. 15 and 16 are further vertical cross-sectional views showing modified embodiment bath chambers in which the film holders are driven by means of rotary discs;
  • FIG. 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line l717 in FIG. 15;
  • FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a further embodiment wherein the apparatus includes helical chambers through which the film is passed;
  • FIG. 19 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line I9I9 of FIG. 18.
  • an annular film holder 1 has a film-receiving portion 2 which is in the form of a circumferential groove in the illustrated case.
  • the filmreceiving portion 2 is defined by an upper annular portion 3 and a lower annular portion 4.
  • the upper portion 3 has a greater inside diameter than the lower portion 4 to facilitate the insertion and removal ofa small film F (see FIG. 2A).
  • Indicated at 5 are radial cutouts to permit the liquid to flow over the film effectively.
  • FIGS. 18 and 2B show another holder embodiment 1a formed with four spaced pawl-like receiving portions 2', each of which comprises two circumferentially spaced lower pawls and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of an upper pawl positioned between and above the said lower pawls.
  • the re DCving portions 2' hold the corners of the film F.
  • the film holder I of FIG. IA may be modified as shown in FIG. 3 in which it is seen that the holder lb has a stepped portion 6 on one side 31) for smoothly receiving the film F temporarily so as to subsequently facilitate the insertion of the film F.
  • Either or both of the upper and lower portions 3b and 4b may be provided with radial cutouts or grooves (not shown) corresponding to grooves 5 of FIG. 1A.
  • FIG. 4 shows another modified film holder lc comprising upper and lower segments 3c and 4c which are fitted together by the complemental engagement of a projection 7 with a recess 8.
  • the film as for dental use is fitted into the receiving portions 2 or portions 2' of the holder 1 utilizing the elasticity of the film, whereupon the film will be held positively by the holder 1 at its four corners.
  • Each of the said guides comprises a suitable number of oppositely paired combination film-centering and guide plates or fingers 21, which may include either a single pair disposed at opposite sides or two pair (FIG. 58) so as to be along four sides thereof. They further each include a full or partial support surface 22 or 22' (FIGS. 5 and 6).
  • the film F is preferably placed on the support surface 22 and the film holder 1 is pushed down with its inner periphery guided along the guide plates 21, and against the film F, whereby the four corners of the film F projecting from the support 22 will be resiliently fitted into the receiving portion or portions 2.
  • the film can be inserted into the film holderl free of contact with the hand, as per FIGS. 5A, SE to FIGS. 8A and 8B.
  • Indicated at 23 in each of FIGS. SA, 6A and 7A are bearing plates to protect the four corners of the film F.
  • the bearing plates 23 are movable up and down being normally resiliently biased upwardly under the action of a plurality of suitably disposed springs 24.
  • the film holders, used for retaining the film F in the receiving portion or portions 2 are arranged to be automatically passed through a plurality of bath chambers and are thereby immersed in the proper developing and/or fixing solutions for the required development.
  • FIGS. 9 to 13 show one form of a developing appara tus comprising a developing case 100 in the form of a dark box which keeps the film light-tight while it is being processed and passed through the interior.
  • the interior of the case 100 is divided into a plurality of preferably parallel bath chambers 30 by a plurality of parallel partition walls 31.
  • the intermediate walls 31 are formed with windows 32 and 32' of a size which are larger than the film holder 1.
  • the film holder 1 is sequentially transferred from one chamber 30 to another adjacent chamber 30 by a preferably 360 rotatable arm 33 provided in each chamber and movable by suitable gears or the like.
  • each three adjacent chambers for in stance, contain the same solution so that, even when the arms 33 are driven relatively fast, the film is assured of being immersed in the solution to the required extent.
  • FIG. 13 shows the positions of the windows formed in a series of the partition walls 31.
  • the window 32' for transferring the film holder 1 to an adjacent chamber 30' containing a different solution is positioned at a higher level than the other windows 32, i.e., higher than the liquid level S (FIG. 9) so as to avoid mixture of different solutions.
  • the film holder 1 is introduced initially by way of an inlet 34 provided in an endmost wall 31, and passed through the various bath chambers 30 in succession and then discharged from an outlet 35 (FIGS. and 12).
  • the film F While being moved forwardly therethrough in this manner, the film F is sequentially immersed in the proper solutions for development.
  • the film holder travels an initial arcuate path of approximately l80-270in one direction in the initial chamber, and due to the gearing arrangement and special disposition of the windows, the film holder moves so as to pass through the respective succeedingly oppositely offset windows and successively travels approximately 180 in the opposite direction for each succeeding chamber containing a common solution.
  • the arms 33 are disposed to move in opposite 360 paths for each succeeding chamber, thereby effecting the desired opposite travel of the film holder through the various chambers.
  • the apparatus of the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 14 comprises bath chambers 40 defined by similar partition walls 41 each formed with similar windows 42 and 42' which are positioned at a level higher than the liquid level S.
  • the windows 42 and 42 are out of register with each other.
  • the film holder 1 is passed through the windows 42 and 42' by arms 43 and 43' which are driven intermittently, whereby the film holder 1 is sequentially transferred from one chamber to another and is developed in the same manner as above.
  • FIGS. 15 to 17 depict another embodiment of the developing apparatus.
  • the film holder 1 placed into a developing case through an inlet 54 is rotatively traversed through a partitioned bath chamber 50 by means of a first pair of co-planar rotary discs 53, 53, with the holder cooperatively moving along the curved peripheral wall 57 of the bath chamber 50.
  • the rotary discs 53, 53 are each provided with circumferentially spaced apart pins 56 serving as drive members for engagably driving the film holder 1 in rolling fashion.
  • Each film holder 1 is then forcibly transferred, through a window 52 in a partition wall 51 as by means of a slanting guide face 58 (FIG. 17).
  • the film-holder In this adjacent cham ber 50, just as in the first chamber, the film-holder is also advanced by means of a second pair of discs 53', 53. These discs also are provided with pins 56' to help move the film holders along a similarly curved peripheral wall 57' to an outlet 55 to complete the development of the film F. Suitable sets of interengagable drive gears for each chamber are indicated at 59 and 59', respectively. Means similar to slanting surface 58 (in FIG. 17) may be devised to assure lateral transferring movement of the annular film holders from one chamber to the next in other of these embodiments.
  • FIGS. 18 and 19 show still another embodiment of the apparatus in the form of a developing case 100 comprising a plurality of inclined partition walls 61 and arranged so as to render the chambers communicatively continuous in helical manner.
  • a sleeve type roller 63 serving as a drive member for driving the film holder 1 is mounted coaxially with and upon a preferably horizontal rotary shaft 62.
  • the roller 63 drives the film holder rollingly in contact therewith along a peripheral wall 66 and thereby sequentially immerses the film F into and then out from the respective solutions for development.
  • the respective solutions are maintained at such liquid level that the different solutions will not mix with each other.
  • the respective inlet and outlet are designated at 64 and 65 in FIG. 18.
  • the plurality of the bath chambers may comprise at least one chamber containing a developer and one to several chambers containing stop bath, fixer, rinse (washing water), etc., individually.
  • the annular type holder for carrying a small piece of film is passed through a plurality of bath chambers to immerse the film in the solutions automatically for development.
  • the film itself is not the film itself but the holder that is subjected to the power for transport, so that the film itself is free of excess pressure and the film surface is kept out of contact with other articles during the developing process.
  • this improved system enables the film to be handled by grasping and/or engaging the holder without the necessity to manually grip the film directly, the film can be developed automatically without any adverse effect thereon.
  • the non-directional or generally annular shaped holder is extremely advantageous permitting it to be readily passed through the bath chambers in rolling fashion and assures uniform immersion of the film in the solutions for reliable and efficient development of small films.
  • a method for automatically developing particularly small size film, such as dental X-ray film and the like comprising the steps of:
  • said moving and passing including lifting said film holder up adjacent to open transfer window means in said partitions, moving said holder through or across said open transfer window means;
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular rigid, frame-like holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; said holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing essentially through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes a major plane of said holder; said holder having means to hold said film in a planar condition by at least portions of two opposed sides thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and wall means forming therein a plurality of generally vertically disposed adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane through which bath chambers said film holder is rotatively passed with the major plane of said film holder co-extensive with a corresponding major plane of each bath chamber; and means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder progressively through the bath chambers of said casing with means for passing said film holder from chamber to chamber essentially in a vertical condition wherein said annular film holder has a film-receivingand-retaining portion in the form of circum
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular frame-like holder for holding a piece of film fitted in planar condition therein; an enclosed filmdeveloping case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality of adjacent bath chambers through which said film holder is rotatively passed, and means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder therethrough, said developing case including a vertical partition wall between the adjacent bath cham bers, each of said partition walls being formed with an open window for transferring said annular film holder to the next bath chamber, and said means for automatically moving said film holder through said case including a rotative sweep arm in each bath chamber which rotates in a generally circular path in each of said bath chambers and in operative engagement with said film holder to move it into an alignment position with said window therein.
  • each sweep arm has a portion with a slanting surface so as to effect lateral shifting movement of said film-holder through said partition open window into the adjacent bath chamber responsive to enagagement of said slanting surface by said annular film-holder.
  • a method for automatically developing particularly small size film, such as dental X-ray film and the like comprising the steps of:
  • said moving and passing including lifting said film holder up adjacent to open transfer window means in said partitions, moving said holder through or across said open transfer window means;
  • a method for automatically developing particularly small size film, such as dental X-ray film and the like comprising the steps of:
  • said moving and passing including lifting said film holder up adjacent to open transfer window means in said partitions, moving said holder through or across said open transfer window means; and allowing said film holder to drop by gravity into the adjacent bath chamber whereby it is again moved as per paragraphs (b) and through the adjacent chambers.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular rigid, frame-like holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; said holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing essentially through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes a major plane of said holder; said holder having means to hold said film in a planar condition by at least portions of two opposed sides thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and wall means forming therein a plurality of generally vertically disposed adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane through which bath chambers said film holder is rotatively passed with the major plane of said film holder coextensive with a corresponding major plane of each bath chamber, means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder progressively through the bath chambers of said casing with means for passing said film holder from chamber to chamber essentially in a vertical condition and wherein said developing case wall means includes a vertical partition wall between the adjacent bath chambers, each of said partition walls being formed
  • Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for automatically moving said film holder through said case includes power-driven shaft-and-gear means.
  • said power-driven shaft-and-gear means include a pair of parallel shafts disposed transversely to said bath chambers, and coacting interengageable drive members mounted on said respective shafts, and wherein one of said rotative sweep arms is mounted on each of said shafts so as to have only one sweep arm operatively disposed within a given bath chamber.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular rigid, frame-like holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; said holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing essentially through said opposed co-planar portions comstitutes a major plane of said holder; said holder having means to hold said film in a planar condition by at least portions of two opposed sides thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and wall means forming therein a plurality of generally vertically disposed adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane through bath chambers said film holder is rotatively passed with the major plane of said film holder coextensive with a corresponding major plane of each bath chamber, means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder progressively through the bath chambers of said casing with means for passing said film holder from chamber to chamber essentially in a vertical condition and wherein said developing case has at least one intermediate partition wall to form the adjacent bath chambers, said partition wall
  • said at least one pair of drive members include a pair of coplanarly disposed reel-like members rotatably mounted on transverse shafts in each of said bath chambers, said reel-like members having flange means including one planar flange member parallel to and spaced apart from said chamber-dividing partition wall so that said annu lar film holder is partially and freely disposed between said partition and said flange member, and pin-like elements transversely disposed on said flange of said rotatable reel-like members so as to engage and rotatably drive said annular film-holder along said interior curved peripheral wall of said bath chamber to a next chamber transferpermitting window.
  • Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said means for automatically moving said annular film holder therethrough includes an inclined surface on at least one of said reel-like members and disposed so as to effect lateral shifting movement of said film-holder through said partition open window into the adjacent bath chamber responsive to enagement of said inclined surface by said annular film-holder.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular rigid, frame-like holder for holding apiece of film fitted therein; said holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing essentially through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes a major plane of said holder; said holder having means to hold said film in a planar condition by at least portions of two opposed sides thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and wall means forming therein a plurality of generally vertically disposed adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane through which bath chambers said film holder is rotatively passed with the major plane of said film holder coextensive with a corresponding major plane of each bath chamber, means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder progressively through the bath chambers of said casing with means for passing said film holder from chamber to chamber essentially in a vertical condition and wherein the adjacent bath chambers of the developing case are defined by helically continuous partition wall means between said inlet and
  • said drive member is disposed axially through said bath chambers and includes a cylindrical surface common to all chambers, said cylindrical surface disposed relative to said concavely curved peripheral walls of said bath chambers so that said annular film holder has its outer periphery drivingly engageable with both the said cylindrical surface of said drive member and with said curved peripheral wall of said chambers throughout its travel through said developing case.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination:
  • a rigid, annular frame-like holder with means for holding a piece of film in planar condition therein, said frame-like holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes a major plane of said film holder; said film being held generally in a medial plane thereof which is coplanar to the major plane thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and vertically disposed plural partition walls interposed in spaced apart parallel rela tion between said opposite ends of said casing and defining therewith a plurality of relatively narrow adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane in an upright position, and through which chambers said film holder is rotatively passed; said paral lel partition walls being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than an overall thickness of said annular film holder and constituting means for keeping the major plane of said film holder in generally parallel relation with said partition walls while being passed within each of said bath chambers, means operatively engageable with said film holder to rotatively move it progressively and
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination:
  • a rigid, annular frame-like holder with means for holding a piece of film in planar condition therein, said frame-like holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes a major plane of said film holder; said film being held generally in a medial plane thereof which is coplanar to the major plane thereof; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and vertically disposed plural partition walls interposed in spaced apart parallel relation between said opposite ends of said casing and defining therewith a plurality of relatively narrow adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane in an upright position, and through which chambers said film holder is rotatively passed; said parallel partition walls being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than an overall thickness of said annular film holder and constituting means for keeping the major plane of said film holder in generally parallel relation with said partition walls while being passed within each of said bath chambers, means operatively engageable with said film holder to rotatively move it progressively and automatia major plane of
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination: a rigid, annular frame-like holder with means for cally through said casing chambers, said latter means including a member of which at least part thereof follows a generally circular path and holding a piece of film in planar condition therein, said frame-like holder having opposed coplanar wherein each of said partition walls is formed with an open window of a size greater than the film portions by which an imaginary plane passing holder and through which said film holder is transthrough said opposed coplanar portions constitutes ferred to the next bath chamber and a guide with a major plane of said film holder; said film being slanting face thereon is immovably provided at the held generally in a medial plane thereof which is edge of said open window so as to be engageable coplanar to the major plane thereof; an enclosed by and effect lateral shifting
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination: an annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted said frame-like holder having opposed coplanar portions by which an imaginary plane passing through said opposed coplanar portions constitutes adjacent bath chambers each having a major plane therein; an enclosed film-developing case having in an upright position, and through which cham an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality bers said film holder is rotatively passed; said paralof adjacent bath chambers through which said film lel partition walls being spaced apart a distance holderis rotatively passed, and means for automatslightly greater than an overall thickness of said anically rotatively moving said annular film holder nular film holder and constituting means for keeptherethrough and wherein said developing case ining the major plane of said film holder in generally cludes a partition wall between the adjacent bath parallel
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferacase includes a rotative sweep member in each of bly relatively small size film comprising in combination: said bath chambers; and each of said sweep meman annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted bers formed with a slanting surface portion to eftherein; an enclosed film-developing case having fect lateral shifting movement of said film holder an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality through said open window into the next adjacent of adjacent bath chambers through which said film bath chamber responsive to engagement of said holder is rotatively passed, and means for automatslanting surface by said annular film holder.
  • a rotative sweep member in each of bly relatively small size film comprising in combination: said bath chambers; and each of said sweep meman annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted bers formed with a slanting surface portion to eftherein; an enclosed film-developing case having fect lateral shifting movement of said film holder an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and
  • Apparatus for automatically developing herethrough and wherein the adjacent bath chambly relatively small size film comprising in combination: bers of the developing case are defined by helically a rigid, annular frame-like holder with means for continuous partition wall means between said inelt holding a piece of film in planar condition therein, and outlet casing ends; said bath chambers being communicatively spirally connected and having in their interior a curved peripheral wall for contact with said annular film holder, and a drive member transverse to said spiral chambers which drive member rollingly transfers said film holder from one chamber to another along their respective peripheral walls in cooperation with said casing.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination:
  • an annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality of adjacent bath chambers through which said film holder is rotatively passed, and means for automat ically rotatively moving said annular film holder therethrough and wherein said developing case includes a partition wall between the adjacent bath chambers, each of said partition walls being formed with an open window for transferring said annular film holder to the next bath chamber, and wherein said means for automatically moving said film holder to said case includes a rotative sweep arm in each of said bath chambers whereby said arm is movable for bringing said film holder to an alignment position with said window therein and said means for automatically moving said film holder through said case includes power-driven shaft-andgear means.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination an annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality of adjacent bath chambers through which said film holder is rotatively passed, means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder therethrough and wherein said annular film holder has a major plane and a film-receiving-and-retaining portion in the form of cirfumferentially disposed internal groove means for holding the film generally in a medial plane thereof,
  • said circumferentially disposed groove means includes four generally rectangularly-spaced film'receiving portions along an inner periphery of said holder for holding the film, and each of the film-receiving portions having two filmsupporting pawls spaced apart from each other toward one side thereof, and another one film-retaining pawl complementally positioned between and oppositely adjacent said two spaced pawls and toward the opposite side of said medial plane.
  • Apparatus for automatically developing preferably relatively small size film comprising in combination:
  • annular holder for holding a piece of film fitted therein; an enclosed film-developing case having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and a plurality of adjacent bath chambers through which said film holder is rotatively passed, and means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder therethrough and wherein said developing case has at least one intermediate partition wall to form the adjacent bath chambers, said partition wall having an open window for transferring said annular film holder to the next bath chamber, each of said bath chambers having in its interior a curved peripheral wall for rolling contact by said annular film holder therewith, said means for automatically rotatively moving said annular film holder therethrough includes at least one pair of drive members for rollingly bringing said film holder to an alignment posi tion with said window, said at least one pair of drive members include a pair of coplanarly disposed reel-like members rotatably mounted on transverse shafts in each of said bath chambers, said reel-like members having flange means including one planar flange member parallel to and spaced apart from
  • Apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said means for automatically moving said annular film holder therethrough includes an inclined surface on at least one of said reel-like members and disposed so as to effect lateral shifting movement of said film-holder through said partition open window into the adjacent bath chamber responsive to engagement of said inclined surface by said annular film-holder.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Photographic Developing Apparatuses (AREA)
  • Photographic Processing Devices Using Wet Methods (AREA)
US367438A 1972-06-10 1973-06-06 Method and apparatus for automatically developing small film Expired - Lifetime US3882527A (en)

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JP5798372A JPS5317058B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-06-10 1972-06-10

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US (1) US3882527A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5317058B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE7320439U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2188198B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1440965A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT985660B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4112453A (en) * 1977-03-07 1978-09-05 Eastman Kodak Company Rotary film processing apparatus
US4125852A (en) * 1977-05-31 1978-11-14 Brooks Louis E Dental film carriage
US4311380A (en) * 1980-10-10 1982-01-19 Dfp Enterprises Automatic processor for dental x-ray film
US4422748A (en) * 1981-06-15 1983-12-27 U.S. Philips Corporation Apparatus for transporting and processing photographic materials or the like
EP0471322A3 (en) * 1990-08-13 1992-09-30 Nix Company Ltd. Film holder for dental x-ray film developing machine, and film mounting stage for the holder
EP0639795A1 (en) * 1993-08-17 1995-02-22 Nix Company Ltd. Automated development processor for dental X-ray film

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US3550520A (en) * 1966-12-02 1970-12-29 Bernard Andre Lucas Device for automatic developing of photographic sensitive surfaces
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US2349823A (en) * 1941-06-27 1944-05-30 Styles T Howard Blueprint washing machine
US2766670A (en) * 1954-03-08 1956-10-16 Frederick H Fritts Developing and drying device for x-ray films
US2900514A (en) * 1955-05-18 1959-08-18 Cormack E Boucher Daylight film loading and developing apparatus
US3196772A (en) * 1961-08-01 1965-07-27 Ralph A Sickles Apparatus for intermittent immersion of articles in liquid baths
US3277809A (en) * 1964-04-16 1966-10-11 Maurer Inc J A Daylight dental x-ray film processing apparatus
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US3461842A (en) * 1965-11-19 1969-08-19 Ibm Work holder rack
US3550520A (en) * 1966-12-02 1970-12-29 Bernard Andre Lucas Device for automatic developing of photographic sensitive surfaces
US3623416A (en) * 1968-06-24 1971-11-30 Claes Johan Anderberg Processing system for photographic material
US3512467A (en) * 1968-07-23 1970-05-19 Norman Schafler X-ray film developing arrangement
US3672289A (en) * 1970-10-16 1972-06-27 Xatron Corp Automatic film processing apparatus

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4112453A (en) * 1977-03-07 1978-09-05 Eastman Kodak Company Rotary film processing apparatus
US4125852A (en) * 1977-05-31 1978-11-14 Brooks Louis E Dental film carriage
US4311380A (en) * 1980-10-10 1982-01-19 Dfp Enterprises Automatic processor for dental x-ray film
US4422748A (en) * 1981-06-15 1983-12-27 U.S. Philips Corporation Apparatus for transporting and processing photographic materials or the like
EP0471322A3 (en) * 1990-08-13 1992-09-30 Nix Company Ltd. Film holder for dental x-ray film developing machine, and film mounting stage for the holder
US5235373A (en) * 1990-08-13 1993-08-10 Nix Company, Ltd. Film holder for dental X-ray film developing machine, and film mounting stage for the holder
EP0639795A1 (en) * 1993-08-17 1995-02-22 Nix Company Ltd. Automated development processor for dental X-ray film
CN1038207C (zh) * 1993-08-17 1998-04-29 您可试股份有限公司 牙齿的x光底片自动化冲洗处理装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4925929A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-07
DE2327706B2 (de) 1975-08-21
JPS5317058B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1978-06-06
IT985660B (it) 1974-12-10
DE7320439U (de) 1973-11-08
FR2188198B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-04-23
FR2188198A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-01-18
DE2327706A1 (de) 1974-01-03
GB1440965A (en) 1976-06-30

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