US1788448A - Photographic-print-treating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet l Y( M/; ATTO NEYL vBY A. w. CAPs Filed March 1',

lO'HiH HHH Jan. 13, 1931.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT TREATING APPARATUS Jan. 13, 1931: A. w. CAPs PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT TREATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ma'rch l, 1929 Jan. 13, 1931. A. w. CAPE:V 1,783,448

PHTOGRAPHIC PRINT TREATING APPARATUS Filed March l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Jan. 13, 1931. A. w. CAPs 1,788,448-

v HOTOGRAPHIC PRINT TREATING APPARATUS Filed March l, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY www ATT E Jan. 13, 1931. A. w. cAPs l,788,44&

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT TREATING APPARATUS Filed March l. 1929 5 SheetswSheet 5 INVENTOR especially applicable toV socalle` d coinmercial cameras in which exposures aremade on YPatented Jari. 13, 1931 narran] `srareasra'inn'ifforfrlfci: v

Anfriinnw. cnrs, ornooi-'iEsTna-NEW YQRK; AssIGNoR To riiorosTAr conrona'rioii,

or Piaovin-nivcn, airone isiiiinneonrona'rion or niaonnisLAND Piao'roGRAPH-ierninm@HEATING VAriuimirii's Application med March i1, 1929. `Serial No. 3433655.

rDie presentinvention relates to photography and more particularly to thetreatment of photographic prints after they have been expos-ed in a camera. The invention is successive portions of a vroll of Vsensitized sheet material, -the exposed l portions then being seveixd from the roll and treated.

'atns including suitable. print treating appa developing and fixing baths.

It is particularly iviththe'print, treating` baths that the present invention deals# and preferably with the iixingbath, although it Y is also applicable to the developing bathor to other baths such as Washing baths. An object of the invention is the provision of means for moviiigthe bathjcontainer in a` novel Way. in order to produce efficiently Waves in the bath Which Will flow over. and submergea print placed therein.

Another obj ect of the invention is thev pro-V vision of meansY for twisting or shifting` 'a print fwhile it is being'renioved from vprint conveying mechanisnn in order to assist'snch;

removal. Preferably thisV twisting` ofthe print is caused by theV same movement of the container above nientioneth which creates the waves in the' bath,

A further Objectis the ,provision of stationary guiding means in. a Ymovable :bath container for limiting the movement of Va print Within the bath ivhen Vthe container is moved, andthe provision of improved driving mechanism for the parts.

To vthese and other ends the invention re sidesxin certain iinpinvementsand combina tions of parts, all as vrwill l e hereinafter more fully describech the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

in the drawings:

'Figi'. l is a. side elevation of a portion of a commercial camerashoWing a preferreden'ibodiment of the invention appiied thereto, and illustrating` pa'rtici'ilarly the driving mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken longitudinallythrough the apparatus slightly inside the right hand `Wall of the casing;

.Figjf is a horizontal section substantially on the :line ofV Fig. 2,. illustrating.por-` tions `of the drive. for the print removing ig. `#lis a f ragiiientary vertical section through the forward end k:ofthe print'treating-- bath and associated ,parts7 takensuhstan- F 5 is `a fragmenteV details of the print conveying4 mechanism;

- Fig. 6 is a Jtransvcrse @vertical section `through the apparatus ehovvingtlielhath concontainer, parts 'of the-,casing being shown in horizontal sectionY Y ySimilar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The drawings illustrate7 especially in l and 6, a pair yof horizontal v"frame membersy l() from vhich is hung a'casi'ng comprising` side Walls ll. y eifportion l2 'of the Casing,` projects upwaidlyabove the frame members lOfat Vthe forward end of the walls ll and constitutes'partofl theeXposure chamber of i a camera, :the other parts of which are not shoivn. Within this` exposure chamber there is suitable 'ineai 1`s,V not shoi'vn for holding sensitized sheetmaterial inposition tobe exposed, and for feeding` and Vsevering the ex-V posed portions of the Sheetmaterial, asvvill he understoodby those familiar ivith commercial cameras.4

The severedprints are picked up vhy suitable printconveyiiig mechanism which may include., for example, a-pair yof.endless n1enibers suchas .the chains V1:5 'guided over suitable sprockets 16, 17, 18h19 and 20 so .that these chains have. apredetermined pathV of {tra-vel anendless circuit.` The chains are provided with suitable means for pick?A ing Vup carryingl along the exposed prints,A which means, niay comprise a plurality of spaced pin barsl as shown in Fig.

'5., eachpinbar being `secured. at 'one` end to the right hand chain and at the other end to the left `hand chain', so 4that; .feaeliV p iii bar extends transversely i aCfSf v the apparatus is aA similar View showing .the bath tially along the centerline efthefapparatus; l

plan illustrating' Y washing baths (not shownlso that the printV VVis developed .and washed during its travel.

ing mecnanism.

paleduponftliese pins in a manner under#V within the casing, and travels along `when the chains are moved. Pins 22 are fixed to each pin bar 2l and' project torn ardly there- -irom inthe direction of travel of the conveyl An exposed print is `iinstoodby those skilled in the art, and is thus drawn along when the conveying mechanism is moved.` Preferably the path ot travel ot the' conveying meclianisn passes through Va developing bath and through one or more In the embodiment of apparatus here illustrated, the conveying mechanism then moves vertically'upwardly near lthe back of tlieapparatus or near tlie lett handend of Fig-2, passes over the sprocket' 16,'the'printmeaiiw iile being Y guided by the roller and thence moves forwardly substantially -hori- Zontally-1over a container 26 which holds a print fixing bath such ashypoor the li re.

Y During the travel of the conveying mech'- anism over the container 26, the forward edge of the print isimpaledupon the p insi22 while the rest of the printtriils' alonglbo hind, the free portion of the 3Y into the bath within the container 2G as the conveyormoves.

As the pin bar 2l on Awhich the print is impaled nearsthe forward end of the container 26, the print is removed therefrom so that the entire print falls into the container. To accomplishl this removall readily, the

sprockets 17 and 18 are arranged so Vas to cause theconveyor to reverse its direction of movement so that the pins 22 willi'or a momentbe projected rearwardly in the manner illustrated in Fig. Ll. When the parts are in this relationship, the .print illustrated at P in this igure, is removed from the" pins by y the wiping action of an oscillating wiping member having resilient fingers A of rubber lor the like fixed to a plate: 3l mounted on an oscillating' shaft 3s, mechanism'heref after described being provided for causing `bar may pick up another exposedprint and,v convey it through the developing bath and' to the fixing bath, in the samejmanner. v It sometimes happens that a print sticks slightly on the'pins 22 on which it is 'im-Y paled, so thatV the wiping movement of the fingers 30 does not effectively remove the print `from allot the pins. Alsoit frequent i int'bacl ot the impaled forward edge falling by gravity` ly happens that whenk a print istreed iroin the conveying mechanism andrfalls into the container 26, it remains lioating for a vconv siderable'timeon the surface of theibath unless means is provided for submerging it. The submergence of the print in order to obtain thorough and-'uniform action of the bath thereon is especially important where, as in the present instance,the print is Vdeposited in the bath'with its sensitized or emulsion side uppermost.

According to the-present invention, e novel means is provided which not only assists the removal: of the' prints `from the conveying means but also insures the eiective submergence oi' each print so that-it willfbe acted upon thoroughly and uniformlyby the fixing solution. This novel' means preferably comprises means for moving the bath con` tainer 26 in a lateral or transverse direction, which movement produces a twisting action on theprint impaled on the pins 22 and thus .assists the removal of the print l'romthe conveying mechanism, and which also produces 'waves in the bath which vflowY over the'print effectively and submerge it quickly,so that it will be acted upon properly and uniformly by theL treatingbath. 'A lateral movementl et the hath container is more advantageous than 'a'longitudinal movement not only because twists the print and helpsto Vremove it from the conveying mechanism, but also because the container ordinarily has'considerably less breadth than length, and vwaves .need not be so high or of such great ampli'- Vtude to flow entirely acrossthe container as would be required to flow the length of the container. Hence the container need not be reciprocatedso violently in 'a transverse di- :i'e'etion asin a longitudinalY direction, less power is required, and the submerging action of the waves is more rapid and reliable.

:In order to permit this lateral movement ot the container, it is mounted upon a pair of rollers 40 rotatably journalled in bearings Lll'supported on a horizontal plate l2 extending across'the apparatus. These rollers d() extend longitudinally of the apparatus, so that the container supported on them may move transversely. Since the container 26 is preferably made of hard rubber or the like, a metal shell 43 is `provided extending across the bottoinand partially up the sides of the container, tliis'shell providing a smooth bearing surface for rolling on the rollers 40, 'and preventing wear of the container itself.'

' Each of the rollers is'provided with a groove 44; extending circumferentially around the. roller, and a 'strip 45 fixed to the bottom of the member t'runsl in these grooves 44 and acts as a guiding rail preventing any twisting of the container and insuring true parallel motion thereof.

The movement-s of the container are preferably produced by the same driving means rife-same which oscillates the printremovingumeans 4and the print conveying mechanism. Such drivingmeans, as illustratedin Fig. l comprises'for example a motor 50 arranged,v

Vthrough suitable gearing within "the Vgear box 5l, to drivecontinuously a vertical shaft having a bevel gear 52 at `its upper end. This bevel gear meshes With another "bevel gear ont-lie forward end of horizontal shaft 54 which carries anotherbevel gear 55 at its rear en d, and which also has a spiral gear'56 near its reariend. 5 f ,y

The bevel gear 55 drives another bevel gear 57 on asliort vertical shaft 58 provided with a crank member 59 at its upper end, this crank member having a crank pin '.60 Which, as shown in, Figs. 7 and 8, v.is'connected by a link 6l to a bracket `inember 62`iix`ed to the shell 43 of the container 26. x Thus,.the continuous rotation of the shaft 54 produced by the motor 50 rotates the crank pin 60 and iecipi'ocates the bath container in a transverse direction. VThis reciprocation produces waves in the bath which `flow over and submeree the print, and it'also moves the rear end of theprint transverselytosomeextent, thus twisting it and assisting itsV removal from tlie pins 22. f

The print removing means is driven from thevspiral gear 56 above mentioned." This s iral 'ear meshes With another s )iral ear 65 to which is fixed a crank 66 connected to one end of a link 67.V Theotlierend of thislink is pivoted to an arm 68 at the outer end of a short rock shaft 69' which extends through the side wall ll of the casingjand which carries another ariii 70 at its Vinner end. v'll-his inner arm 70 of the rock shaft-is connected by a link 71 to arni'72 on the shaft 32Wliieh sup- V portst'he wiping :fingers 30 of-tliepr-int removingmeans. shaft 54 not only reciprocates the bath container 26, `but alsoosci-llates the" print removing means. i v

lt will be noted especiallyfrom, Fig. 3 that the link 7l which connects the arm 70 tothe arm 72 is of U-shaped form. This is necessitated by the factthat; the arm' must extend around a depending lug 73 on which the sprockets 17 and 18V are mounted, and accordingly this U-shaped construction is adapted. rl'he link must extend around the outer side oi` this lug '(3,'sii`ice if it extended directly from the arm 70 to the armV 72 it would be in the path of travel of'pin bars 21.

he endless nieml'iers 15 of the conveying mechanism may be driven continuously but are preferably driven intermittently by'suitable gearing of known construction Within the gear box 51. The driving Vis arranged to be started by depression of an operating plunger 75, which may be moved by a handle 7 6 shown in Fig. l. Then the driving of the conveying mechanism has once been started by operation of the handle 76, it will continue Thus,V the rotation of they untilitlie mechanismlhaslbeen driven a predetermined distaneeland thenthe .drivingv rwill automatically cease' until the plungerV 75 isa-gain depressed." Thesliaftt is `preferably driven continuously,however, sol that :the conveying` finechanism is at rest.AV

The presentiiiventioii alsopiovides guid-V iiigfnieans wvhin the print treatingbath for limiting somewhat trie movements yof the prints inirespenseto the,reciprocatingniove-V ments Aof jthe bath Container. `llliis.guiding means may `ce-'niprise a grid-like structure .formed ofy a seriesof wireszbenttothe shape bestshown inFigs. 6 and 7. Eaehfwirehas a straight @portion SO extending` transversely aerossthe bath' 4container slightly abovejtlie fbottonif'thereof andA below the surface ofthe liquid 1bath,.side.portions 81 extending up ward/ly from the cndsofthe portion 80, and terminal `port-ions .fixed at their. outer ends to `inwardly, extending ledges or flanges 63 .which aresecured to Athe side walls l1l of the casing..y ':l"hus this grid-like structure remains stationary wlienthe bath container reciprocates, and it acts as a means for limiting somewhat theiiiovements offthe .prints within the bath, .although 4the guiding means isy somewhat*.Widertlianft'lie width of a print so that .limited movement of the mitteel.

extreme rigfht ihand :end .of lits recip'rocation7 and showsltliat the left handside portions 8l of y'the grid Wires vare soplaeed that they i Will .be slightlyspaced from theleft side of the container When it is in this position. Similarly, when the container reaches 'the extremeleft hand end of. its reciprocation,

the right haiid side portions 8l of the grid .-vv'iies Will be slightly spaced-from the right Vside of the container. Thus the prints within the grid-like structure are prevented from coming-into contact lwith the side walls of the bath'containor during the reciprocationsI thereof, so that they cannot stick to thesides o'r.preveiit-tlie proper formation of waves by the reciprocating movement.

The inwardly extending .flanges at the upper edge of .thecontainer 26 .prevent to a largeV extenty the splashing or sputtering of the liquid .vithi-n the container when .the container reeiprocated. Sonie slight'spattenv Ving might occur, however, and vin order to prevent-such'spattering from reaching undevelopedpii-nts waiting to be picked .up near the forward .end of the apparatus7 guard members are provided as shown in Fig. Ll. These guard members include a vertical plate 9i extending across the casing from one side wall 11 to the other, and another vertical v plate 92 likewise extending across the casing andoverlapping the upturned end 93 of the plate 4:2 on whiehltlfie rollers i0 are supported.

print is perirl.)

illustrates the bath vco1itaineir at the A Any liquid Which splashes or spatters out of the container 2G will thus be prevented from reaching a point where it niight dodainag 95 through Which thedi'ain'pipe` 95 or the bath container 26 extends. Y Y,

in operation, an exposed print is picked up by the conveying"mechanism .by being iinpaled on Vthe pins 22, and isbroughtalong through'developing and Washing baths and up over the roller (Fig. 2) to the fixing 'bath Within the container26.` Ars the pin bar carrying the print moves forwardly above this container, the orivardedge of thefprint will be held up bybeinginpaled on the `pins whilethe rest of the printvivi'll trail along .in the bath, as isillustrated in Fig. t. l/Vhen the pin bar 2l to which the print lis attached passes around the` sprocket l'xand thus lreverses its direction, the rearward Vmovement ot the oscillating tingers will Wipe the impaled forward edge oit the print oil of the pins 22.' so that the print-'fis freed and the tor. Ward edge thereof falls to the surface ot the bath on which the rest of theprint is already lying.` c i Y During Athis time, the container 26 is constantly being reciprocated in a transverse direction and this Amotion is transmitted to.

` some extent-to the rear end of the'print`r which Ythoroiig-lily acted upon, by means vof tiie.

i would have to do.` Thus transverse Waves ot is in the bath. Accordingly, since the rear und is shifted back and forth vin-a transverse direction While the frontend is held against transverse movement by the pins 22, the print is somewhat twisted back and forth and this greatly assists the removal of the printfrom the pins 22. i v i 'Ti/*hen the print has been freedv trcmthe pins and fic-ating upon the surface of the bath, it is Vquickly subi'nergedin the bath and Waves which are -formed on account ofthe reciprocations ot the bath container, The reciprocating movement of the container in a transverse direction rather than in a. lon gitudinal direction is particularly advantageous not only because it produces the above mentionedl twisting action on the print, but also because the Waves produced in the bath are more eii'icient and eiiective than when the container is inoi'edlongitudinally. Since the lonta-nier has considerably less breadtii than length, transverse n'avcs do not have to ioiv as great a distance in order to tion* conipietely over the print as longitudinal Waves losser height or amplitude will act as elle@ tively upon the print as longitudinal Waves ot considerably greater height or amplitude.

The Wave action stirs up the liquid in thcbath and keeps it ot uniform consistency.

T he icl-like. structure prevents the print troni coming into contactvviththe sides of the bath container 26 during the reciprocations -othe conta-incr, and thus the print is kept from stickingto the sides and from interfering'. with theiormation and proper From the foregoing description it will be seenV that'an improved apparatus has been provided'in which the photographic prints are easilyreinoved from theconveying mechanism and in .which they are quickly -subf niergedin a print treating bath so that they are thoroughly acted upon by the bath. 'The apparatus isconiparatively simple, requires only asmall amount ot'power to operate it, 1

and is ol' rugged. and durable construction.

1 lhile one embodiment ot the finvention has been disclosed, it is .to be understoodthat the inventiveideamaybe carried'out in a iiumf ber oi'ivays. lThisapplication is theie'tore notte be limited to the precise details shown,

but is intendechto cover all variations `and modifications thereof vfalling Within the spirit et the invention or .the scope ofthe :ippencedclaiins. Y, Y vs Lclaiiii asmy invention: i .1. ln a photographic apparat-iis, the combination with afcoiitainerlior holding a photographic print treating'bath, said container treating bath, oita plurality o'l rollers for supportingjsaid container, `a groove in each of said rollers, a member on said container cX- tending into said groove ioi' guiding the container, and mechanismfor reciprocating said Y container on saidrollers to create Waves in the bath Withintlie container. Y

3. In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a support, ot a container movable relative to said Vsupport for containing a print treating bath,niechanism for moving said container relative to said support to create Waves in the bath toiiow over and submerge a print deposited tliereiinvand guiding means stationaryrelative to said support for limiting movement-ot a print Within the bathduring tho movement-s ot tho container.

Ll. lira photographic apparatus, the combination with a support, of a container for holding a print treating bath movable relative'to s aid support,mechanisml for moving said contaiiierto, create Waves in the bath for lioiving over andy subinei'ging a print deposited therein, and a grid stationary relative to said support and placed partially Within said bath for limiting the movement of a photographic'- print placed in the bath.

5. In'a photographic apparatus, the combination with a frame, of print conveying mechanism, a movable container for holding a print treating bath, print guiding means comprising a grid-like structure,mounted on said frame and having sides projecting downwardly into said container and a bottom extending across a portion ofA the container below the surface of the bath therein, means for removing a print from said conveying mechanism and depositing itin said bath within said grid-like structure, and mechanism for shifting said container to cause waves in the bath to flow over and submerge the print.

6. In a photographic apparatus,'the combination with print conveying mechanism, of a. movable container for holding a print treating bath, means for removing aprint from said conveying mechanism and depositing it in'said bath, a driving shaft, mechanism including a rock shaft for operating said print removing means, means including a gear on said driving shaft for oscillating said rock shaft for operating said print removing means, a crank member, means including another gear on said driving shaft for rotating said crank member, and a link Connecting said crank member to said container for reciprocating said container to cause waves therein to ow over and sub-V .merge a print deposited 1n the bath.

7. In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a casing, of print conveying mechanism movable therein, a container within said casing for holding a print treating bath, means for removing a print from said conveying mechanism and depositing'it in said bath, a shaft passing through said casing, an arm on said shaft exteriorly of said casing, another arm on said shaft in the interior of the casing, a rotatable driving member, mechanism including a link connected to said exterior arm of vsaid shaft and driven. by said driving member for oscillating the shaft, and a substantially U-shaped link interconnecting the interior arm on said shaft with said print removing means for driving the latter from the former.

8. In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a casing, of print conveying mechanism movable therein, a container movably mounted within said casing for holding a print treating bath, means for removing a print from said conveying mechanism and depositing it in said bath, a shaft passing through said casing, an arm on said shaft exteriorly of said casing, another arm on said shaft in the interior of the casing, a rotatable driving member, mechanism including a link connected to the exterior arm of said shaft and driven by said driving member for oscillating the shaft, a link interconnecting the interior arm of said shaft with said print removing means for driving the latter from the former, a crank member separate from said shaft and rotated by said driving mem-- ber, and a link operatively connecting said crank member to said container for reciproeating the container to create waves'in said bath toflovv over and submerge a Aprint de-l .posited therein.

9 In a photographic apparatus, the combination with a container forl holding a print 'treating bath, of an inclined member partiallywithinV said container and extending" downwardly'to a point below the surface of said bath, said container and inclined member being movablerelatively to each other, and mechanism for causing relative movement between said inclined member and said container so that said inclined member will container and grid-like structure being 1 mountedfor movement relative to each other,

and mechanism for producing relative movement between said container and said gridlike structure so that said inclined sides will act as cams on the edges of a print in the bath Within said'structure and will tend to depress said edges of the print.

` ARTHUR W. CAPS.

las

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