US758277A - Apparatus for developing and fixing photographic plates and prints. - Google Patents

Description

' PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

w. A. PETERS. APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING AND FIXING PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATES AND PRINTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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' PATENTED APR. 26, 1904. :W. A. PETERS.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING AND FIXING PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATES AND PRINTS.

APPLICATION nun) JAN 16. 1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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No'. 758,277. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

W. A. PETERS. APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING AND FIXING PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATES AND PRINTS.

APPLIOATION'IILED JAN. 16, 1904. 7 H0 MODEL. A 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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' UNITED STATES Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM A. PETERS, OF J OHNSTOTVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- FIFTHS TO EDWARD L. COOK, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING AND FlXlNG PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES AND PRlNTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,277, dated April 26, 1904:. Application filed January 16, 1904. Serial No. 189,362. (No model.)

To all w/mm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. PETERS, a citizen of the United States, residingat J ohnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of my companion application, Serial No. 189,361,

for developing or fixing plates without the use of a dark room and for making and developing prints from negatives developed in the apparatus without waiting for the negatives to become dry.

Further objects contemplated in theinvention are the provision of an apparatus of the character specified which shall be comparatively inexpensive, exceedingly durable, susceptible of use with an unusually small amount of developing fluid, and which may be readily manipulated by any one who understands the art of developing photographic plates as it is ordinarily carried on in a dark room.

1n the attainment of the objects above mentioned and others which will appear as the invention is more fully disclosed I make use of an apparatus as hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in a preferred form of embodiment in the accompanying drawings, it being understood. that changes in the form and proportions of the parts, as well as in their mode of arrangement, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing in. any way the advantages thereof.

In the .drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the developing apparatus with the observation devices in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the developing apparatus with the observation devices removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the mode of securing the fixingtank in position at the end of the developingtray to receive developed negatives from the tray. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the developing-tray, showing the printing devices in operative position at the top of the tray. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the printing-frame. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the mounts or supports for a sheet of printing.- paper. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the means for securing the hanger in horizontal position. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the baseplate supporting the observation devices. Fig-1O is a detail end view showing the mode of securing the spring 15 to the developingtray; Fig. 11 is a detail view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, showing the operation of the fixing-tank upon the spring 15.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views, 1 designates a suitable tray or receptacle for the developing fluid. The tray 1 is preferably of rectangular form, as shown, the proportions thereof being adapted to the size of the plates to be developed therein and the material employed in the construction of the tray being of any character adapted for the purpose, hard rubber or vulcanized fiber being generally preferable. The tray 1 is provided with a cover 2, which fits closely over the open top of the tray and is held tightly in position by means of spring-catches 3, mounted at the sides of the cover and having slots which receive suitable lugs 4:, projectingoutward from the sides of the tray 1. In the tray 1 there is formed at one end thereof a horizontally-disposed shelf 5, which extends entirely across the tray, forming a pocket 03, whose utility willbehereinafter pointed out. The shelf 5 extends outward from the tray to a slight distance and cooperates with a transverse plate 6, disposed above it and spaced therefrom to form a guideway or passage through which plates may be removed from the apparatus after development. The plate 6 is provided with an opening extending longitudinally thereof to facilitate the cleansing of the passage between the plate and the shelf 5, and in order to keep the passage normally closed against the entrance of light a valve or gate is formed at the inner end of the passage by providing the horizontally-pivoted member 8, which is supported upon a transverse rod 9, as best seen in Fig. 2. The rod 9 is disposed just internal to a shoulder formed in the shelf 5, so that the upper surface of the member 8 may lie substantially flush with the upper surface of the outer portion of the shelf 5. The member 8 is bent downward at its inner end, and the bent portion is suflicicntly long to extend below the plane of the bottom of the passage, so increasing the effectiveness of the member 8 as alight seal. To prevent the passage of light between the member 8 and the plate 6, a rib 11 is formed at the inner margin of the said plate, and the member 8 when in the normally raised position indicated in solid lines in Fig. 2 engages the plate just external to the rib. In order to hold the member 8 in the normally closed position, 1 preferably employ two slides 12, arranged at the opposite sides of the passage and each having-a cam-slot 13, which is engaged by a stud M, provided at the side of the pivoted member 8. The slides 12 are normally drawn outward into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 by means of a spring 15, secured at its middle to the outer surface of the tray by means of any suitable device, as shown in Fig. 1, and having the ends thereof extending through slots 16 in the side walls 17 of the passage, which extend beyond the end of the developing-tray. The ends of the spring 15 engage with openings provided for that purpose in the slides 12and keep the slides normally drawn outward as :far as the range of movementpermitted the ends of the spring by the slots 16 will allow. The outward movement of the slides 12 causes the studs 14 to move upward to the ends of the cam-slots 13, and so to hold the member 8 in elevated position.

Extending obliquely downward from the inner end of the shelf 5are two inclined ways 18, which are preferably supported by uprights 19, having feet 20, which are secured by screws or otherwise to the bottom of the tray. The ways 18have ribs 21 formed thereon, which are of substantially V-shaped crosssection to correspond to grooves 22, formed in the under side of the bottom of a platecarrier 23, which arranged for movement upward along the ways 18. The plate-carrier 23 consists, preferably, of athin sheet of suitable material, such as aluminium, and is provided at its sides with upturned marginal portions 24 to insure proper positioning of the plate on the carrier. Owing to the thinness of the material of which the carrier is composed, the formation of the grooves 22 in the under surface of thcbottom of the carrier necessitates the formationof ribs or ridges 25 on the upper surface of the bottom, and these ribs or ridges serve to hold the plate out of contact with the bottom proper.

The carrier 23 is pivotally mounted upon a hanger 26, which consists, preferably, of a rod of suitable diameter bent to present journals 27 and 28, which turn in bearings formed in the side walls of the tray, and an intermediate portion 29, upon which the end of the carrier is pivotally supported, said intermediate portion 29 of the hanger being disillined from the journals 27 and 28 sufliciently to allow the carrier 23 to rest almost in contact with the bottom of the tray. The rod forming the hanger is extended beyond the journal 27 sufficiently to form a crank 30, by means of which the hanger may be swung from its normal vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, to the (kitted-line positions shown in the same figure and a substantially horizontal position, in which it may be secured by allowing the crank 30 to engage with a catch-lug 31 on the exterior of the tray, the crank 30 being sulliciently resilient to permit it to slip readily over the catch-lug when moved upward and to permit it to be swung outward sniliciently to disengage from the catch-lug when it is desired to lower the hanger.

The 1 1ate-carrier, the hanger, and the ways along which the carrier is arranged to slide are so proportioned that when the hanger occupies its normal position the carrier is held horizon tal and is supported barely out of contact with the bottom of the tray, resting at one end upon the hanger and at the other end upon the ways 18. When, however, the hanger is moved upward, as shown in Fig. 2, the initial movement causes the end of the carrier which rests upon the ways to be elevated more rapidly than thatsupported upon the hanger, so that any developing fluid upon the plate or upon the carrier naturally drains off at the lower end. By the time the hanger reaches a substantially horizontal position the end of the carrier supported thereby will have reached the same elevation as the other end, and when the hanger is locked in position at the limit of its upward movement the bottom of the carrier will not only be horizontal, but will lie in the same plane as the bottom of the passage along which developed plates must pass into the fixing-bath.

At the end of the tray in which the hanger is mounted I find it convenient to provide a conduit through which the spent (.leveloper may be poured and water or other developer introduced without the necessity of removing the cover from the tray. In order to prevent the entrance of light, while at the same time providing for the removal of liquid from the tray and the introduction of liquid thereinto, I use a tube 31', the major portion of which is vertical, but which has a horizontal branch lIC at the top and. whose lower end opens below The cover 2 of the developing-tray is in-] tended to remain in position upon the tray throughout the entire developing operation and is provided with means for permitting the introduction of plates into the developingtray without removing the cover. seen in Fig. 2, the cover extends over the entire length of the developing-tray and closes the aperture 7 in the transverse plate 6 at the opposite end of the tray. The cover is provided with an opening 32 sufficiently large to permit the plate to pass readily therethrough, as the opening extends substantially from the inner margin ofthe transverse plate 6 to a point about as near the other end of the tray and is almost as wide as the tray itself. The opening 32 is kept normally closed by means of a slide 33, arranged for movement longitudinally of the cover in grooves provided therefor, as usual. The slide is of the ordinary construction, and suitable light-sealing devices are provided in the cover adjacent to the outer ends of the slide toprevent entrance of light when the slide is withdrawn.

At both sides of the cover overhanging flanges are arranged upon its upper surface, as shown at 34, these flanges being designed to serve the double purpose of holding a plateholder in close contact with the upper surface of the cover when the plate is being discharged from the holder into the developing apparatus and to hold the base-plate supporting the observation devices in position above the cover during the. process of developing a plate in the apparatus.

Any plate-holder provided with flanges for engagement with the guide-flanges at the sides of the cover may be successfully used in connection with this apparatus; but the apparatus is intended primarily for use with plateholders of the type disclosed in my companion application above mentioned, and the flanges. formed upon the upper surface of the cover v 2 of the apparatus are of proper dimensions to cooperate with the flanges provided at the sides of that form of plate-holder.

After the introduction of a plate into the apparatus it is intended that the plate-holder shall be removed from the top of the apparatus and suitable observation devices secured in position upon the cover to enable the operator to observe the process of development as it progresses within the apparatus.

The preferred form of observation devices are shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and they comprise a suitable. base-plate 35, a vision-tube 36,-

mounted at one side of the base-plate, a window 37, of ruby glass, provided in the base-plate,

and an automatic valve or door in the vision-.

tube which is normally closed to prevent the entrance of light, but can be thrown open by the pressure of the operators forehead against As best the upper end of the vision-tube. so exposing the plate within the apparatus to his View. Thebase-plate is secured in position upon the cover 2 of the apparatus by being inserted beneath the overhanging flanges 34,.and when in position over the cover the window 37, of ruby glass, lies above the opening 32; in the cover. is also over the opening 32, andan opening 38. is provided in v the base-plate 35 at the lower end of the vision-tube, as shown in Fig. 3. Arranged transversely of the base-plate 35 at the end of theopening38 are guides39, and at theside of the opening .38 nearest the middle of the base-plate 35a stop 40 is provided which rises above the guides 39. At the other side of the opening 38a stop 41 is provided which is somewhat lower than the stop 40, rising only to the upper surface of the guides 39. V The guides 39 and the stops 4O and41 are designed for engagement with the lower. end of the vision-tube 36, which is provided with grooves for the reception of theguides, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with bindings 42 and 43, of plush orother similar material, at the edges of the tube which contact with the,stops 40 and 41. The grooves which receive the guides 39 are extended beyond the side of the vision-tube sufficiently to contact with the adjacent flange 34 on the cover of the apparatus when thevision-tube is in position as shown in Fig. The contact of the ends of the grooved extensionswith the flange 34 prevents any lateral movement of the visiontube in the direction indicated by the arrowa in Fig. 3, so insuring a light-proof jointbetween the vision-tube and the base-plate upon which it ismounted.

The lower end of thevision-tube36 The vision-tube 36 is composed of telescopically-connected sections44 and 45, the former being held rigidly upon the base-plate 35 by the devices above described and'the latter being supported by means of a spring 46, having its ends secured in the walls of the sec-- tion 44. The upward movement, of the tubesection 45 is limited by means of a link 47, pivotally secured in tube-section 44 at 48 and extending upward to bepivotally attached to the under surface of a flap or door 49,- which is hinged upon an inwardly-projecting flange 50 in the tube-section 45. The action of the spring 46 in forcing the tube-section 45 upward causes the flap 49 to be held normally in close contact with the upper surface of the.

flange 50, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3'; but when pressure is applied to the upper endof the tube-section 45 it will. be forced downward against the action of the spring 46, and

the link 47 will raise theflap 49 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. i

In order to make the opening .of the flap 49 TTO automatic when the operator desires to observe the progress of the developing process, I shape the upper end of the tube-section 45 to correspond approximately to the contour of the operators forehead and the adjacent portions of the face and provide a binding or sheath, of fur or other suitable material, upon the edges of the tube at the upper end, so that when the operator brings his eyes into position above the end of the vision-tube and presses the section thereof downward with his head the entrance at the top of the tube will be cut off by the binding of fur around the edges of the tube, and the downward movement of the section 45 of the tube will cause the opening of the flap 49.

In using the apparatus, as above described, the developing-tray will be supplied with suitable developing fiuid to about the depth indicated by the dotted line y yin Fig. 2, the platecarrier will be raised into horizontal position near the top of the tray, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the plate will be deposited upon the carrier by withdrawing the plate-holder slide and the slide 33 in the cover of the developing-tray. The plate having been deposited upon the carrier, the crank 80 and the hanger 26 will be disengaged from the at tached lug 31 and will be lowered to the normal position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. This will submerge the plate in the developer, and the even distribution of the developer over the surface of the plate may be facilitated by imparting to the carrier a slight movement of agitation by swinging the hanger gently to and fro. The plate having been immersed in the developer, the plate-holder will be removed from the top of the apparatus, the slide in the cover having of course been restored to its closed position. The observation devices will be placed in position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The slide of the cover will then be withdrawn, and the operator will be enabled to observe from time to time the progress of the development, facilitating the development by agitating the developer in the manner already explained. When the development is complete, the carrier will be raised to the horizontal position in the upper portion of the tray and secured there. The developer may then be removed from the apparatus and water introduced through the tube 31, provided for that purpose. The plate may then be lowered into the water for rinsing preliminary to fixation. If, however, it is desired to do so, the rinsing of the plate prior to fixation may be dispensed with, and the plate may be transferred to the fixing-bath as soon as the development is complete.

The apparatus employed in fixing the plates consists of a tank orreceptacle 52 of the form shown in Fig. 4:. Being designed to receive a single plate only, the receptacle is of considerable length and depth, but is of very little width. The tank 52 is made of any suitable material and is adapted to lit over the extended portions of the shelf 5 and transverse plate 6, between which the developing plate must pass out of the developing-tray. The tank 52 is provided at the top with an auto matic closure consisting of aflap 53, pivotally mounted in a pivoted section 54: of the side wall of the tank and held normally in closed position by means of a spring 55, arranged between the flap 53 and the section 5% of the tank-wall. WVhen the tank 52 is placed in position upon the extensions of the shelf 5 and plate 6 at one end of the developing-tray,

as shown in Fig. 4, the contact of the plate 6 I with the flap 53 forces it into open position, as shown in Fig. i, and at the same time the engagement of the end walls of the tank 52 with the spring15 forces the ends thereof toward the developer-tray, carrying with them the slides 12 and causing the member 8 to be depressed, so as to leave the passage between the shelf 5 and plate 6 open for the discharge of a developed plate from the tray. The member 8 being depressed and the i'lap53 being raised, the plate may be discharged from the carrier by simply tilting the developingtray, as shown in Fig. i. As soon as the plate has passed downward into the fixingbath contained in the tank 52, the tank may be detached from the (:leveloping-tray and the flap 53 will close automatically,excludinglight from the interior of the fixing-tank. At the same time the action of the spring 15 will draw the slides 12 outward and cause the member 8 to rise into closed position.

In order to insure the ready movement of the developing-tray into the lixing-tankwhen the apparatus is tilted to discharge the plate from the developing-tray into the fixing-tank, I provide longitudinally arranged ribs 56 along one of the side walls of the tank, as shown in Fig. 4, and to facilitate the removal of the plate from the tank I provide a hook 57, which normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 4:, but can be drawn outward, when so desired, by catching the projecting end 58. During the process of fixation the plate requires no attention, and the fixingtank is ordinarily set to one side, being supported in a slightly inclined position by means of the brace 59 at one side of the tank and the stay-rod 60, cooperating therewith.

1f the developer-plate is rinsed before being introduced in the fixing-tank, the rinsing-water will ordinarily be poured out of the developing apparatus before the plate is discharged therefrom; but if the rinsing be dispensed with the plate will be dischargial from the developing apparatus without first removing the developing fluid therefrom. .ln that event the developing fluid is prevented from escaping from the apparatus when it is tilted, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of the shelf 5, as the developing fluid accumulates in the pocket beneath the shelf while the plate is sliding outward over the said shelf.

After the plate is completely lixed it may be removed from the fixing-tank and washed in any ordinary or preferred manner, as it is then no longer sensitive to the action of light, and exposure will not injure it.

As it is frequently desirable to make prints from negatives and develop them in daylight, I provide in connection with the apparatus above described a simple device by means of which prints may be made upon sensitive developing-paper in the developin -tray itself and the prints so made developed and fixed just as plates are.

When it is desired to use the apparatus for making and developing prints, the printed paper is introduced into the apparatus upon a support, preferably of the character illustrated in Fig. 7 and consisting of a plate 61, of aluminium or other suitable material, having clips 62 arranged at opposite points for engagement with the paper. These supports are supplied with printing-paper and are carried in a suitable case, from which they may be discharged one by one into plate-holders or into the developing apparatus. When one of the supports, with a sheet of printing-paper secured thereon, is discharged in-the apparatus, it rests upon the plate-carrier, as shown in Fig. 5, and is supported in a horizontal position near the top of the apparatus. The paper being in position, the plate from which it is desired to print is secured in position at the bottom of a frame 63, having side flanges 64and 65 to support the plate. The frame 63 is provided with a binding 66, of plush, felt, or other suitable material, and is adapted to enter the opening 32 in the cover of the developing-tray, being held therein by means of the slide 33 and the flanges 67 at the top of the frame, which rest upon adjacent portions of the cover 2. In the top of the frame a hinged flap or door 68 is provided, and this is normally kept closed. The printing-paper being in position upon the support in the carrier within the developing apparatus and the frame with the negative, either wet or dry, in position at the bottom thereof, the flap 68 will be raised and the negative, with the paper in position below it, exposed to the light for a suitable length of time. The flap will then be quickly closed, and the carrier, with the paper thereon, lowered into the developing fluid. The print is developed in the same way that a plate is developed, and the print and its support are then transferred to the fixing-tank for fixation. As there is no essential difierence between the developing and fixing of the print and of a plate, no further description appears to be necessary.

From the foregoing description and the drawings illustrative thereof it will be readily seen that plates may be easily and quickly developed in my apparatus in full daylight. Printing-paper may be placed in position in the apparatus and a print made thereon from a negative whether wet or dry, and the print so made developed at once within the apparatus. paratus is simple in construction, is very compact, is easy to manipulate, and enables the operations of developing and fixing either plates or prints to be carried on with small quantities of developing and fixing fluids.

Having thus de cribed the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a developing-machine, a developingtray, a plate-carrier arranged in said tray, and means for raising and lowering said carrierin said tray, said means being adapted to hold said carrier horizontal at the bottom of the tray and substantially horizontal near the top of the tray, but being adapted to impart a tilt to the carrier intermediate of its upper and lower positions.

2. In a developing-machine, a developingtray, inclined ways arranged in said tray, a plate-carrier having one end resting on said. ways, and means engaging the other end of said carrier for raising and lowering the carrier in. the tray.

3. In a developing-machine, a developingtray, a movable carrier in said tray, a swinging hanger for said carrier, and means cooperating with said swinging hanger for raising and lowering said carrier in said tray and for imparting to said carrier a slight tilt during its movement from the bottom to the top of the tray.

4. In a developing-machine, a developingtray, a plate-carrier disposed in said tray in a substantially horizontal plane, and means for raising said carrier in said tray from a horizontal position at thebottom to a horizontal position at the top and imparting to said car rier aslight tilt during its upward movement.

5. In a developing-machine, a developingtray, inclined ways arranged in said tray, a carrier having one end resting on said ways, and a swinging hanger at the other end of said carrier upon which the carrier is pivotally supported.

6. In a developing-machine, a developingtray having a plate-discharge passage at one end thereof, a plate-carrier movably supported in said tray, means for raising said carrier into the plane of said discharge-passage, and means for securing the carrier in that plane to permit the plate to slide from the carrier through said passage when the developing tray is tilted.

7 In a developing-machine, a developingtray having a plate-discharge passage at one It will also be noted that the entire apend of said tray near the top thereof, a pocket formed beneath said passage to receive the developerwhen the tray is tilted to discharge a plate through said passage, and 'means for raising a plate in the developing-tray to the' I plane of the discharge-passage. I 8. In apparatus of the character specified, a developing-tray having a plate-discharge passage at one end of said tray, inclined ways extending from the inner end of said (.lischargepassage to the bottom of said tray, a platecarrier having one end resting on said ways, and means engaging the other end of said mate-carrier for raising it along said ways until it lies in the plane of the bottom of said discharge-passage.

9. In apparatus of the character specified, a developing-tray having a plate-discharge passage at one end thereof near the top, the floor of said passage being extended inward to form a pocket to receive the developer when the tray is tilted, and means for raising a plate in said dcveloyfing-tray into the plane of the fioor of said passage to permit it to slide out through said passage when the tray is tilted.

10. In apparatus of the character specified, a develorfing-tray having a plate-discharge opening in one end thereof near the top and having a horizontal shelf at the lower margin of said opening, a movable plate-carrier in said tray, and means for raising and lowering said carrier in the tray, said means being adapted to bring said carrier into alinement with said shelf.

11. In apparatus of the character specified, a developingtray having a plate-discharge passage in one end thereof, said discharge-passage having a floor including a pivoted section, and automatic means for keeping the pivoted floor-section of said passage normally raised to contact with the top of the passage.

12. In apparatus of the character specified, a developing-tray having a horizontallydisposed discharge-passage near the top of the tray, a closure member for said discharge-passage pivoted at the bottom of the dischargepassage and having the free end thereof provided with a downwardly-turned portion of greater depth than the passage, and means for keeping said closure member normally in operative position. i

13. In apparatus of the character specified, a de\ 'eloping-tray having a horizontally-disposed dischargepassage, a closure member pivoted at the bottom of said discharge-passage and having the free end thereof disposed inward, said closure member having projecting studs upon the ends thereof, slides arranged at the sides of said passage and having cam-slots engaging the studs upon said closure, said slides having the ends thereof projected outside of said tray, and means for keeping said slides normally projected and thereby holding said closure member in operative position.

14. In apparatus of the character specified, a developing-tray, a cover secured upon said tray. a slide mounted in said cover, and means for observing the process of development removably secured upon said cover above said slide.

15. In apparatus of the character specified, a vision -tube con'iprising tclescopically-connected sections, a closure in said tube, means for keeping said closure normally closed, and mechanism operated by pressure at the outer end of the tube for opening said closure.

16. In apparatus of the character specified, a vision-tube comprising telescopically-colr nected sections. one of said sections being fixed in position and the other movable thereon, an automatic closure member within said tube, and mechanism operated by the relative movement of said tube-sections for opening said closure.

17. In apparatus of the character specified, a vision-tube comprising a fixed lower section and an upper section i'novably mounted thereon, a closure member disposed in said movable upper section, means for keeping said closure normally closed, and connections between said closure and said lower section whereby the depression of the upper st tion will cause the opening of said closure.

18. In apparatus of the character specified, a vision-tube comprising telescopically-connected sections, means for keeping said tube normally extended, a closure in said tube, means for keeping said closure normally closed, and mechanism operated by the contraction of the vision-tube to open said 010' sure.

19. In apparatus of the character specified, a tank, a pivoted closure member at the top of said tank,said closure member being of greater width than the tank and disposed obliquely across the tank when in operative 1. osition,and a developing-tray having a discharge-chute extending beyond the wall thereof, said discharge-chute being adapted to enter the top of said tank and open the closure therein.

20. In apparatus of the Cllitl'ilClJPI' specified, a dcveloping-tray having a plate-discharge passage, an automatic closure for said passage, a chute surrounding said passage and being extended beyond the wall of the developingtray, a tank adapted to fit over said chute, an automatic closure for said tank, said closure being adapted to open when the tank is fitted over said. chute, and mechanism external to the developing-tray which is operated by litting said tank over said chute to open the closure of the passage.

21. In apparatus of the character specified, a de\-eloping-tray, a carrier movably support ed in said tray, means for securing said carrier in substantially horizontal position near the top of the tray, and means for supporting a negative just above said carrier and in the plane parallel therewith.

22. In apparatus of the character specified, a develo1')ingt1 -ay, a carrier movabl y supported within said tray, means for securing the carrier in substantially horizontal position near the top of said tray, means for supporting a negative just above said carrier and parallel thereto, and means for cutting ofl or admitting light to said negative.

23. In apparatus of the character specified, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as a developing-tray, said developing-tray havmy OWnI have hereto affixed my signature in IQ ing an opening at the top, a carrier movably the presence of tWo Witnesses. supported Within said tray, means for securing said carrier in horizontal position near the WILLIAM PETERS top of said tray, and a negative-supporting Witnesses: frame removably secured in the opening at GEORGE R. COOK,

the top of said developing-tray. C. G; HENRY.

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