Photographic apparatus

Claim 1

IN PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS IN WHICH SUCCESSIVE AREAS OF AN IMAGE-RECORDING SHEET ARE EXPOSED AND THEREAFTER PROCESSED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SECOND SHEET BY A LIQUID DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN SAID SHEETS, A DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE ADVANCEMENT OF SAID SHEETS THROUGH SAID APPARATUS AND DISTRIBUTING SAID LIQUID BETWEEN SAID SHEETS, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A SUPPORT INCLUDING A BASE AND OPPOSED END MEMBERS AND A SIDE MEMBER DEPENDENT, RESPECTIVELY, FROM OPPOSITE ENDS AND ONE SIDE OF SAID BASE; A FIRST PRESSURE MEMBER FORMED OF SHEET METAL AND INCLUDING AN ENGAGEMENT SECTION TERMINATING IN A BENT EDGE SECTION AND INCLUDING A SURFACE PORTION LYING ON A STRAIGHT LINE; SAID FIRST PRESSURE MEMBER BEING SUPPORTED AT ITS ENDS ON SAID END MEMBERS, WITH SAID SURFACE PORTION FACING AWAY FROM SAID SIDE MEMBER, FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID SIDE MEMBER; FIRST SPRING MEANS ENGAGED BETWEEN SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION AND SAID SIDE MEMBER FOR URGING SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION AWAY FROM SAID SIDE MEMBER; A SECOND PRESSURE MEMBER INCLUDING AN ENGAGEMENT SURFACE LYING ON A STRAIGHT LINE; RETAINING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID END MEMBERS AND SAID SECOND PRESSURE MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID SECOND PRESSURE MEMBER TO SAID SUPPORT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED POSITION WITH SAID ENGAGEMENT SURFACE IN JUXTAPOSED FACING RELATION WITH SAID SURFACE PORTION OF SAID FIRST PRESSURE MEMBER; SAID SECOND PRESSURE MEMBER INCLUDING PROJECTIONS ADJACENT THE ENDS OF SAID ENGAGEMENT SURFACE FOR COACTING WITH SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION OF SAID FIRST PRESSURE MEMBER FOR PREDETERMINEDLY SPACING SAID SURFACE PORTION AND SAID ENGAGEMENT SURFACE OF SAID PRESSURE MEMBERS TO PROVIDE A PASSAGE OF PREDETERMINED MINIMUM WIDTH THROUGH WHICH SAID SHEETS ARE MOVABLE IN SUPERPOSITION FOR DISTRIBUTING SAID LIQUID THEREBETWEEN; A STOP MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF FINGERS FOR ENGAGING PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID SHEETS AT THE MARGINS THEREOF; SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION BEING FORMED WITH A PAIR OF OPENINGS ADJACENT ITS ENDS; SAID STOP MEMBER BEING MOUNTED ON SAID SIDE MEMBER WITH SAID FINGERS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS INTO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE SHEET BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE MEMBERS; SAID STOP MEMBER BEING MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID FINGERS IN A PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS INCLUDING MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE SHEET ACROSS SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE MEMBERS, AND MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE SHEET; SAID OPENINGS BEING SO FORMED AS TO PERMIT LIMITED MOVEMENT OF SAID FINGERS IN SAID DIRECTIONS GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO AND PARALLEL WITH SAID DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE SHEET; SECOND SPRING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID OTHER SIDE MEMBER IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP MEMBER FOR BIASING SAID FINGERS TOWARD SAID ONE SHEET IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT THEREOF; AND A CONTROL MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP MEMBER, SAID CONTROL MEMBER BEING MOVABLE FOR DISPLACING SAID STOP MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID ENGAGEMENT SECTION TO DISENGAGE SAID FINGERS FROM SAID ONE SHEET.