Photographic apparatus for treating sheets with a liquid

Claim 1

IN PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING A PROCESSING LIQUID IN A LAYER BETWEEN A PAIR OF SHEETS OF UNEQUAL WIDTH EXTENDING TO THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE NARROWER OF SAID SHEETS, IN COMBINATION: FIRST AND SECOND JUXTAPOSED MEMBERS HAVING SURFACES PROVIDING THE WALLS OF A PASSAGE FOR SUPERPOSING SAID SHEETS AS SAID SHEETS ARE MOVED ALONG CONVERGENT PATHS BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS WITH SAID NARROWER SHEET IN CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH AT SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID NARROWER SHEETS; SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH AT SAID SURFACE THEREOF WHICH EXCEEDS SAID LENGTH OF SAID FIRST MEMBER, SAID SECOND MEMBER BEING POSITIONED WITH THE END PORTIONS OF SAID SURFACE THEREOF EXTENDING BEYOND THE ENDS OF SAID SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER; A NOZZLE INCLUDING A MOUTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN LENGTH TO SAID LENGTH OF SAID FIRST MEMBER FOR DISPENSING SAID LIQUID AS A LAYER BETWEEN AND IN CONTACT WITH CONVERGENT PORTIONS OF SAID SHEETS WITHIN SAID PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS; SAID NOZZLE INCLUDING A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE LIPS AT LEAST EQUAL IN LENGTH TO SAID LENGTH OF SAID FIRST MEMBER AND BEING SO POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEMBERS THAT THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID LIPS CONTACT THE OPPOSED SURFACES OF SAID CONVERGENT PORTIONS OF SAID SHEETS; ONE OF SAID LIPS BEING POSITIONED FOR CONTACTING THE WIDER OF SAID SHEETS INCLUDING MEMBERS AT ITS ENDS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID FIRST MEMBER FOR ENGAGING THE ENDS OF SAID FIRST MEMBER TO POSITION SAID MOUTH WITH THE ENDS THEREOF IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ENDS OF SAID SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER, AND ENGAGING THE LATERAL EDGES OF SAID NARROWER SHEET GUIDING SAID NARROWER SHEET RELATIVE TO AND PAST SAID MOUTH WITH SAID LATERAL EDGES IN SUBSTANTIAL ALINMENT WITH SAID ENDS OF SAID MOUTH; AND MEANS COUPLED WITH SAID NOZZLE FOR SUPPLYING SAID LIQUID TO SAID NOZZLE UNDER PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SAID LIQUID TO FLOW FROM SAID NOZZLE THROUGH SAID MOUTH.