Magnetic conveyance and transfer system for photographic processing

Claim 1

IN A SYSTEM ADAPTED FOR USE IN DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM HAVING A PLURALITY OF FLUID BATHS POSITIONED ADJACENT EACH OTHER, COMPRISING, A PAIR OF DRUMS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH FLUID BATH, ONE OF SAID DRUMS BEING A DRIVE DRUM AND LOCATED EXTERIORLY OF SAID FLUID BATH AND THE OTHER BEING AN IDLER DRUM LOCATED WITHIN SAID FLUID BATH, BOTH SAID DRIVE DRUM AND SAID IDLER DRUM HAVING PARALLEL AXES OF ROTATION, AN ENDLESS DIPPING BELT POSITIONED ABOUT EACH SAID PAIR OF DRUMS, AN ENDLESS TRANSFER BELT POSITIONED ABOUT SAID DRIVE DRUMS, A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTIVE CARRIER BAR ADAPTED TO HAVE A STRIP OF FILM ATTACHED THERETO, ONE OF SAID BELTS HAVING FIRST MAGNETIC PLATES TO FORM A CONTINUOUS SURFACE, THE OTHER OF SAID BELTS HAVING SECOND MAGNETIC PLATES INTERMITTENTLY SPACED ALONG ITS LENGTH WHEREBY TO FORM FREE SPACES BETWEEN ADJACENT SECOND MAGNETIC PLATES, SAID SECOND MAGNETIC PLATES HAVING A PREDOMINATING MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTING CHARACTERISTIC OVER THAT OF SAID FIRST MAGNETIC PLATES, SAID FIRST AND SECOND MAGNETIC PLATES BEING ADAPTED TO TEMPORARILY ATTRACT AND RETAIN SAID CARRIER BAR THERETO, AND DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID DRIVE DRUMS FOR POWERED ROTATION THEREOF.