Method of and apparatus for processing photographic materials

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED SHEETS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HORIZONTAL CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY SEMICYLINDRICAL LOWER PORTION HAVING A BOTTOM RECESS; COVER MEANS FORMING AN UPPER PORTION COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID LOWER PORTION FOR SEALING THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER AGAINST INCIDENT LIGHT; A HORIZONTAL DRUM PROVIDED WITH HOLDER MEANS FOR SAID SHEETS AND DISPOSED WITH SMALL PERIPHERAL CLEARANCE IN SAID CONTAINER FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SEMICYLINDRICAL PORTION; A PLURALITY OF TANKS FOR STORING DIFFERENT TREATMENT LIQUIDS; INDIVIDUAL CONDUITS LEADING FROM SAID TANKS TO SAID CONTAINER AND TERMINATING ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF; PUMPS IN SAID CONDUITS FOR DELIVERING ANY OF SAID TREATMENT LIQUIDS FROM THE RESPECTIVE TANK TO SAID CONTAINER; SEPARATE TUBES LEADING FROM AXIALLY SPACED LOCATIONS OF SAID CONTAINER TO SAID TANKS FOR THE RETURN OF THE RESPECTIVE LIQUIDS THERETO, SAID TUBES HAVING ELEVATED INLETS IN SAID BOTTOM RECESS; INDIVIDUAL VALVES IN SAID INLETS NORMALLY BLOCKING SAID TUBES; A SOURCE OF FLUSHING WATER INCLUDING A PIPE OPENING INTO SAID CONTAINER ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF; A DRAIN TUBE OPENING FROM BELOW INTO SAID BOTTOM RECESS BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID INLETS FOR REMOVING FLUSHING WATER AND RESIDUAL TREATMENT LIQUIDS FROM SAID CONTAINER; A FURTHER VALVE IN SAID BOTTOM RECESS NORMALLY BLOCKING SAID DRAIN TUBES; TIMER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID PUMPS, SAID SOURCE AND SAID VALVES IN A PREDETERMINED ORDER FOR SUCCESSIVELY ADMITTING AND REMOVING SELECTED TREATMENT LIQUIDS AND FLUSHING WATER TO AND FROM SAID CONTAINER; DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM ABOUT SAID AXIS DURING AN OPERATING CYCLE OF SAID TIMER MEANS; AND SUPPLY MEANS FOR RESTORING THE CONTENTS OF EACH TANK TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL AT THE END OF SAID OPERATING CYCLE, SAID SUPPLY MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RESERVOIRS FOR SAID LIQUIDS EACH CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE TANK, ADDITIONAL VALVES CONTROLLED BY SAID TIMER MEANS IN THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID RESERVOIRS AND SAID TANKS, AND LEVEL-CONTROLLED SHUTOFF MEANS IN SAID CONNECTIONS.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED SHEETS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HORIZONTAL CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY SEMICYLINDRICAL LOWER PORTION HAVING A BOTTOM RECESS; COVER MEANS FORMING AN UPPER PORTION COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID LOWER PORTION FOR SEALING THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER AGAINST INCIDENT LIGHT; A HORIZONTAL DRUM PROVIDED WITH HOLDER MEANS FOR SAID SHEETS AND DISPOSED WITH SMALL PERIPHERAL CLEARANCE IN SAID CONTAINER FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SEMICYLINDRICAL PORTION; A PLURALITY OF TANKS FOR STORING DIFFERENT TREATMENT LIQUIDS; INDIVIDUAL CONDUITS LEADING FROM SAID TANKS TO SAID CONTAINER AND TERMINATING ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF; PUMPS IN SAID CONDUITS FOR DELIVERING ANY OF SAID TREATMENT LIQUIDS FROM THE RESPECTIVE TANK TO SAID CONTAINER; SEPARATE TUBES LEADING FROM AXIALLY SPACED LOCATIONS OF SAID CONTAINER TO SAID TANKS FOR THE RETURN OF THE RESPECTIVE LIQUIDS THERETO, SAID TUBES HAVING ELEVATED INLETS IN SAID BOTTOM RECESS; INDIVIDUAL VALVES IN SAID INLETS NORMALLY BLOCKING SAID TUBES; A SOURCE OF FLUSHING WATER INCLUDING A PIPE OPENING INTO SAID CONTAINER ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF; A DRAIN TUBE OPENING FROM BELOW INTO SAID BOTTOM RECESS BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID INLETS FOR REMOVING FLUSHING WATER AND RESIDUAL TREATMENT LIQUIDS FROM SAID CONTAINER; A FURTHER VALVE IN SAID BOTTOM RECESS NORMALLY BLOCKING SAID DRAIN TUBES; TIMER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID PUMPS, SAID SOURCE AND SAID VALVES IN A PREDETERMINED ORDER FOR SUCCESSIVELY ADMITTING AND REMOVING SELECTED TREATMENT LIQUIDS AND FLUSHING WATER TO AND FROM SAID CONTAINER; DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM ABOUT SAID AXIS DURING AN OPERATING CYCLE OF SAID TIMER MEANS; AND SUPPLY MEANS FOR RESTORING THE CONTENTS OF EACH TANK TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL AT THE END OF SAID OPERATING CYCLE, SAID SUPPLY MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RESERVOIRS FOR SAID LIQUIDS EACH CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE TANK, ADDITIONAL VALVES CONTROLLED BY SAID TIMER MEANS IN THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID RESERVOIRS AND SAID TANKS, AND LEVEL-CONTROLLED SHUTOFF MEANS IN SAID CONNECTIONS.