Processing apparatus for photosensitive film

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS HAVING A PROCESSING SOLUTION ZONE AND A RINSING ZONE FOR PROCESSING A STRIP OF EXPOSED PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL WHICH IS TRANSPORTED PAST SAID ZONES IN SUCCESSION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: MEANS FOR POSITIONING IN AND TRANSPORTING A STRIP OF EXPOSED PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL THROUGH A NON-PROCESSING POSITION IN WHICH SAID STRIP IS OUT OF SURFACE CONTACT WITH SAID PROCESSING SOLUTION AND RINSING ZONES; STRIP MOVING MEANS COMPRISING A SHOE HAVING A STRIP ENGAGING SURFACE CONFORMING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE SURFACES OF SAID PROCESSING SOLUTION ZONE AND SAID RINSING ZONE MOVABLE BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, IN WHICH SAID STRIP REMAINS IN ITS NON-PROCESSING POSITION, AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID STRIP IS LOCATED IN A PROCESSING POSITION WITH THE PHOTOSENSITIVE SURFACE OF SAID STRIP IN CONTACT WITH SAID PROCESSING SOLUTION AND RINSING ZONES, AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID STRIP MOVING MEANS TO MOVE SAID PHOTOSENSITIVE SURFACE OF SAID STRIP SEQUENTIALLY INTO SURFACE CONTACT WITH SAID RINSING ZONE AND THEN SAID PROCESSING SOLUTION ZONE DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID STRIP MOVING MEANS TO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION, AND TO RETRACT SAID PHOTOSENSITIVE SURFACE OF SAID STRIP SEQUENTIALLY FROM SURFACE CONTACT WITH SAID PROCESSING SOLUTION ZONE AND THEN SAID RINSING ZONE DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID STRIP MOVING MEANS TO ITS INOPERATIVE POSITION.