Photographic processing apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM ASSEMBLY HAVING A PAIR OF LIQUID-CONFINING SHEETS AND ADAPTED TO BE PROCESSED BY A LIQUID SPREAD IN A UNIFORMLY THIN LAYER BETWEEN SAID SHEETS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A PAIR OF ELONGATE, ROTATABLY MOUNTED, PRESSUREAPPLYING MEMBERS; (B) MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT FROM A FIRST POSITION, WHEREIN SAID MEMBERS ARE SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, TO A SECOND POSITION, WHEREIN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR AXES OF ROTATION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL; (C) MEANS FOR BIASING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE OTHER FROM SAID FIRST TOWARD SAID SECOND POSITION OF SAID MEMBERS; (D) MOVABLE SPACER MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID MEMBERS IN SAID FIRST POSTION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID BIASING MEANS WHEN SAID SPACER MEANS IS IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION; AND (E) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SPACER MEANS TO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, WHEREBY SAID BIASING MEANS MOVES SAID MEMBERS TO SAID SECOND POSITION WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS ROTATING WHEN THE LATTER MEET IN SAID CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT.