Photographic film and paper processing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising an upright vessel having walls defining a narrow chamber of sufficient width to accommodate the material to be processed, said vessel being open at thE top for the insertion of said material and the introduction of the processing liquid, an outlet conduit at the bottom of said vessel connected to the inlet side of a pump, at least one liquid applicator attached to said vessel having a nozzle in communication with said chamber and located below the level of the solution therein, said applicator having a plurality of Venturi tubes along the width of said chamber and in communication with said nozzle and being connected to the outlet side of said pump whereby, upon actuation of said pump, a stream of the liquid in said chamber is directed through said nozzle against said material producing a substantially laminar flow thereacross as said liquid is being recirculated during operation of said pump.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said applicator nozzle has a downward angular tilt of 45* in facing said sheet material.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said Venturi tubes are of progressively varying diameter for compensating for the pressure differential along the length of said applicator.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outlet conduit includes pressure equalizing means in communication with said chamber for compensating the pressure differential of liquid flow along the length of said conduit.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein, said applicator comprises a tubular housing placed along the outer wall of said vessel, said housing having a channel accommodating a baffle plate, a plurality of flared apertures in said plate, said apertures being of progressively larger diameter in the direction farthest removed from said pump and so oriented as to communicate with said nozzle facing inwardly of said chamber, said flared apertures in said baffle plate forming said Venturi tubes for equalizing the fluid pressure over the surface of said material.

Claim 7

Apparatus for processing photographic sheet material, particularly a length of film strip, comprising an upright vessel having walls defining an oblong cavity open at the top and of a height sufficient to envelop one-half of the length of the film strip to be processed, an oblong insertable support adapted to be placed within said cavity and of such thickness as to form between the inner walls of said vessel dual chambers of sufficient width to freely accommodate the thickness of a film strip placed around said support, an outlet conduit at the bottom of said vessel connected to the inlet of a pump attached to said conduit, a liquid applicator on each side of said vessel, each including a nozzle in communication with the interior of the respective chambers, said applicators being below the level of the processing solution in said vessel and connected to the outlet side of said pump, whereby upon actuation of said pump a stream of the processing solution filling said chambers is directed upon each side of said film strip facing the walls of said chamber, said stream producing a substantially laminar flow of processing solution over said sides as the liquid is being recirculated during operation of said pump, said insertable support having a resilient supporting means for holding said film strip taut around the sides thereof.

Claim 8

Apparatus for processing photographic sheet material, particularly a length of film strip, comprising an upright vessel having walls defining an oblong cavity open at the top and of a height sufficient to envelop one-half of the length of the film strip to be processed, an oblong insertable support adapted to be placed within said cavity and of such thickness as to form between the inner walls of said vessel dual chambers of sufficient width to freely accommodate the thickness of a film strip placed around said support, an outlet conduit at the bottom of said vessel connected to the inlet of a pump attached to said conduit, a liquid applicator on each side of said vessel, each including a nozzle in communication with the interior of the respective chambers, said applicators being below the level of the processing solution in said vessel and connected to the outlet side of said pump, whereby upon actuation of said pump a stream of the processing solution filling said chambers is directed upon each side of said film strip facing the walls of said chamber, said stream producing a substantially laminar flow of processing solution over said sides as the liquid is being recirculated during operation of said pump, said insertable support having a resilient supporting means for holding said film strip taut around the sides thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said insertable support has a ledge for the support of sheet material.