Film processor

Claim 2

In a film processor the improved tank construction comprising: a. a main tank having inlet and outlet ends and fluid supply and drive sides; b. a developer tank mounted in said main tank, the developer tank having an inlet end and fluid supply and drive sides in spaced relationship with the main tank inlet end, and the fluid supply and drive sides of the main tank respectively; c. the developer tank having feet maintaining the bottom of the developer tank in spaced relationship with the bottom of the main tank; d. the developer tank having an outlet sidewall including portions projecting past the developer tank fluid supply sidewall and bottom into engagement with the main tank to provide fluid diverting baffles extending vertically upwardly from the bottom of the tank to the bottom of the developer and between the fluid supply sidewalls; e. a fix tank having inlet and outlet end walls, fluid supply and drive sidewalls and a bottom, the fix tank Bottom and sidewalls being in spaced relationship with the bottom and corresponding sidewalls of the main tank; f. the fix tank inlet end wall being spaced from the developer outlet end wall; g. the fix tank outlet end wall being in spaced relationship with the main tank outlet end wall to define a wash space therebetween; h. the fix tank outlet end wall projecting past its drive side and bottom respectively into engagement with the main tank bottom and sidewall, thereby defining water-diverting baffles; i. the fix tank including feet maintaining the bottom of the developer tank in spaced relationship with the bottom of the main tank; and, j. film transport mechanisms positioned in the developer and fix tanks and in the wash space, respectively.

Claim 3

The processor of claim 1 additionally including: a first fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank adjacent said developer tank; a second fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank within said wash space; first temperature-responsive means positioned to sense obviated temperature within said developer tank and to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said first fluid inlet to maintain a first predetermined fluid temperature within said developer tank; and, second temperature-responsive means positioned to sense the temperature within said wash space and to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said second fluid inlet to maintain a second predetermined temperature within said wash space.

Claim 4

In a film processor: a main tank having one end thereof provided as a wash space; a developer tank positioned within said main tank and in spaced-apart relation thereto adjacent to the end opposite the wash space end thereof; a fix tank positioned within said main tank between said wash space and said developer tank and in spaced-apart relation to each of said tanks; a first fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank near said opposite end thereof; a second fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank adjacent said wash space end thereof; fluid flow direction means establishing a first path of flow such that fluid entering said main tank from said first inlet flows around said developer tank and thereafter to said wash space, and a second path of flow whereby fluid entering said main tank from said second inlet mixes in said wash space with fluid from said first inlet; first temperature-responsive means positioned to sense the fluid temperature within said developer tank and being adapted to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said first fluid inlet to maintain a predetermined fluid temperature within said developer tank; second temperature-responsive means positioned to sense the fluid temperature within said wash space to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said second fluid inlet to maintain a second predetermined fluid temperature within said wash space; and, said first temperature-responsive means being preset to maintain the fluid in said developer tank at a higher temperature than is maintained by said second temperature-responsive means in said wash space, whereby fluid entering from said first inlet serves to heat the fluid in said developer tank before flowing into said wash space.

Claim 5

In a film processor: a main tank having one end thereof provided as a wash space; a developer tank positioned within said main tank and in spaced-apart relation thereto adjacent to the end opposite the wash space end thereof; a fix tank positioned within said main tank between said wash space and said developer tank and in spaced-apart relation to each of said tanks; a first fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank near said opposite end thereof; a second fluid inlet positioned to admit fluid to said main tank adjacent said wash space end thereof; fluid flow direction means establishing a first path of flow such that fluid entering said main tank from said first inlet flows around said developer tank and thereafter to said wash space, and a second path of flow whereby fluid entering said main tank from said second inlet mixes in said wash space with fluid from said first inlet; first temperature-responsive means positioned to sense the fluid temperature within said developer tank and being adapted to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said first fluid inlet to maintain a predetermined fluid temperature within said developer tank; second temperature-responsive means positioned to sense the fluid temperature within said wash space to control the flow of fluid entering said main tank from said second fluid inlet to maintain a second predetermined fluid temperature within said wash space; and, said first temperature-responsive means being preset to maintain the fluid in said developer tank at a higher temperature than is maintained by said second temperature-responsive means in said wash space, whereby fluid entering from said first inlet serves to heat the fluid in said developer tank before flowing into said wash space.

Claim 6

The processor of claim 3 wherein said fluid flow direction means includes discharge means communicating with said wash space whereby fluid from said first and second inlets flows along said flow paths, mixes in said wash space, and discharges therefrom through said discharge means.

Claim 7

The processor of claim 3 wherein said fluid flow direction means includes baffle means associated with said developer tank to direct the flow of fluid around said developer tank before entering said wash space.

Claim 8

The processor of claim 3 wherein said fluid flow direction means includes baffle means associated with said fix tank to direct the fLow of fluid from said first inlet around said fix tank before entering said wash space. 7 The processor of claim 6 wherein said fluid flow direction means also includes baffle means associated with said developer tank to direct the flow of fluid from said first inlet around said developer tank before flowing around said fix tank.

Claim 9

The processor of claim 7 wherein: said first temperature-responsive means comprises a first thermocouple connected to a first thermostatically controlled valve adapted to control the flow of fluid to said first inlet; and, said second temperature-responsive means comprises a second thermocouple connected to a second thermostatically controlled valve adapted to control the flow of fluid to said second inlet.