US3626835A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photographic processing machine
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1968-07-19
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Granted: 1971-12-14
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Expires: 1988-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A photographic processing machine for the treatment or development of stationary, limp flexible photographic materials, face down on a rotating textured horizontal drum. The lower portion of the drum is contained in a curved bottom troughlike receptacle which receives the treating liquids. A mechanism is provided for quick dumping of the spent treating liquids from said receptacle.
Inventors
- 👤 Werner W Buechner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:07
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D13/00; G03D13/02; G03D13/04; G03D13/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
307 words
A photographic processing machine for treating photographic material with a photographic treating liquid, which machine comprises a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; receptacle for said treating liquid, said receptacle comprising a rear edge and a front edge and a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration, whereby said partial cylinder comprises substantially less than one half cylinder, but not less of a cylinder than is required for holding said treating liquid in said cylindrical portion of the receptacle, when the receptacle is in operating position, said receptacle comprising furthermore an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, essentially coinciding with that of said drum, and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of said drum, which receptacle is mounted in means for tilting the receptacle around said cylinder axis of said receptacle; lip means extending along the front edge of said receptacle and slanting upwardly in operating position for pouring said treating liquid into said receptacle, said lip means being a continuous, imperforate body; means for temporarily holding said receptacle in an approximately level operating position and for preventing said lip means from swinging below said approximately level operating position such that a tilting motion of said receptacle from said approximately level operating position to a dump position, moves said lip means to a raised forward position, substantially higher than said rear edge of the receptacle, and in which dump position the said rear edge of the receptacle is at least perpendicularly below said cylinder axis of said receptacle for quick dumping of said treating liquid over said rear edge of said receptacle, said means for tilting including means for restricting the angle of tilt of said receptacle about said cylinder axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
307 words
A photographic processing machine for treating photographic material with a photographic treating liquid, which machine comprises a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; receptacle for said treating liquid, said receptacle comprising a rear edge and a front edge and a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration, whereby said partial cylinder comprises substantially less than one half cylinder, but not less of a cylinder than is required for holding said treating liquid in said cylindrical portion of the receptacle, when the receptacle is in operating position, said receptacle comprising furthermore an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, essentially coinciding with that of said drum, and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of said drum, which receptacle is mounted in means for tilting the receptacle around said cylinder axis of said receptacle; lip means extending along the front edge of said receptacle and slanting upwardly in operating position for pouring said treating liquid into said receptacle, said lip means being a continuous, imperforate body; means for temporarily holding said receptacle in an approximately level operating position and for preventing said lip means from swinging below said approximately level operating position such that a tilting motion of said receptacle from said approximately level operating position to a dump position, moves said lip means to a raised forward position, substantially higher than said rear edge of the receptacle, and in which dump position the said rear edge of the receptacle is at least perpendicularly below said cylinder axis of said receptacle for quick dumping of said treating liquid over said rear edge of said receptacle, said means for tilting including means for restricting the angle of tilt of said receptacle about said cylinder axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The processing machine of claim 1, in which the partially cylindrical receptacle comprises less than one-third of a full cylinder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
The processing machine of claim 1, in which the drum has a solid cylindrical convex outer surface, comprising a pattern of surface modifications on its convex surface, which are capable of forwarding the treating liquid from said receptacle to the reactive layer of a sheet of photographic paper contained face down in said drum, for uniform treatment of all areas of said sheet, and means for holding the sheet of photographic paper stationary in relation to said rotating drum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The processing machine of claim 1, in which the drum comprises a solid outer convex surface and means for attaching photographic sheet material to said cylindrical surface of the drum for rotation with the drum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
212 words
A photographic processing machine comprising a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, having a cylindrical convex outer surface and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; a receptacle for a photographic treating liquid, having a rear edge and a front edge, said receptacle comprising a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration and comprising substantially less than one half cylinder, an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, essentially coinciding with that of said drum, and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of the said drum, which receptacle is mounted in tilting means for rotation around said cylinder axis of said receptacle, in which the said tilting means comprise curved rails on the outside faceS of said receptacle and cooperating sets of roller means holding said rails for tilting motion of the receptacle; lip means extending along the front edge of said receptacle and slanted upwardly for pouring liquid into said receptacle and means for restricting the tilting motion of said receptacle from an approximately level operating position to one in which said lip means is in a raised forward position for quick dumping of treating liquid from said receptacle and for rinsing said receptacle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
212 words
A photographic processing machine comprising a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, having a cylindrical convex outer surface and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; a receptacle for a photographic treating liquid, having a rear edge and a front edge, said receptacle comprising a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration and comprising substantially less than one half cylinder, an essentially horizontal cylinder axis, essentially coinciding with that of said drum, and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of the said drum, which receptacle is mounted in tilting means for rotation around said cylinder axis of said receptacle, in which the said tilting means comprise curved rails on the outside faceS of said receptacle and cooperating sets of roller means holding said rails for tilting motion of the receptacle; lip means extending along the front edge of said receptacle and slanted upwardly for pouring liquid into said receptacle and means for restricting the tilting motion of said receptacle from an approximately level operating position to one in which said lip means is in a raised forward position for quick dumping of treating liquid from said receptacle and for rinsing said receptacle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
191 words
A photographic processing machine comprising a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; a receptacle for a photographic treating liquid, said receptacle comprising a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration, an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of the said drum, which receptacle is mounted in said base structure such that its cylinder axis essentially coincides with that of the rotary drum; in which the said receptacle comprises at least one aperture which comprises at least one slotlike opening extending coaxially along at least the greater part of the lowest bottom area of said receptacle, and closure means for opening and closing said aperture for quick dumping of the said treating liquid through said aperture, in which said closure means is a gasket bar in combination with means for raising the gasket bar to a high position for closing the said aperture, and means for lowering the gasket bar to a low position for opening the said aperture.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
191 words
A photographic processing machine comprising a base structure; a drum having an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and being mounted in said base structure for rotation around its cylinder axis; driving means for rotation of said drum; a receptacle for a photographic treating liquid, said receptacle comprising a curved bottom having a partially cylindrical inside configuration, an essentially horizontal cylinder axis and a radius at least slightly larger than the radius of the said drum, which receptacle is mounted in said base structure such that its cylinder axis essentially coincides with that of the rotary drum; in which the said receptacle comprises at least one aperture which comprises at least one slotlike opening extending coaxially along at least the greater part of the lowest bottom area of said receptacle, and closure means for opening and closing said aperture for quick dumping of the said treating liquid through said aperture, in which said closure means is a gasket bar in combination with means for raising the gasket bar to a high position for closing the said aperture, and means for lowering the gasket bar to a low position for opening the said aperture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The processing machine of claim 6, in which the treating liquid forms an annulus between the said partially cylindrical bottom of said receptacle and between the cylindrical surface of said drum, which annulus has a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 10 millimeters.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The processing machine of claim 6, in combination with means for the exact control of the temperature in said treating liquid contained in said receptacle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The processing machine of claim 6, in which the gasket bar is lowered and raised by excentrically rotatably journaled rod means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The processing machine of claim 6, which comprises in addition means for positive retraction of the gasket bar.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The processing machine of claim 6, which comprises a pouring lip, extending coaxially along at least the greater part of the front edge of said receptacle, said lip extending outwardly and upwardly for guiding liquid, poured onto it, into said receptacle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
The processing machine of claim 6, in which the drum has a solid cylindrical convex outer surface, comprising a pattern of surface modifications on its convex surface, which are capable of forwarding the treating liquid from said receptacle to the reactive layer of a sheet of photographic paper contained face down on said drum, for uniform treatment of all areas of said sheet, and means for holding the sheet of photographic paper stationary in relation to said rotating drum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The processing machine of claim 6, in which the drum comprises a solid outer convex surface and means for attaching photographic sheet material to the cylindrical surface of the drum for rotation with the drum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-13 | 1975-06-14 | 1975-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-13 | 1979-06-14 | 1979-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-13 | 1983-06-14 | 1983-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |