Liquid spreader

Claim 2

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for selective pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position wherein said load-transfer means does not receive a force from said connecting element urging said members towards each other and in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members.

Claim 3

The device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said surfaces include end portions converging ahead of said gap towards the end portions of the other surface for engaging margins of said sheets ahead of said gap to prevent escape of said liquid from between said sheets at said ends.

Claim 4

The device as defined in claim 1 wherein each said member includes a longitudinal portion extending from end to end thereof, said portions defining opposite sides of said device, said pressure-generating gap being spaced equidistantly from said opposite sides.

Claim 5

The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other member includes a flange at each end thereof, each said flange including means defining an elongated slot for receiving said resilient connecting element to enable said other member to move away from said one member as a photographic sheet material passes therebetween.

Claim 6

The device as defined in claim 1 further including means engageable by a film container located within a camera for properly positioning said device within said camera.

Claim 7

The device as defined in claim 1 further including closure means engageable by structure within a camera for insuring that said members are in said liquid-distributing position when a loading door of the camera is closed.

Claim 8

The device as defined in claim 6 wherein said closure means is an integral portion of said other member.

Claim 9

The device as defined in claim 7 further including means for releasably securing said device within a camera.

Claim 10

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said members being formed of sheet material said other member including, as an integral part thereof, tab means, said tab meAns and said load-transfer means being engaged with said connecting element for maintaining said other member in operative relation with said connecting element during movement of said other member to and from said inoperative position.

Claim 11

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said members being formed of sheet material said other member including, as an integral part thereof, tab means, said tab meAns and said load-transfer means being engaged with said connecting element for maintaining said other member in operative relation with said connecting element during movement of said other member to and from said inoperative position.

Claim 12

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members formed of sheet material mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means comprising an integral portion of one of said members and including a plurality of load-transfer sections; and a resilient connecting element comprising a rod mounted on the other of said members, with an intermediate portion thereof engaged with said load-transfer sections, said one member being mounted on said resilient connecting element adjacent respective ends thereof for pivotal movement relative to said other member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members.

Claim 13

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members formed of sheet material mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means comprising an integral portion of one of said members and including a plurality of load-transfer sections; and a resilient connecting element comprising a rod mounted on the other of said members, with an intermediate portion thereof engaged with said load-transfer sections, said one member being mounted on said resilient connecting element adjacent respective ends thereof for pivotal movement relative to said other member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members.

Claim 14

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said load-transfer means comprising a separate load-transfer element including a load-receiving portion engaged with a medial section of said connecting element and load-distributing portions engaged with spaced sections of said other member for distributing the load from said connecting element to said other member to bias said other member towards said one member when said members are in the liquid-distributing position.

Claim 15

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said load-transfer means comprising a separate load-transfer element including a load-receiving portion engaged with a medial section of said connecting element and load-distributing portions engaged with spaced sections of said other member for distributing the load from said connecting element to said other member to bias said other member towards said one member when said members are in the liquid-distributing position.

Claim 16

The device as defined in claim 11 wherein said load-transfer element includes means movably engaged with said other member for locating said load-transfer element intermediate the ends of said other member, said means being constrained against movement relative to said other member in a direction lengthwise of said other member when said load-transfer element is properly located relative to said other member.

Claim 17

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said connecting element comprising a rod mounted at its eNds on said one member and said other member including said load-transfer means, said load-transfer means being in engagement with an intermediate portion of said rod.

Claim 18

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said connecting element comprising a rod mounted at its eNds on said one member and said other member including said load-transfer means, said load-transfer means being in engagement with an intermediate portion of said rod.

Claim 19

The device as defined in claim 13 wherein said rod has a substantially linear configuration in said inoperative position and a curved configuration in said liquid-distributing position.

Claim 20

The device as defined in claim 14 wherein said load-transfer means is an integral part of said other member.

Claim 21

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said other member including as integral parts thereof one of said surfaces and a base portion, said base portion including said load-transfer means.

Claim 22

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of photographic sheet material comprising, in combination: a pair of liquid-distributing members mounted in juxtaposed relation, said members including surfaces having portions defining a pressure-generating gap therebetween when said members are in a liquid-distributing position; load-transfer means; and a resilient connecting element mounted on one of said members, the other of said members being mounted on said resilient element for pivotal movement relative to said one member between said liquid-distributing position in which said load-transfer means receives a force from said connecting element for resiliently urging said members towards each other and an inoperative position in which portions of said members are sufficiently spaced apart to allow for cleaning of said members, said other member including as integral parts thereof one of said surfaces and a base portion, said base portion including said load-transfer means.

Claim 23

The device as defined in claim 16 wherein said one member includes as integral parts thereof one of said surfaces and a base portion having depending leg portions, said leg portions including aperture means for receiving said connecting element and means for limiting the minimum width of said pressure-generating gap.

Claim 24

The device as defined in claim 17 wherein each said surface and its associated base portion have a V-shaped configuration in cross section.

Claim 25

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of sheet material comprising: a first nonrolling spreader member defining an elongated sheet-contacting portion; a second nonrolling spreader member defining an elongated sheet-contacting portion; and means for mounting said first spreader member for pivotal displacement with respect to said second spreader member between a first position wherein said sheet-contacting portions are disposed in juxtaposition to effect the spreading of a processing fluid between a pair of sheet materials when such sheet materials are disposed between said juxtaposed facing surfaces and relative motion is effected between such sheet materials and said spreader members and a second position wherein said sheet-contacting portions are disposed out of juxtaposition, said means defining an axis for said pivotal displacement passing through at least one of said spreader members and extending substantially parallel to said sheet-contacting portions when they are disposed in juxtaposition; and including means for mounting said spreader members for displacement at least away from each other when their said sheet-contacting portions are disposed in juxtaposition and including means for resiliently urging their said sheet-contacting portions toward each other at such times, said resiliently urging means being automatically rendered ineffective for purposes of urging said spreader members toward each other when said first spreader member is pivotally displaced from its first position with respect to said second spreader member into its said second position with respect thereto.

Claim 26

A photographic device for distributing a liquid between two layers of sheet material comprising: a first nonrolling spreader member defining an elongated sheet-contacting portion; a second nonrolling spreader member defining an elongated sheet-contacting portion; and means for mounting said first spreader member for pivotal displacement with respect to said second spreader member between a first position wherein said sheet-contacting portions are disposed in juxtaposition to effect the spreading of a processing fluid between a pair of sheet materials when such sheet materials are disposed between said juxtaposed facing surfaces and relative motion is effected between such sheet materials and said spreader members and a second position wherein said sheet-contacting portions are disposed out of juxtaposition, said means defining an axis for said pivotal displacement passing through at least one of said spreader members and extending substantially parallel to said sheet-contacting portions when they are disposed in juxtaposition; and including means for mounting said spreader members for displacement at least away from each other when their said sheet-contacting portions are disposed in juxtaposition and including means for resiliently urging their said sheet-contacting portions toward each other at such times, said resiliently urging means being automatically rendered ineffective for purposes of urging said spreader members toward each other when said first spreader member is pivotally displaced from its first position with respect to said second spreader member into its said second position with respect thereto.

Claim 27

The invention of claim 19 wherein said mounting means comprises a member to which at least one of said spreader members is rotatably mounted.

Claim 28

The invention of claim 19 wherein said mounting means comprises an elongated member extending lengthwise of said elongated sheet-contacting portions.

Claim 29

The invention of claim 21 wherein said elongated member comprises a spring.

Claim 30

The invention of claim 19 wherein said first spreader member includes at least one aperture, said second spreader member comprises at least one aperture aligned with said first-mentioned aperture and said mounting means comprises a member positioned through said aligned apertures.

Claim 31

The invention of claim 23 wherein one of said apertures is only slightly larger in cross-sectional configuration than the cross-sectional configuration of said mounting means member and the other of said apertures is elongated with respect to said one aperture.

Claim 32

The invention of claim 21 wherein said spreader members and said elongated member constitute a complete fluid-spreading system that can be inserted into and removed from photographic apparatus as an integral assembly.

Claim 33

The invention of claim 22 wherein, when said sheet-contacting portions are in juxtaposition, said spreader members are permitted to move away from each other to increase the spacing between their said sheet-contacting portions and said elongated member resiliently urges said sheet-contacting portions towards each other at such times.

Claim 34

The invention of claim 19 additionally including means establishing a minimum spacing between said sheet-contacting portions when they are in juxtaposition and means for precluding pivotal movement of said first spreader member in one direction about said axis with respect to said second spreader member when said sheet-contacting portions are in juxtaposition.