Photographic apparatus for processing film material

Claim 2

A self-developing camera for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of a predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said camera after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means on said camera adjacent the exterior of said slot for precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material against the exterior edges of said slot whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn from said camera in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said scraping precluding means being configured so as not to scrape against such image-forming section at such time.

Claim 3

The camera of claim 1 wherein said precluding means include means for engaging respective longitudinal margins of such sheet-like material on either side of such image-forming section.

Claim 4

The camera of claim 1 wherein the interior elongated edges of said slot are inclined toward each other so as to introduce such sheet-like material therein.

Claim 5

The camera of claim 1 wherein such sheet-like material includes a pair of sheet-like materials of such predetermined width, said spreading means include means for forming an elongated pressure-generating gap through which such materials may be advanced lengthwise in superposition to effect the spreading of such fluid therebetween, and said slot is aligned with said gap for supporting such sheet-like materials in the plane defined by said gap.

Claim 6

A self-developing camera for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of a predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means formed on said camera for precluding such image-forming section of such sheet-like material from being scraped against said camera whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn therefrom in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said scraping precluding means including a proturberance extended a predetermined distance from the wall of said chamber at each lateral end of said slot for forming generally U-shaped exterior edges of said slot which provide a recessed medial portion of said exterior edges and laterally spaced end portions thereof for engaging longitudinal marginal portions of such sheet-like material for a distance beyond said medial portion.

Claim 7

A self-developing camera for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of a predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means formed on said camera for precluding such image-forming section of such sheet-like material from being scraped against said camera whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn therefrom in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said scraping precluding means including a proturberance extended a predetermined distance from the wall of said chamber at each lateral end of said slot for forming generally U-shaped exterior edges of said slot which provide a recessed medial portion of said exterior edges and laterally spaced end portions thereof for engaging longitudinal marginal portions of such sheet-like material for a distance beyond said medial portion.

Claim 8

The camera of claim 5 wherein said end portions include lip-like surfaces, and the exterior edges of said lip-like surfaces are divergently curved for imparting a curvature to such marginal portions of such sheet-like material during withdrawal of such exterior portion thereof at an acute angle to sheet portions within said slot.

Claim 9

The camera of claim 5 wherein said protuberances are laterally spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the lateral dimension of such image-forming section.

Claim 10

The camera of claim 5 wherein facing sides of said protuberances are inclined away from each other and disposed at an acute angle to the bottom surface of the recess formed therebetween so as to provide a gradual widening of said marginal engaging portions in the direction of movement of such sheet-like material during its withdrawal from said chamber.

Claim 11

The camera of claim 8 wherein said facing sides are spaced apart a predetermined distance such that at the innermost end of said recess they are spaced less than the lateral dimension of such image-forming section and at the outermost end of said recess they are spaced slightly greater than the lateral dimension of such image-forming section.

Claim 12

The camera of claim 8 wherein said end portions provide lip-like facing surfaces extending laterally from said facing sides to the lateral ends of said slot.

Claim 13

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, said apparatus including a substantially light-tight housing in which such sheet-like material may be disposed prior to its being treated with such fluid, comprising: first means for spreading such fluid onto at least such image-forming section of such sheet-like material and for facilitating the withdrawal of such sheet-like material from said apparatus, said first means including second means for defining an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn lengthwise from said housing; and third means on said apparatus adjacent the exterior of said slot for precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material against the exterior edges of said slot and said third means whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn from said apparatus in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot.

Claim 14

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, said apparatus including a substantially light-tight housing in which such sheet-like material may be disposed prior to its being treated with such fluid, comprising: first means for spreading such fluid onto at least such image-forming section of such sheet-like material and for facilitating the withdrawal of such sheet-like material from said apparatus, said first means including second means for defining an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn lengthwise from said housing; and third means on said apparatus adjacent the exterior of said slot for precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material against the exterior edges of said slot and said third means whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn from said apparatus in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said third means include means for engaging respective longitudinal marginal portions of such sheet-like material on either side of such image-forming section.

Claim 16

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means on said apparatus adjacent the exterior of said slot for precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material agaiNst the exterior edges of said slot whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn from said apparatus in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said scraping precluding means being configured so as not to scrape against such image-forming section at such time.

Claim 17

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means on said apparatus adjacent the exterior of said slot for precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material agaiNst the exterior edges of said slot whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn from said apparatus in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said scraping precluding means being configured so as not to scrape against such image-forming section at such time.

Claim 18

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means on said apparatus for precluding such image forming section of such sheet-like material from being scraped against said apparatus whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn therefrom in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said slot extending through a wall of said chamber having a generally U-shaped exterior contour such that exterior edges of said slot include a recessed medial portion and laterally spaced end portions extended therefrom for engaging respective longitudinal marginal portions of such sheet-like material thereby precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material against said apparatus.

Claim 19

Photographic apparatus for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: an enclosed substantially light-tight chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn from said apparatus after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material; and means on said apparatus for precluding such image forming section of such sheet-like material from being scraped against said apparatus whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn therefrom in a direction tending to cause such sheet-like material to assume an angle with respect to that portion thereof still disposed within said slot, said slot extending through a wall of said chamber having a generally U-shaped exterior contour such that exterior edges of said slot include a recessed medial portion and laterally spaced end portions extended therefrom for engaging respective longitudinal marginal portions of such sheet-like material thereby precluding scraping of such image-forming section of such sheet-like material against said apparatus.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said laterally spaced end portions are inclined laterally away from each other so as to form a gradually widening recess in the direction of movement of such sheet-like material through said slot.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said end portions are spaced apart a distance such that at the innermost end of said recess they are spaced less than the lateral dimension of such image-forming section and at the outermost end of said recess, they are spaced a distance slightly greater than the lateral dimension of said image-forming section.

Claim 22

A self-developing camera for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: a chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material as it is withdrawn from said slot; means on said camera adjacent the exterior of said slot for controlling the plane of advancement of such sheet-like material through said slot and for precluding scraping of such image-forming section against said controlling means or exterior edges of said slot whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn in a direction tending to cause such material to assume an angle with respect to said plane of advancement.

Claim 23

A self-developing camera for spreading a processing fluid on sheet-like material of predetermined width having a section thereof intermediate its longitudinal edges adapted to have an image formed therein, comprising: a chamber having an elongated slot through which such sheet-like material may be withdrawn after such fluid has been spread thereon; means within said chamber for spreading such fluid on such sheet-like material as it is withdrawn from said slot; means on said camera adjacent the exterior of said slot for controlling the plane of advancement of such sheet-like material through said slot and for precluding scraping of such image-forming section against said controlling means or exterior edges of said slot whenever such sheet-like material is withdrawn in a direction tending to cause such material to assume an angle with respect to said plane of advancement.