Chip film processor

Claim 2

Apparatus for processing a film chip having opposite edge portions comprising: means defining a pair of parallel grooves that face one another for engaging said opposite edge portions of said film chip, the distance between said grooves being greater than the width of either of said grooves, to guide a film chip whose width, as measured between opposite side edges, is greater than its thickness as measured between opposite faces; Finger means moveable in a finger path that extends along at least a portion Of said grooves for engaging a rear portion of said chip to push it along said grooves so that the film chip slides along said grooves; and means for driving said finger means along said finger path; said grooves including a curved region where at least one of said grooves is curved about an imaginary axis to change the direction of film chip movement, said curved portion of said groove being positioned so the groove faces said imaginary axis to orient a film chip moving therealong so that a line normal to is faces is substantially parallel to said imaginary axis about which said groove portion is curved, whereby to substantially eliminate bending of the chip at the curved region.

Claim 3

Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solution comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a plurality of loop portions, each leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film: finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; a plurality of belt drive means, each including first pulley means at the bottom of a loop portion, second pulley means above said first pulley means, and belt means engaged with said finger means and extending about said first and second pulley means to drive said finger means along a portion of said path; a pair of transfer rollers disposed on opposite sides of said path at a position between succeeding loop portions of said path; means for driving at least one of said pulley means of each of said belt drive means to move the belt means thereof at a predetermined speed; and means for driving said transfer rollers at a greater surface speed than said predetermined speed of said belt means. 3. Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solutions comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a plurality of loop portions, each leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film; Finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; a plurality of belt drive means, each including first pulley means at the bottom of a loop portion, second pulley means above said first pulley means, and belt means engaged with said finger means, said belt means extending about said first and second pulley means; said means defining a sheet path defining substantially arcuate transfer curves at the top of a plurality of said loop portions for guiding said sheet of film from a path portion extending along one belt to a path portion extending along another belt; a plurality of transfer finger means, each mounted for rotation about an axis substantially at the center of one of said transfer curves, to move along said curves and push a sheet of film therealong; and means for rotating said transfer finger means.

Claim 4

Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solution comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a plurality of loop portions, each leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film: finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; a plurality of belt drive means, each including first pulley means at the bottom of a loop portion, second pulley means above said first pulley means, and belt means engaged with said finger means and extending about said first and second pulley means to drive said finger means along a portion of said path; a pair of transfer rollers disposed on opposite sides of said path at a position between succeeding loop portions of said path; means for driving at least one of said pulley means of each of said belt drive means to move the belt means thereof at a predetermined speed; and means for driving said transfer rollers at a greater surface speed than said predetermined speed of said belt means. 3. Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solutions comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a plurality of loop portions, each leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film; Finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; a plurality of belt drive means, each including first pulley means at the bottom of a loop portion, second pulley means above said first pulley means, and belt means engaged with said finger means, said belt means extending about said first and second pulley means; said means defining a sheet path defining substantially arcuate transfer curves at the top of a plurality of said loop portions for guiding said sheet of film from a path portion extending along one belt to a path portion extending along another belt; a plurality of transfer finger means, each mounted for rotation about an axis substantially at the center of one of said transfer curves, to move along said curves and push a sheet of film therealong; and means for rotating said transfer finger means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solutions comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a substantially vertically extending initial portion where film sheets to be developed are received and a plurality of loop portions, each loop portion leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means defining a sheet path comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film; finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; and driving means for driving said finger means along at least a portion of said path, said driving means being constructed to drive intermittently and to stop said finger means at a location along said initial portion wheRein a rearward portion of said finger means is above the level of solution in the tank thereunder.

Claim 6

Apparatus for processing a sheet of film by moving it through tanks containing processing solutions comprising: means defining a sheet path which includes a substantially vertically extending initial portion where film sheets to be developed are received and a plurality of loop portions, each loop portion leading down into and up out of one of said tanks, said means defining a sheet path comprising a pair of parallel guide means extending along said path for engaging opposite edge portions of said sheet of film; finger means for engaging said sheet of film to move it along at least a portion of said path; and driving means for driving said finger means along at least a portion of said path, said driving means being constructed to drive intermittently and to stop said finger means at a location along said initial portion wheRein a rearward portion of said finger means is above the level of solution in the tank thereunder.

Claim 7

Apparatus for processing a chip of photographic film comprising: a light-tight housing; means for holding a plurality of tanks in said housing, each tank having at least a predetermined length between a back and front thereof; transport means including substantially vertically extending plate means having slots extending substantially vertically along the lower end thereof to form a plurality of sections that are receptive at their lower portions in said tanks; means defining a pair of parallel tracks in said plate means which form a chip path extending successively down into one of said sections, out of said section and around said slot between said section and the next adjacent section, and down into the next adjacent section; and means for engaging a chip and moving it along said chip path.

Claim 8

Apparatus for processing a chip of photographic film comprising: a light-tight housing; means for holding a plurality of tanks in said housing, each tank having at least a predetermined length between a back and front thereof; transport means including substantially vertically extending plate means having slots extending substantially vertically along the lower end thereof to form a plurality of sections that are receptive at their lower portions in said tanks; means defining a pair of parallel tracks in said plate means which form a chip path extending successively down into one of said sections, out of said section and around said slot between said section and the next adjacent section, and down into the next adjacent section; and means for engaging a chip and moving it along said chip path.

Claim 9

The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein: said means for engaging a chip and moving it comprises a plurality of belt means, each extending along a path portion in one of said sections, and each including a finger fixed to the belt means for engaging a rear portion of the chip to push it along the path.

Claim 10

The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein: said means for engaging a chip and moving it comprises a plurality of belt means, each extending along a path portion in one of said sections, and each including a finger fixed to the belt means for engaging a rear portion of the chip to push it along the path; and including means for simultaneously rotating each of said belt means by a predetermined amount at a time and stopping each of said belt means for predetermined periods between said rotations.

Claim 11

The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein: said track means comprise substantially V-shaped grooves formed in said plate means, whereby to prevent sliding contact with the faces of said chip.

Claim 12

The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein: The chip path portion at the bottom of at least one of said sections has substantially concentrically curved track portions which are of unequal radii of curvature and oriented to move a chip so that an imaginary line normal to the faces of the chip is substantially parallel to an imaginary axis about which said track portions are curved.

Claim 13

Apparatus for processing a chip of photographic film comprising: a housing having a receiving portion for receiving a chip to be developed and an exit for delivering a developed chip; first, second and third tanks disposed in said housing, each tank having an inside length between front and rear portions thereof greater than a predetermined distance; a pair of plate means spaced apart so their outer faces are at a distance less than said predetermined distance, said plate means having a lower portion separated into at least three sections which are narrow enough for immersion in said tanks; means defining a pair of grooves on the inner faces of said plate means for holding a chip, said grooves defining a chip path that extends down into each of said sections and up out of the section into the next section; a pair of pulley means associated with each of said sections, each pair of pulley means including a pulley means at the bottom of the section; belt means disposed about each of said pairs of pulley means; a finger mounted on each of said belt means to engage a film chip and move it along a portion of said chip path; a pair of transfer rollers disposed between adjacent of said sections to carry a chip between said sections; and means for driving said pulley means and said transfer rollers.

Claim 14

Apparatus for processing a chip of photographic film comprising: a housing having a receiving portion for receiving a chip to be developed and an exit for delivering a developed chip; first, second and third tanks disposed in said housing, each tank having an inside length between front and rear portions thereof greater than a predetermined distance; a pair of plate means spaced apart so their outer faces are at a distance less than said predetermined distance, said plate means having a lower portion separated into at least three sections which are narrow enough for immersion in said tanks; means defining a pair of grooves on the inner faces of said plate means for holding a chip, said grooves defining a chip path that extends down into each of said sections and up out of the section into the next section; a pair of pulley means associated with each of said sections, each pair of pulley means including a pulley means at the bottom of the section; belt means disposed about each of said pairs of pulley means; a finger mounted on each of said belt means to engage a film chip and move it along a portion of said chip path; a pair of transfer rollers disposed between adjacent of said sections to carry a chip between said sections; and means for driving said pulley means and said transfer rollers.

Claim 15

The apparatus described in claim 10 wherein: said chip path extends in a generally vertical direction between said receiving portion and the bottom of said first section, and includes a constricted portion above the level of said first tank for stopping the free fall of a chip received at saId receiving portion.