Reel for photographic sheet material

Claim 1

A reel assembly for processing photographic sheet material, comprising: a. a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft, b. a pair of opposed laterally spaced film carrier support members axially mounted on the shaft, c. the support members each having a corresponding generally annular-shaped film carrier area disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of the film carrier support members, d. the annular-shaped film carrier area at its inner limit being spaced a substantial radial distance from the shaft axis, e. a plurality of spaced sets of film carrier mounting means on the opposed surfaces of the film carrier support members and disposed within the generally annular-shaped film carrier area, f. a plate-like film carrier member on which photographic film can be mounted which is disposed on each set of film carrier mounting means and extends between the film carrier support members in a generally circumferential direction and between the corresponding generally annular-shaped film carrier areas, g. the outer edge of each film carrier being disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of the generally annular-shaped film carrier areas, h. the surface of the plate-like film carrier members being disposed at a small angle with respect to the outer periphery of the generally annular-shaped film carrier areas so that the inner and rearward edge thereof is displaced a slight distance radially inward from the outer periphery of the generally annular-shaped area and adjacent to the inner limit of said area, and i. the film carrier members being spaced from each other to permit developer fluid to slip between them with little or no turbulence when the reel assembly is rotated.