US3833918A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photographic processing apparatus
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert NV
•
Filing: 1973-02-20
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1993-02-20
Abstract
Abstract A processing apparatus which comprises a pair of inlet rollers, a pair of outlet rollers, a guide plate forming the bottom of the processing tray and at least one non-driven roller, situated above the bottom and partly or wholly immersed in the processing solution. The peripheral speed of the pair of outlet rollers slightly exceeds that of the pair of inlet rollers, so that a sheet of photographic material is lifted from the bottom when its leading edge reaches the nip of the pair of outlet rollers. Optionally a suplementary roller may be provided, which is frictionally driven by the upper one of the pair of inlet or outlet rollers and which imparts its rotation to the immersed rollers.
Inventors
- 👤 E Stievenart
- 👤 H Verbruggen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:51
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D3/00; G03D3/08; G03D3/13; G03D3/132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
Apparatus for processing photographic material, said apparatus comprising a container for holding processing liquid, means for keeping said container filled with processing liquid up to a predetermined level, first and second pairs of rollers respectively located at an entry end region and at an exit end region of the container for transporting photographic material into and out of processing liquid in said container, at least one immersion roller journaled for rotation at a level such that at least an arc of its peripheral surface is beneath said liquid level and beneath a plane extending from the nip of the first pair to the nip of the second pair of transporting rollers, each such immersion roller being disposed so that when a sheet of photographic material is delivered into the container by said first pair of transporting rollers, the leading end of such sheet will pass beneath the same, at least one guide surface extending beneAth each such immersion roller for guiding such leading end towards the nip of said second pair of transporting rollers, said surface and the nearest point of each such immersion roller being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said material to be processed, and means for driving said first and second pairs of transporting rollers so that the peripheral speed of the rollers of the second pair exceeds that of the rollers of the first pair, whereby said material after engagement in the nip of said second roller pair is tensioned out of contact with said guide surface and into contact with each said rotatable immersion roller.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
Apparatus for processing photographic material, said apparatus comprising a container for holding processing liquid, means for keeping said container filled with processing liquid up to a predetermined level, first and second pairs of rollers respectively located at an entry end region and at an exit end region of the container for transporting photographic material into and out of processing liquid in said container, at least one immersion roller journaled for rotation at a level such that at least an arc of its peripheral surface is beneath said liquid level and beneath a plane extending from the nip of the first pair to the nip of the second pair of transporting rollers, each such immersion roller being disposed so that when a sheet of photographic material is delivered into the container by said first pair of transporting rollers, the leading end of such sheet will pass beneath the same, at least one guide surface extending beneAth each such immersion roller for guiding such leading end towards the nip of said second pair of transporting rollers, said surface and the nearest point of each such immersion roller being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the thickness of said material to be processed, and means for driving said first and second pairs of transporting rollers so that the peripheral speed of the rollers of the second pair exceeds that of the rollers of the first pair, whereby said material after engagement in the nip of said second roller pair is tensioned out of contact with said guide surface and into contact with each said rotatable immersion roller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are two such immersion rollers, one being located in the entry end portion of said container and the other being located in the exit end portion of such container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said immersion rollers is journaled for free rotation by frictional force exerted by a sheet of material as it is in the course of being transported by said first and second pairs of transporting rollers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means is provided for driving each of said immersion rollers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said immersion rollers is driven by an idler roller which is in turn driven by the upper roller of the adjacent pair of transporting rollers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said idler rollers has substantially the same length as the rollers with which it is in contact.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said idler rollers has a rough surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the idler rollers are supported by a common frame permitting their easy removal as a unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one guide surface is constituted by the bottom of said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein at least one said guide surface is concavely curved along the line of motion of sheet material through the container.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means is provided for driving said first and second pairs of transporting rollers at equal angular speeds but the rollers of said second pair are of greater diameter than the rollers of said first pair.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
228 words
An apparatus for processing photographic material with at least one processing station, comprising: a. a container for holding processing liquid, b. means for keeping said container filled with processing liquid up to a predetermined level, c. a guide plate having a concave surface determining the lower boundary of a path for the photographic material which travels through the processing liquid, d. means for transporting said photographic material through the apparatus, said transporting means comprising a first pair of pressure rollers located at the inlet of the processing station, a second pair of pressure rollers located at the outlet of the processing station, and means for driving the pairs of rollers such that the peripheral speed of the second pair of rollers slightly exceeds that of the first pair of rollers, e. a first immersion roller which conveys the photographic material to be processed towards the lowest point of the concave surface, and a second immersion roller located between said first immersion roller and said second pair of pressure rollers for guiding the material along a path towards said outlet roller pair, both immersion rollers being rotatably journalled in fixed bearings at a locus maintaining at least a portion of their periphery immersed in said processing liquid but spaced from the nearest point on said guide plate a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the material being processed.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
228 words
An apparatus for processing photographic material with at least one processing station, comprising: a. a container for holding processing liquid, b. means for keeping said container filled with processing liquid up to a predetermined level, c. a guide plate having a concave surface determining the lower boundary of a path for the photographic material which travels through the processing liquid, d. means for transporting said photographic material through the apparatus, said transporting means comprising a first pair of pressure rollers located at the inlet of the processing station, a second pair of pressure rollers located at the outlet of the processing station, and means for driving the pairs of rollers such that the peripheral speed of the second pair of rollers slightly exceeds that of the first pair of rollers, e. a first immersion roller which conveys the photographic material to be processed towards the lowest point of the concave surface, and a second immersion roller located between said first immersion roller and said second pair of pressure rollers for guiding the material along a path towards said outlet roller pair, both immersion rollers being rotatably journalled in fixed bearings at a locus maintaining at least a portion of their periphery immersed in said processing liquid but spaced from the nearest point on said guide plate a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the material being processed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
Processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first pair of transporting rollers is so disposed that the nip of the rollers of that pair is below the predetermined leveL of processing liquid in the container, whereas the second pair of rollers is so disposed that the nip of the rollers of that pair is above the predetermined level of processing liquid in the container.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |