Photographic chemical waste handling apparatus and method

Claim 2

An improved photographic processor, wherein there is provided a processing region at which photographic material is processed and from which there is separately discharged (a) a waste gas of the kind which may contain a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, and wherein the improvement comprises: means defining a chamber for receiving such waste gas and such waste liquid; means for conveying such waste liquid from said processing region into said chamber; and means for conveying such waste gas from said processing region to said chamber and for introducing the waste gas into said chamber at a location passing the waste gas through such waste liquid in said chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas.

Claim 3

The improvement as recited in claim 1, further comprising: means disposed on said chamber defining means for draining from said chamber, any amount of such waste liquid which exceeds a given quantity; a waste receptacle; and means for conveying such waste liquid from said draining means into said waste receptacle.

Claim 4

The improvement as recited in claim 2, further comprising: means disposed on said chamber defining means for venting from said chamber, such waste gas from which the noxious substance has been substantially completely removed.

Claim 5

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber for receiving such waste gas and such waste liquid, and for storing a given quantity of the waste liquid; means disposed on said chamber defining means for draining from said chamber, any amount of such waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; a waste receptacle; means for conveying such waste liquid from said draining means into said waste receptacle; means for introducing such waste gas into said chamber at a location passing the waste gas through such waste liquid in said chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and means disposed on said chamber defining means for venting from said chamber, such waste gas which has passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 6

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a chamber for receiving such waste gas and such waste liquid, and for storing a given quantity of the waste liquid; means disposed on said chamber defining means for draining from said chamber, any amount of such waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; a waste receptacle; means for conveying such waste liquid from said draining means into said waste receptacle; means for introducing such waste gas into said chamber at a location passing the waste gas through such waste liquid in said chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and means disposed on said chamber defining means for venting from said chamber, such waste gas which has passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 7

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a first waste liquid, (b) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance, and (c) a second waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first chamber for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas together, and for allowing separation of the two; means disposed on said first chamber defining means for draining from said first chamber, such first waste liquid separated in said first chamber from such waste gas; means defining a second chamber for receiving such second waste liquid and such waste gas individually, and for storing a given quantity of the second waste liquid; means disposed on said second chamber defining means for draining from said second chamber, any amount of such second waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; means for conveying such waste gas from said first chamber to said second chamber and for introducing the waste gas into said second chamber at a location passing the waste gas through such second waste liquid in said second chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and means disposed on said second chamber defining means for venting from said second chamber, such waste gas which has passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 8

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a first waste liquid, (b) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance, and (c) a second waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first chamber for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas together, and for allowing separation of the two; means disposed on said first chamber defining means for draining from said first chamber, such first waste liquid separated in said first chamber from such waste gas; means defining a second chamber for receiving such second waste liquid and such waste gas individually, and for storing a given quantity of the second waste liquid; means disposed on said second chamber defining means for draining from said second chamber, any amount of such second waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; means for conveying such waste gas from said first chamber to said second chamber and for introducing the waste gas into said second chamber at a location passing the waste gas through such second waste liquid in said second chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and means disposed on said second chamber defining means for venting from said second chamber, such waste gas which has passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 9

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a first waste liquid, (b) a waste gas of the kind which contains ammonia and (c) a second waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely absorb the ammonia from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first fixed volume chamber for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas together, and for allowing separation of the two; said first chamber defining means including an inlet opening for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas in said first chamber, a vent opening located above said gas and first liquid inlet opening for venting the waste gas from said first chamber, and a drain opening located below said gas and first liquid inlet opening for draining the first waste liquid from said first chamber; a float valve located within said first chamber for opening and closing said first liquid drain opening; means defining a second fixed volume chamber for receiving such second waste liquid and such waste gas individually, and for storing a given quantity of the second waste liquid; said second chamber defining means including a drain opening for draining such second waste liquid from said second chamber, an inlet opening located above said second liquid drain opening for receiving the second waste liquid in said second chamber, an inlet opening located below said second liquid drain opening for receiving such waste gas in said second chamber to bubble the waste gas through the second waste liquid in said chamber, and a vent opening located above said second liquid drain opening for venting the waste gas from said second chamber; means connecting said gas vent opening on said first chamber defining means and said gas inlet opening on said second chamber defining means for conveying such waste gas from said first chamber to said second chamber; a waste receptacle; and means for conveying such first waste liquid from said first liquid drain opening on said first chamber defining means to said waste receptacle and for conveying such second waste liquid from said second liquid drain opening on said second chamber defining means to said receptacle.

Claim 10

A photographic chemical waste handling apparatus for handling (a) a first waste liquid, (b) a waste gas of the kind which contains ammonia and (c) a second waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely absorb the ammonia from such waste gas, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first fixed volume chamber for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas together, and for allowing separation of the two; said first chamber defining means including an inlet opening for receiving such first waste liquid and such waste gas in said first chamber, a vent opening located above said gas and first liquid inlet opening for venting the waste gas from said first chamber, and a drain opening located below said gas and first liquid inlet opening for draining the first waste liquid from said first chamber; a float valve located within said first chamber for opening and closing said first liquid drain opening; means defining a second fixed volume chamber for receiving such second waste liquid and such waste gas individually, and for storing a given quantity of the second waste liquid; said second chamber defining means including a drain opening for draining such second waste liquid from said second chamber, an inlet opening located above said second liquid drain opening for receiving the second waste liquid in said second chamber, an inlet opening located below said second liquid drain opening for receiving such waste gas in said second chamber to bubble the waste gas through the second waste liquid in said chamber, and a vent opening located above said second liquid drain opening for venting the waste gas from said second chamber; means connecting said gas vent opening on said first chamber defining means and said gas inlet opening on said second chamber defining means for conveying such waste gas from said first chamber to said second chamber; a waste receptacle; and means for conveying such first waste liquid from said first liquid drain opening on said first chamber defining means to said waste receptacle and for conveying such second waste liquid from said second liquid drain opening on said second chamber defining means to said receptacle.

Claim 11

A photographic chemical waste handling method for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said method comprising: conveying such waste liquid from a film processing region to a chemical waste receiving chamber; conveying such waste gas from thE processing region to the receiving chamber; bubbling such waste gas in the receiving chamber through such waste liquid in the chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and venting from the receiving chamber, such waste gas which is passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 12

A photographic chemical waste handling method for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said method comprising: conveying such waste liquid from a film processing region to a chemical waste receiving chamber; conveying such waste gas from thE processing region to the receiving chamber; bubbling such waste gas in the receiving chamber through such waste liquid in the chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and venting from the receiving chamber, such waste gas which is passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 13

A photographic chemical waste handling method for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said method comprising: conveying such waste liquid from a film processing region to a chemical waste receiving chamber; storing a given quantity of such waste liquid in the receiving chamber; draining from the receiving chamber, any amount of such waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; conveying such waste gas from the processing region to the receiving station; introducing such waste gas into the receiving chamber at a location bubbling the waste gas through such waste liquid in the chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and venting from the receiving chamber, such waste gas which is passed through such waste liquid.

Claim 14

A photographic chemical waste handling method for handling (a) a waste gas of the kind which contains a noxious substance and (b) a waste liquid of the kind which can substantially completely remove the noxious substance from such waste gas, said method comprising: conveying such waste liquid from a film processing region to a chemical waste receiving chamber; storing a given quantity of such waste liquid in the receiving chamber; draining from the receiving chamber, any amount of such waste liquid which exceeds the given quantity; conveying such waste gas from the processing region to the receiving station; introducing such waste gas into the receiving chamber at a location bubbling the waste gas through such waste liquid in the chamber to substantially completely remove the noxious substance from the waste gas; and venting from the receiving chamber, such waste gas which is passed through such waste liquid.