Patent US2328243A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3886575A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3886575A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for treating photographic material in closed cassettes
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-09-12
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1993-09-12
Abstract
Abstract Exposed photographic sheet material is loaded in a darkroom into closed cassettes formed with fluid-traversable but light-blocking openings. Each cassette is then automatically dipped by a transporter into a succession of film-treatment baths and set in a drying station. The cassettes are provided with outwardly open injector tubes which allow liquid, such as treatment chemicals, or gas to be circulated rapidly through their interiors. Each cassette is automatically opened by engagement of a knob on a slidable door as it is set down in the drying station where a magnet on the cassette operates a reed switch to set a drying blower in motion. The cassettes are open at the bottom and provided with baffles to prevent light entrance; similarly lightblocked openings are provided at the top of each cassette.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Gall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:35
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D3/00; G03D3/08; G03D3/10; G03D13/00; G03D13/02; G03D13/04; G03D13/06; G03D15/00; G03D15/02; G03D15/027; G03D3/02; G03D3/06; G03D3/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing having a bottom formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing, blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening and including a plurality of overlapping baffle vanes at said opening, and at least one outwardly open tube at said bottom with an inner end terminating inwardly of said baffle vanes and provided with a spray manifold; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing having a bottom formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing, blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening and including a plurality of overlapping baffle vanes at said opening, and at least one outwardly open tube at said bottom with an inner end terminating inwardly of said baffle vanes and provided with a spray manifold; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is formed with a hole adapted to allow loading of said material and is provided with a displaceable door tightly engageable over said hole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle vanes are planar and elongated and each has one longitudinal edge overlapping the corresponding edge of another such vane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said housing has a top formed with another such opening having blocking means comprising a plurality of spaced-apart vanes each formed with a throughgoing hole out of line with the hole of the adjacent vane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said inner end is formed with a spray hole and said tube is provided with a plurality of baffles having offset holes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said housing has a top formed with a pair of laterally extending arms, said transport means being engageable with said arms to displace said cassette.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said transport means includes means for steadying said cassette having a pair of arms engageable with said cassette.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of said vessels is provided with upright guiding ribs having inclined surfaces and snugly engageable with said cassette with same lowered completely into said vessel by said transport means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising drying means at one end of said row having at least one blower directable at said cassette.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9, further comprising switch means in said drying means for operating said blower when said cassette is in said drying means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said drying means has a bed dimensioned to receive a plurality of said cassettes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising a frame for supporting a piece of said photographic material in said housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus defined in claim 12, further comprising means for holding a plurality of said frames spaced apart in said housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said means for holding includes a spacer body on one surface of each frame and formed with a projection, each frame being formed with a hole adapted to receive said projection.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus defined in claim 14, further comprising a second frame engageable around the first-mentioned frames to hold same together in said housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein said housing is formed with a closable hole and with a plurality of guide ribs in its interior for introduction of said frames into said housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means for circulating said liquids in said cassettes in said vessels.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
172 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing having a bottom formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing, blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening and including a plurality of overlapping baffle vanes at said opening, and at least one outwardly open tube at said bottom with an inner end terminating inwardly of said baffle vanes; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein, a plurality of such tubes being provided in line at said bottom, said baffle vanes being provided in a first set fixed to one wall of said housing adjacent said tubes, a second set fixed to the other wall of said housing adjacent said tubes and two further sets on said tubes and meshing with said first and second sets.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
172 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing having a bottom formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing, blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening and including a plurality of overlapping baffle vanes at said opening, and at least one outwardly open tube at said bottom with an inner end terminating inwardly of said baffle vanes; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein, a plurality of such tubes being provided in line at said bottom, said baffle vanes being provided in a first set fixed to one wall of said housing adjacent said tubes, a second set fixed to the other wall of said housing adjacent said tubes and two further sets on said tubes and meshing with said first and second sets.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing formed with a hole adapted to allow loading of said material and with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing and blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening; a door slidable on said housing and tightly engageable over said hole, said door provided with an outward projection; transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein; and stop means engageable with said projection for opening said door upon displacement of said cassette by said transport means adjacent said stop means.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a film-containing cassette having a closed housing formed with a hole adapted to allow loading of said material and with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing and blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening; a door slidable on said housing and tightly engageable over said hole, said door provided with an outward projection; transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels for immersing said cassette successively therein; and stop means engageable with said projection for opening said door upon displacement of said cassette by said transport means adjacent said stop means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a Film-containing cassette having a closed housing formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing and having a top formed with a pair of laterally extending arms, and blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels and engageable with said arms for immersing said cassette successively therein and including means for steadying said cassette having a pair of steadying arms engageable with said cassette and each provided with a steadying boss having the shape of half of a downwardly directed axially bisected cone.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for treating photographic material comprising: a plurality of upwardly open vessels arranged in a row for treating of said material with respective liquids; a Film-containing cassette having a closed housing formed with at least one liquid-traversable opening affording access of said liquids to said material in said housing and having a top formed with a pair of laterally extending arms, and blocking means for preventing light from entering said housing through said opening; and transport means displaceable along said row of said vessels and engageable with said arms for immersing said cassette successively therein and including means for steadying said cassette having a pair of steadying arms engageable with said cassette and each provided with a steadying boss having the shape of half of a downwardly directed axially bisected cone.
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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) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |