US3922702A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid circulating system for photographic film processing tanks
Assignee: Pako Corp
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Filing: 1973-05-18
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1993-05-18
Abstract
Abstract This is a liquid circulating system for film processing tanks and includes a submerged solution intake manifold located within the tank and particularly constructed with inlet openings and flow control elements to cause uniformly concentrated processing solution to travel along the film path in contact with the film surface to be processed, said inlet openings also being located in predetermined spaced apart relation along the film path to draw off the processing solution immediately after its chemical reaction with the film strip being transported through the film processing tank, thus minimizing the dispersion of the products of the chemical reaction into the main body of processing liquid, the circulating system may also include means for replenishing the processing chemical solution withdrawn through the intake manifold and thereafter recirculating the replenished solution back into the processing tank.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred J Gaskell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:10
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D3/00; G03D3/02; G03D3/06; G03D3/08; G03D3/13; G03D3/132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
In a photographic film processing tank with processing liquid therein and including means for transporting a web of film in a guided film path through said tank; a system for circulating portions of the film processing liquid in a predetermined flow path within the tank, said system comprising an intake manifold located within the tank and having the major portion thereof disposed below the surface of the processing liquid in the tank and including side wall portions having a plurality of intake openings disposed in close association to the film path on the emulsion side thereof, liquid flow control means within the tank and disposed outside of said manifold and defining a liquid flow path generally parallel to and adjacent said film path the position of the intake openings being such that the liquid is drawn through said openings at the downstream end of its flow path to cause the liquid to flow through said flow path in the same direction of travel as said film, means for producing negative pressure in the manifold to withdraw liquid from the tank into the manifold through said openings, and means for intorducing the withdrawn liquid back into the processing tank at a location remote from said flow path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
In a photographic film processing tank with processing liquid therein and including means for transporting a web of film in a guided film path through said tank; a system for circulating portions of the film processing liquid in a predetermined flow path within the tank, said system comprising an intake manifold located within the tank and having the major portion thereof disposed below the surface of the processing liquid in the tank and including side wall portions having a plurality of intake openings disposed in close association to the film path on the emulsion side thereof, liquid flow control means within the tank and disposed outside of said manifold and defining a liquid flow path generally parallel to and adjacent said film path the position of the intake openings being such that the liquid is drawn through said openings at the downstream end of its flow path to cause the liquid to flow through said flow path in the same direction of travel as said film, means for producing negative pressure in the manifold to withdraw liquid from the tank into the manifold through said openings, and means for intorducing the withdrawn liquid back into the processing tank at a location remote from said flow path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow control means defines a flow path divided into a plurality of vertically spaced flow control zones and wherein said intake openings are desposed in a row at the downstream edge of each zone to limit the contact time between the specific portion of the processing liquid in contact with the film to each zone and withdraw said specific liquid along the downstream edge of each zone through said rows of intake openings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The structure set forth in claim 2 wherein said liquid control means include a plurality of baffle members respectively provided in each zone along the guided film path in closely spaced relation thereto with the rows of intake openings being disposed along the downstream edge of the respective baffle members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said intake manifold is removably mounted in said tank and is provided with an outlet opening having a readily removable seal connection with the suction side of the introducing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
The structure set forth in claim 2 and a plurality of vertically spaced power driven sets of film transport rollers defining the guided film path through the tank and also defining the upper and lower edges of the respective flow control zones, each set of rollers consisting in a pair of opposed roller elements having resilient tangential surface contact therebetween to engage with a squeegee effect both sides of a strip of film being fed therethrough to impart driving motion thereto and to squeegee off the by-products of the chemical reaction between the solution and the film surface being processed, the position of the intake openings being in close proximity to the respective sets of rollers located at the downstream edge of each zone to draw off the concentration of said reaction by-products and prevent dispersion of said concentrated by-products into the portion of the solution in contact with the film surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for producing negative manifold pressure produces a similar rate of travel between the liquid in the flow path and the film strip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure set forth in claim 1 and means for replenishing the chemical concentration of the processing liquid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The structure set forth in claim 7 and said replenishing means including means for injecting replenishing chemical into the solution flow line between the intake openings and the introducing means.
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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) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |