Method of producing photographic images

Claim 1

A process of forming a photographic image, wherein a photographic material comprising a supported light-sensitive silver halide layer is imagewise exposed and is then continuously advanced at substantially constant speed in successive order into and through four processing stations for treating said exposed material with the following baths in order: a developing bath comprising an aqueous developing or activating liquid for converting the exposed silver halide to metallic silver, a stabilizing bath comprising an aqueous solution containing about 20-300 g per liter of a water-soluble alkaline thiocyanate for converting undeveloped silver halide to a substantially light-insensitive complex, a fixing bath comprising an aqueous solution containing about 50-300 g per liter of a water-soluble alkaline thiosulfate for transforming unexposed silver halide into a water-soluble complex and a washing bath comprising water for removing water-soluble silver salts from said layer to produce a permanent quality print, each such station comprising a tray containing the corresponding bath through which the material is transported and each such bath being maintained at about room temperature, said material being advanced at a speed such that it is immersed in each such bath for a period of 1-15 seconds and the total processing time for all four such processing stations is not more than 60 seconds.