Wash-off processor

Claim 2

A processor for photographic plates of the type incorporating a wash-off facility, said processor comprising: a housing, transporting means movably connected to said housing and disposed to at least partially define a path of travel of the plates through said housing, drive means movably connected to said transporter means in driving relation thereto, whereby said transporting means operates at a preselected speed to transport the plates through said housing; a developer station disposed in fluid communication with said path of travel; at least one scrub station comprising a scrub element rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a substantially open configuration at least partially defining a path of fluid flow through said scrub element, fluid delivery means including nozzle means mounted on the interior of said scrub element and disposed to direct fluid therefrom along said path of fluid flow into said path of travel of the plate, scrub backup means including a flexible element movably mounted within said housing and extending along the length of said path of travel defined by the area of contact of said scrub element and the plate and further disposed both upstream and downstream of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible element disposed in cooperative relation to one another on opposite sides of said path of travel and plates passing therealong; both said flexible backup element and said scrub element connected to said drive means, said flexible backup element comprising a continuous belt connected in driven relation to said driving means and traveling at a peripheral speed less than that of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible backup means disposed to engage oppositely disposed surfaces of a plate traveling along said path of travel; said scrub element positioned relative to said path of travel so as to direct waste particles from the plate away from said path of travel, whereby the scrub element provides a scrubbing action to the preselected surface of the plate passing along said path of travel.

Claim 3

A processor as in claim 1 wherein said scrub element comprises a brush rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said open configuration at least partially defined by a porous core and spaced apart bristle means connected to said core, said nozzle means mounted on the interior of said core and disposed to direct wash-off fluid through said brush from the interior of said core onto plates passing along said path of travel.

Claim 4

A processor as in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means is fixedly attached to said brush and connected to rotate therewith.

Claim 5

A processor as in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means is disposed along the length of said core and includes a substantially uniform configuration, whereby a substantially uniform pattern of fluid is projected on the plate.

Claim 6

A processor as in claim 1 wherein the peripheral speed of said belt is substantially equal to the peripheral speed of said transporting means.

Claim 7

A processor as in claim 1 further comprising fluid reservoir means connected to said housing and disposed, at least in part, adjacent said scrub element; said fluid delivery system further comprising a pump means interconnected in fluid communicating relation between said nozzle means and said fluid reservoir.

Claim 8

A processor as in claim 1 wherein said fluid delivery system further comprises filter means disposed in fluid communicating relation between said nozzle means and said fluid reservoir.

Claim 9

A processor as in claim 1 wherein said fluid delivery system is connected in fluid communication to a source of wash-off fluid maintained at a temperature above ambient.

Claim 10

A processor as in claim 1 wherein said scrub element comprises a substantially roller configuration comprising an apertured core and a liquid permeable material mounted about the periphery of said core.

Claim 11

A processor as in claim 9 wherein said nozzle means is mounted on the interior of said core and disposed to direct fluid through said apertured core and said liquid permeable material into said path of travel.

Claim 12

A processor as in claim 1 further comprising a wash station disposed in said housing downstream of said scrub station, said wash station including wash fluid applicator means disposed in fluid communicating relation with said path of travel.

Claim 13

A processor as in claim 11 further comprising squeegee means connected to said housing downstream and adjacent to said wash fluid applicator means.

Claim 14

A processor as in claim 11 further comprising dryer means including impeller means mounted within said housing downstream of said wash station.

Claim 15

A processor for photographic plates of the type incorporating a wash-off facility, said processor comprising: a housing, transporting means movably connected to said housing and disposed to at least partially define a path of travel of the plates through said housing, drive means movably connected to said transporter means in driving relation thereto, whereby said transporting means operates at a preselected speed to transport the plates through said housing; a developer station disposed in fluid communication with said path of travel; at least one scrub station comprising a scrub element rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a substantially open configuration at least partially defining a path of fluid flow through said scrub element, fluid delivery means including nozzle means mounted on the interior of said scrub element and disposed to direct fluid therefrom along said path of fluid flow into said path of travel of the plate, scrub backup means including a flexible element movably mounted within said housing and extending along the length of said path of travel defined by the area of contact of said scrub element and the plate and further disposed both upsteam and downstream of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible element disposed in cooperative relation to one another on opposite sides of said path of travel and plates passing therealong; both said flexible backup element and said scrub element connected to said drive means, said flexible backup element comprising a continuous belt connected in driven relation to said driving means and traveling at a peripheral speed less than that of said scrub element, said continuous belt positioned in cooperative relation to said scrub element and above the path of travel and in plate engaging relation to plates passing along said path of travel, whereby the scrub element provides a scrubbing action to the preselected surface of the plate passing along said path of travel, due at least in part to gravity.

Claim 16

A processor for photographic plates of the type incorporating a wash-off facility, said processor comprising: a housing, transporting means movably connected to said housing and disposed to at least partially define a path of travel of the plates through said housing, drive means movably connected to said transporter means in driving relation thereto, whereby said transporting means operates at a preselected speed to transport the plates through said housing; a developer station disposed in fluid communication with said path of travel; at least one scrub station comprising a scrub element rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a substantially open configuration at least partially defining a path of fluid flow through said scrub element, fluid delivery means including nozzle means mounted on the interior of said scrub element and disposed to direct fluid therefrom along said path of fluid flow into said path of travel of the plate, scrub backup means including a flexible element movably mounted within said housing and extending along the length of said path of travel defined by the area of contact of said scrub element and the plate and further disposed both upsteam and downstream of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible element disposed in cooperative relation to one another on opposite sides of said path of travel and plates passing therealong; both said flexible backup element and said scrub element connected to said drive means, said flexible backup element comprising a continuous belt connected in driven relation to said driving means and traveling at a peripheral speed less than that of said scrub element, said continuous belt positioned in cooperative relation to said scrub element and above the path of travel and in plate engaging relation to plates passing along said path of travel, whereby the scrub element provides a scrubbing action to the preselected surface of the plate passing along said path of travel, due at least in part to gravity.

Claim 17

A processor for photographic plates of the type incorporating a wash-off facility, said processor comprising: a housing, transporting means movably connected to said housing and disposed to at least partially define a path of travel of the plates through said housing, drive means movably connected to said transporter means in driving relation thereto, whereby said transporting means operates at a preselected speed to transport the plates through said housing; a developer station disposed in fluid communication with said path of travel; at least one scrub station comprising a scrub element rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a substantially open configuration at least partially defining a path of fluid flow through said scrub element, fluid delivery means including nozzle means mounted on the interior of said scrub element and disposed to direct fluid therefrom along said path of fluid flow into said path of travel of the plate, scrub backup means including a flexible element movably mounted within said housing and extending along the length of said path of travel defined by the area of contact of said scrub element and the plate and further disposed both upstream and downstream of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible element disposed in cooperative relation to one another on opposite sides of said path of travel and plates passing therealong; both said flexible backup element and said scrub element connected to said drive means, said flexible backup element comprising a continuous belt connected in driven relation to said driving means and traveling at a peripheral speed less than that of said scrub element, said continuous belt and said scrub element disposed in cooperative relation to one another and in engagement with opposite surfaces of a plate passing along said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a rotatably mounted brush positioned beneath said path of travel and in plate engaging disposition relative thereto, whereby said brush provides a scrubbing action to the preselected, correspondingly positioned surface of the plate passing along said path of travel.

Claim 18

A processor for photographic plates of the type incorporating a wash-off facility, said processor comprising: a housing, transporting means movably connected to said housing and disposed to at least partially define a path of travel of the plates through said housing, drive means movably connected to said transporter means in driving relation thereto, whereby said transporting means operates at a preselected speed to transport the plates through said housing; a developer station disposed in fluid communication with said path of travel; at least one scrub station comprising a scrub element rotatably mounted within said housing in plate engaging relation to said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a substantially open configuration at least partially defining a path of fluid flow through said scrub element, fluid delivery means including nozzle means mounted on the interior of said scrub element and disposed to direct fluid therefrom along said path of fluid flow into said path of travel of the plate, scrub backup means including a flexible element movably mounted within said housing and extending along the length of said path of travel defined by the area of contact of said scrub element and the plate and further disposed both upstream and downstream of said scrub element, said scrub element and said flexible element disposed in cooperative relation to one another on opposite sides of said path of travel and plates passing therealong; both said flexible backup element and said scrub element connected to said drive means, said flexible backup element comprising a continuous belt connected in driven relation to said driving means and traveling at a peripheral speed less than that of said scrub element, said continuous belt and said scrub element disposed in cooperative relation to one another and in engagement with opposite surfaces of a plate passing along said path of travel, said scrub element comprising a rotatably mounted brush positioned beneath said path of travel and in plate engaging disposition relative thereto, whereby said brush provides a scrubbing action to the preselected, correspondingly positioned surface of the plate passing along said path of travel.