Process for recovery of re-usable substances from a fixing bath in processes for development and fixing of photographic films and X-ray films

Claim 1

A process for electrolytic recovery of silver from fixing bath solution obtained by development of photographic films and X-ray films in a recovery apparatus having separate first and second chambers, said process being performed alternatively in two modes, each mode respectively occurring in said first and second chambers, said process comprising the steps of: feeding fixing bath solution to said first chamber; electrolytically recovering silver from said solution in the first chamber while simultaneously directing additional solution from the fixing bath to said second chamber which functions as a holding tank; automatically discharging the liquid from said first chamber to a sewer upon completion of the recovery of silver from the fixing bath solution; electrolytically recovering silver from the fixing bath solution in said second chamber by subjecting the solution in said second chamber to a shorter and weaker electrolysis than that to which the solution in the first chamber is subjected, while simultaneously directing additional solution from the fixing bath to said first chamber which now functions as a holding tank; and automatically discharging the liquid from said second chamber to a chemicals tank upon completion of the recovery cycle, such that the chemicals in the solution discharged from said second chamber to said chemicals tank are not extensively decomposed, and such that said solution discharged from said second chamber to said chemicals tank still contains some silver.