Planar gas and ion distribution

Claim 1

In apparatus for treating a strip of photographic film during processing thereof, the film transported in a longitudinal direction, the combination comprising (a) a carrier body, including a first body block section defining a first transversely elongated recess, and a second body block section overlying said recess and defining a second transversely elongated recess parallel to and overlying the first recess, there being a wall separating said two recesses, and closing the first recess, the second recess being laterally open along its entire length, (b) needles entirely supported by said first body section, the needles having tips defining a plane toward and through which the film is adapted to pass, the needles having wire configuration, (c) said wall defining orifices within which the respective needles project, the orifices communicating between said recesses, the orifices spaced lengthwise of said recesses, said tips located at said walls, (d) means for supplying pressurized gas to said orifices via said first recess and at pressure in excess of about 25 psi to produce gas jets which sweep over said tips and treat both sides of the film, said jets directed generally laterally relative to said longitudinal direction of film transport, (e) and means for supplying voltage to said tips via said needles at a level or levels to effect production of ions distributed laterally with the gas jets for neutralizing static on both sides of the film passing through said plane, said means including a bus wire extending in said first recess and electrically connected to said needles.