Photographic developer-printer assembly, and a conveying roller unit therefor

Claim 1

A photographic developer-printer assembly, comprising: first means defining a reservoir; partitions subdividing said reservoir into a plurality of tanks; conveying roller assemblies replaceably disposed in said reservoir; second means coupled to said first means, and engaged with said roller assemblies, for rotatably driving said roller assemblies; and guide means disposed adjacent to said roller assemblies, for directing photographic papers, which are to be developed and printed, to said roller assemblies successively; wherein roller assemblies of a plurality thereof each comprises a pair of spaced apart rollers, an intermediate roller interposed between said pair of rollers, and band means replaceably looped about said pair of rollers and atop said intermediate roller; and said band means comprises a multitude of substantially parallel strands, closely spaced apart, lying normal to said rollers' axes of rotation, for constraining photographic papers which are directed to, and conveyed between, said roller assemblies, firmly to said intermediate rollers; and further including means mounted adjacent to each of said intermediate rollers, of said plurality of roller assemblies, for cleansing the intermediate rollers of any substances borne on the surface thereof; said cleansing means having means defining a wiping surface which makes an axially-extended, substantially line contact with the intermediate roller adjacent thereto; said reservoir having a prescribed fluids level line therefor; said cleansing means have substantial portions thereof below said fluids level line; said guide means define a pathway for photographic papers to follow; and said cleansing means is spaced apart from said pathway, insuring non-contact of said cleansing means with photographic papers conveyed through said assembly.