Apparatus for opening a film processing kit

Claim 1

Film processing apparatus of the type adapted to receive a disposable kit for use in the processing of an exposed roll of film, the disposable kit including a housing having first and second sections coupled to each other for movement between open and closed positions, a container of processing liquid mounted within the second section, a processing liquid dispenser located adjacent a rupturable end of the container, and a roller supporting a length of flexible sheet material, said film processing apparatus comprising: a housing having means for locating the disposable kit such that a free end of the sheet material may be operatively joined with a free end of an exposed roll of film, said housing including a loading door movable into a closed position; means for moving the first section from the closed position to the open position, said moving means being operatively coupled to the first housing of the disposable kit during the positioning of the latter at said locating means; means for rupturing the processing liquid container located within the kit, said rupturing means being located closely adjacent said locating means when said loading door is in its closed position; and manually operable means coupled to said moving means and to said rupturing means such that actuation of said manually operable means in a first direction initially drives said moving means to move the first section of the kit's housing toward the open position and thereafter drives said rupturing means into the open housing so as to engage and rupture the container of processing liquid thereby permitting the liquid to flow into the dispenser for subsequent application to the sheet material.