Photographic developer effluent transfer station and drain wash
AssigneeAcademy, Ltd.
InventorCurtis Rhodes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for transferring effluent from photograph development systems, especially highly automated, high-volume developer systems. A silver-recovery system discharges an iron-rich solution into a tank. Developer fluid and fixer solution is mixed with the iron-rich solution in the tank to buffer its pH. A float in the tank activates a switch located outside the tank to actuate a pump for evacuating the mixed effluent from the tank for disposal. Water may be mixed under pressure with the pumped effluent to reduce clogging in effluent drainage lines due to precipitate and other and build-ups from effluent.
Claims13
An apparatus for transferring effluent from a photographic development system, the system discharging a waste developer solution and a by-product solution from a silver recovery device, said apparatus comprising:
- a tank;
- an inlet for introducing said waste developer solution into said tank;
- a canister discharge inlet for introducing said by-product solution into said tank for mixing with said developer solution, said mixture comprising an effluent the fluid level of which rises and falls within said tank;
- a pump for evacuating said effluent from said tank to a drain line;
- a control switch outside said tank and in communication with said pump;
- and
- a float within said tank, floatable upon said effluent at said fluid level, in operative connection with said control switch;
- wherein said float signals said control switch to start said pump to begin evacuating said effluent when said fluid level rises to a first predetermined level in said tank, and said float signals said control switch to stop said pump when said fluid level falls to a second predetermined level in said tank.
An apparatus for transferring effluent from a photographic development system, the system discharging a waste developer solution and a by-product solution from a silver recovery device, said apparatus comprising:
- a tank;
- an inlet for introducing said waste developer solution into said tank;
- a canister discharge inlet for introducing said by-product solution into said tank for mixing with said developer solution, said mixture comprising an effluent the fluid level of which rises and falls within said tank;
- a pump for evacuating said effluent from said tank to a drain line;
- a control switch outside said tank and in communication with said pump;
- a float within said tank, floatable upon said effluent at said fluid level, in operative connection with said control switch;
- a water feed line for supplying water to said drain line;
- and
- a water control valve, in communication with said control switch, for controlling water flow through said water feed line;
- wherein said float signals said control switch to start said pump to begin evacuating said effluent when said fluid level rises to a first predetermined level in said tank, and said float signals said control switch to stop said pump when said fluid level falls to a second predetermined level in said tank, and
- wherein further said control switch opens said water control valve to start water flow to said drain line while effluent is evacuating through said drain line, and said control switch closes said water control valve to stop water flow to said drain line when no effluent is evacuating through said drain line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.