High speed motion picture film processor

A high speed motion picture film processor, comprising:

• a film feeder;
• a developer tank having a sprocket shaft with a plurality of sprockets and a first and a second roller shaft, each of the first and second roller shafts having a plurality of rollers, the first and the second roller shaft being located proximate a bottom of the tank but at different levels relative to one another in the tank;
• a plurality of secondary tanks;
• and
• a film takeup unit;
• wherein film is fed by the film feeder into the developer tank and then into the plurality of secondary tanks before it enters the film takeup unit;
• wherein a developer solution is maintained in the developer tank at a fluid level which is approximately located at a centerline of the first roller shaft;
• wherein the second roller shaft is positioned so that its plurality of rollers are above the centerline;
• and
• wherein film fed into the tank travels over each of the plurality of sprockets and the plurality of rollers of both the first and the second roller shafts before it leaves the tank.

A high speed motion picture film processor, comprising:

• a film feeder;
• a developer tank containing a developer solution and a non-reactive gas comprised of:
• a sprocket shaft with a plurality of sprockets;
• a roller shaft having a plurality of rollers located proximate a bottom of the tank;
• a gas make-up system for adding the non-reactive gas inside of the developer tank;
• and
• a system of seals to minimize leakage of the non-reactive gas and the developer solution from inside of the developer tank outside of the developer tank, comprising:
• a first seal along a periphery of the developer tank below the sprocket shaft comprised of a barrier with a lower end in a liquid reservoir formed by an outer wall with an outer wall height, a trough and an inner wall with an inner wall height that is less than the height of the outer wall which is filled with the developer solution when the high speed motion picture film processor is in operation and any overflow flows over the inner wall into the developer tank;
• a tank cover;
• a second seal along a second periphery of the tank cover above the sprocket shaft comprised of a second barrier with a second barrier lower end in a second liquid reservoir formed by a second outer wall with a second outer wall height, a second trough and a second inner wall with a second inner wall height that is less than the height of the second outer wall which is filled with the developer solution when the high speed motion picture film processor is in operation and any overflow flows over the second inner wall into the developer tank;
• a film entrance sealing device;
• and
• a film exit sealing device;
• a plurality of secondary tanks;
• and
• a film takeup unit;
• wherein film is fed by the film feeder into the film entrance sealing device where it is fed between the plurality of sprockets and the plurality of rollers until it exits the developer tank through the film exit sealing device and is then fed into the plurality of secondary tanks before it enters the film takeup unit.

A sealed tank for use in a high speed motion picture film processor, comprising:

• a sprocket shaft with at least one sprocket;
• a roller shaft having at least one roller at least partially submerged in a tank solution located proximate a bottom of the tank;
• a pressure control system for maintaining a desired pressure of a tank gas within the tank relevant to an ambient air pressure outside of the tank;
• and
• a system of seals to minimize leakage of the tank gas and the tank solution from inside of the tank outside of the tank, comprising:
• a first seal along a periphery of the tank below the sprocket shaft comprised of a barrier with a lower end in a liquid reservoir formed by an outer wall with an outer wall height, a trough and an inner wall with an inner wall height that is less than the height of the outer wall which is filled with the tank solution when the high speed motion picture film processor is in operation and any overflow flows over the inner wall into the tank;
• a tank cover;
• a second seal along a second periphery of the tank cover above the sprocket shaft comprised of a second barrier with a second barrier lower end in a second liquid reservoir formed by a second outer wall with a second outer wall height, a second trough and a second inner wall with a second inner wall height that is less than the height of the second outer wall which is filled with the tank solution when the high speed motion picture film processor is in operation and any overflow flows over the second inner wall into the tank;
• a film entrance sealing device;
• and
• a film exit sealing device;
• wherein film is fed into the film entrance sealing device where it is fed between the at least one sprocket and the at least one roller until it exits the tank through the film exit sealing device after coming into contact with the tank solution.