Ecological system for delivering film units, a container for holding film units and an apparatus for packaging trash for recycling

A trash container comprising,

• a rear wall joined to four sidewalls, said sidewalls diverging from each other at an acute angle and terminating in a planer shoulder which is remote from and parallel with said rear wall;
• a lid movably secured to said shoulder, said lid combining with said rear wall and sidewalls to form an enclosure, said lid including an opening therethrough for receiving trash, said opening including stripper tabs at its edge;
• and
• one said sidewall including an outwardly projecting offset, said offset providing a passage extending from said shoulder to said rear wall.

In combination, a container and its contents comprising:

• said container including a rear wall, a plurality of sidewalls connected to and extending from said rear wall, and a lid covering said sidewalls to form an enclosure;
• said lid including an opening to receive trash inserted into said enclosure;
• a collection of trash within said enclosure, said trash comprising a plurality of layers of negative film sheets and a residue of processing liquid sandwiched together to form a block;
• and
• a sealing membrane extending across said opening and clamped in fluid tight engagement between said lid and said sidewalls.

Apparatus for collecting trash comprising:

• a divider for separating a positive film sheet from a negative film sheet in a photographic film developing apparatus and depositing the separated negative sheet on a reciprocating ram;
• a clamp for holding said separated negative sheet on said reciprocating ram;
• said ram being configured to reciprocate into and out of a trash container;
• said container including a closed lid with an opening therein, said opening being configured to receive said ram and said separated negative sheet;
• and
• said ram and container including a release for said clamp upon said ram passing through said lid opening of said container.

An environmentally friendly handling system for transporting, processing and disposing of photographic materials, comprising the steps of:

• assembling a cassette of negative film sheets with a cassette of positive film sheets, said positive film sheets having attached pods of processing liquid at one end, and inserting both cassettes into a tray and sealing said tray;
• breaking said seal and removing said cassettes;
• mounting said cassette of negative film sheets into a camera, exposing said negative film sheets and transferring said exposed sheets to a film processor;
• mounting said cassette of positive film sheets on said film processor;
• mounting said tray or one of similar configuration on said film processor;
• mating an exposed negative sheet with a positive sheet, rupturing said pod and spreading its liquid contents between said sheets, thereby forming a visible image on said positive sheet;
• separating said positive sheet from said negative sheet;
• and
• depositing said separated negative sheet into said tray.

Apparatus for separating positive and negative film sheets after processing liquid has been spread between them in a liquid spreading area comprising:

• said positive and negative sheets being mated in juxtaposed position, each sheet including a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end of said positive sheet including an evacuated pod which previously held said processing liquid;
• said leading end of said positive sheet being secured to said leading end of said negative sheet;
• a first path in said apparatus defining movement of said mated sheets from said liquid spreading area to a peeler, said peeler comprising a pick mounted to reciprocate in a second path transverse to said first path, said pick being located on the positive sheet side of said mated sheets as said mated sheets move in said first path to a first triggering mechanism;
• and
• said pick being actuated by said first triggering mechanism to move along said second path to mechanically engage said leading end of said positive sheet and peel said negative sheet and pod from said positive sheet.

A trash packing apparatus comprising:

• a plate having a front side and a rear side, said front side serving to engage trash to be rammed into a container;
• said plate being pivotally mounted on a bar, said bar being connected to said rear side and at a location intermediate first and second ends of said plate;
• said bar being connected to a pivotable arm, said arm being pivotable in an arc which is perpendicular to said front side of said plate;
• and
• said first end of said plate including a clamp to press said trash against said front side, and a clamp release movable with said plate actuated by penetration of said front end of said plate into said container to release said trash from said plate.