System for processing and washing photographic images
OwnerTodd A. Watts, Leonardo Sideriinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drum photographic processor is provided which comprises a trough for receiving processing liquid, a drum mounted within the trough in contact with the liquid, the drum having an outer surface for mounting the photographic sheet material such that a non-emulsion side of the sheet material contacts the drum outer surface, a motor for rotating the drum outer surface to pass an emulsion side of the sheet material through the liquid in the trough, and a groove on the outer surface of the drum for receiving an edge of the photographic material off of the drum surface as it is rotated through the liquid. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of processing photographic material using the drum photographic processor.
Claims18
A device for processing photographic sheet material with liquids to generate high quality, large scale photographic images comprising:
- a trough for receiving the liquid;
- a drum mounted within said trough in contact with the liquid, said drum having an outer surface for mounting the photographic sheet material such that a non-emulsion side of the sheet material contacts the drum outer surface;
- motor means for rotating said drum outer surface to pass an emulsion side of the sheet material repeatedly through the liquid in said trough;
- a groove on said outer surface of said drum for receiving an edge of the photographic material;
- a cover for enclosing said trough and drum outer surface, said cover including a window extending along said drum permitting a user to view the photographic material during processing;
- a pump connected to said trough for removal of liquids from the trough to
- drum hub portions extending from ends of said drum and along an axis of said drum, said hub portions for mounting said drum within said trough;
- and
- a pair of support rollers mounted near ends of said trough supporting said hub portions.
A device for processing photographic sheet material with liquids to generate photographic images comprising:
- a trough for receiving the liquid;
- a drum mounted within said trough in contact with the liquid, said drum having an outer surface for mounting the photographic sheet material such that a non-emulsion side of the sheet material completely contacts the drum outer surface;
- motor means for rotating said drum outer surface to pass an emulsion side of the sheet material through the liquid in said trough;
- a groove in said outer surface of said drum, said groove having an inverted wall defining a wedge-shaped slot for receiving an edge of the photographic material in an interference fit to aid in retaining the sheet material on the drum outer surface, said groove defining a lip for shielding the edge of the photographic material and preventing the liquid from peeling the photographic material off of said drum surface as it is rotated through the liquid;
- and
- a pair of rollers for supporting said drum, said motor means for rotating one of said rollers to rotate said drum.
A method of producing images on photographic material with a drum processor including the steps of:
- wetting the drum outer surface with an inert liquid;
- inserting an edge of the photographic material into a groove on an outer surface of the drum;
- applying the photographic material to the drum by advancing the drum up to one revolution and insuring that a non-emulsion side of the material is completely in contact with the drum outer surface;
- rotating the drum to pass the photographic material completely through processing liquid within a trough;
- viewing the photographic material through a window in a cover on the trough;
- and
- pumping the processing liquid out of the trough upon obtaining a desired image on the photographic material as determined by viewing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.