Apparatus for developing a travelling photographic emulsion carrier

Abstract

The apparatus has at least two containers for baths of treating liquid. Each container accommodates a plurality of guide rollers which guide the carrier in a loop-shaped path through the container, the path having a bight .[.,.]. and a deflecting roller which deflects the carrier in the bight. All of the rollers are at least partly immersed in the respective bath. A receptacle is provided for accommodating a body of fresh rinsing water, and a carrier transfer roller is at least partly immersed in the body of water in the receptacle and engages and transfers the carrier from one to the other of the containers.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 
     
       1. An apparatus for developing a travelling photographic emulsion carrier, comprising at least two laterally spaced apart containers having upper edges and being adapted to accommodate baths of treating liquid, emulsion carrier guide means in the respective containers and each comprising a plurality of guide rollers for guiding the carrier in a loop-shaped path having a bight, and a deflecting roller for deflecting the carrier in said bight .Iadd.in the the lower portion of said container.Iaddend., all of said rollers being located downwardly of the respective upper edges .Iadd.of said containers .Iaddend.so as to be at least partially immersed in the respective bath, said guide rollers and deflecting roller in each of said containers .[.being of identical diameters and.]. being arranged in three rows in the respective container; .[.a receptacle located intermediate said containers for accommodating a body of fresh water; and carrier transfer roller means at least partly immersed in the body of water and operative for engaging and transferring the carrier from one to the other of said containers.]. .Iadd.a rinsing trough located intermediate laterally arrayed, in-line film treating containers and providing a transfer means for the emulsion carrier between film treating containers, this transfer means including a transfer roller in said trough and adapted to carry said emulsion carrier over the upper edges of the spaced apart containers and on top of this roller; a rinsing bath of fresh water carried in this trough and with the lower periphery of said transfer roller constantly dipped into and emerging from the water in the rinsing trough, and rotatable means carried above the transfer roller and providing means for engaging the travelling photographic emulsion carrier as it is transported on the upper surface of said transfer roller so that as the transfer roller is rotated any residual quantity of bath treating liquid from a preceding container remaining on the travelling emulsion carrier is removed by squeezing by the transfer roller and the rotatable means as this emulsion carrier is brought between the transfer roller and the rotatable means, the travelling emulsion carrier is constantly cleaned by the application of fresh water to the periphery of the transfer roller as said roller is rotated into the rinsing bath of fresh water.Iaddend.. .[.2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is 
     
     
        suspended intermediate said containers..]. 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide rollers and deflecting rollers in each container are arranged in form of a center upright row, a first outer upright row for guiding the carrier in the descending portion of said path, and a second outer upright row for guiding the carrier in the ascending portion of said path, said center row and said second outer row each having an uppermost guide roller, the guide rollers of said second outer row except for the uppermost one thereof being mounted for synchronous rotation, and the uppermost guide roller of said second outer row being located slightly lower than the uppermost guide roller of said center row and having slight freedom of upward floating to abut said uppermost guide roller of said center row. .[.4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1; further comprising a feeding roller for feeding said carrier to said guide roller means and having a diameter which is about 1-2% smaller than the diameter of said rollers of said guide roller means..]. 
     
     
           An apparatus as defined in claim 1; .[.further comprising.]. .Iadd.in which the rotatable means carried above the transfer roller is an .Iaddend.endless resiliently deformable counter-roller .[.means.]. above 
     
     
        said transfer roller .[.means.]. in loose engagement therewith. 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, .[.said.]. .Iadd.in which the .Iaddend.transfer .[.roller.]. means .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.including .Iaddend.a transfer roller having an axis of rotation.[.;.]. and .[.further comprising.]. .Iadd.the rotatable means includes .Iaddend.two counter rollers loosely engaging said transfer roller at opposite sides of and symmetrically with reference to.[.,.]. said axis of rotation .Iadd.of 
     
     
        the transfer roller.Iaddend.. 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said transfer .[.roller.]. means .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.includes .Iaddend.a transfer roller having an axis of rotation; .[.further comprising.]. .Iadd.the rotatable means includes .Iaddend.two counter rollers loosely engaging said transfer roller at opposite sides of and symmetrically with reference to, said axis of rotation .Iadd.of the transfer roller.Iaddend.; and means for directing rinsing water towards said transfer roller 
     
     
        intermediate said counter rollers. .Iadd.8.  An apparatus for developing a travelling photographic emulsion carrier comprising of at least two laterally spaced apart film treating containers having upper edges and being adapted to accommodate baths of treating liquid and including emulsion carrier guide means in the respective containers and each carrier guide means having a plurality of guide rollers for guiding the photographic emulsion carrier in a U-shaped path, this apparatus having a rinsing apparatus including: (a) a rinsing trough located intermediate laterally arrayed in-line film treating containers, this rinsing trough providing for a transfer means between the film treating containers, this transfer means including a transfer roller driven at the speed of the emulsion carrier and positioned in said trough so that the upper portion of said transfer roller is adapted to carry from and to adjacent film treating containers, said emulsion carrier over and on top of this transfer roller; (b) a rinsing bath of fresh water carried in the trough; (c) a shaft and bearings adapted to rotatably carry the transfer roller in the trough and with this transfer roller so positioned that the lower peripheral portion of said roller is constantly within the bath of fresh water and during rotation of this roller the peripheral surface is constantly dipped into and emerges from the rinsing water in the trough and, (d) a rotatable means disposed above the transfer roller and adapted to engage the travelling photographic emulsion carrier so as said emulsion carrier is fed between the rotatable means and the upper surface of the transfer roller and as this transfer roller dips into the fresh water the peripheral portion of said roller carries this water so that the rotatable means and the transfer roller engage the travelling photographic emulsion carrier carried therebetween so that any residual quantity of bath liquid from a film treating preceding container is squeezed from the travelling photographic emulsion carrier and with the transfer roller and the emulsion carrier being constantly cleaned by the application of fresh water from the transfer roller as said roller is rotated into the rinsing 
     
     
        bath of fresh water. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9.  Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which the rotatable means which engages the travelling emulsion carrier and brings said carrier in way of the transfer roller is a squeeze roller having an axis parallel to the axis of the transfer roller and with this squeeze roller having a resilient outer surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which the resilient outer roller surface of said squeeze roller is rubber-like plastic foam material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which the rotatable means which engages the travelling emulsion carrier includes two counter rollers above the transfer roller and with the counter rollers each having parallel axis of rotation with these axis being on opposite sides of a vertically arranged plane passing through the axis of rotation of the transfer roller. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which an outlet nozzle is supplied and adapted to direct a flow of fresh water to the top of the emulsion carrier and between the above two counter 
     
     
        rollers. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which the rotatable means for which engages the travelling emulsion carrier and brings said carrier in way of the transfer roller is an endless band trained around two rollers each having an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the transfer roller, the lower run of this endless band engaging the top periphery of the transfer roller. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which there is provided means for tightening the endless band so as to cause the lower run of the endless band to engage the transfer roller with a slight pressure so that liquid from the preceding bath of a film treating container is squeezed from the travelling emulsion carrier. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which an additional washing of the endless band is provided by a water supply tube disposed above the endless band. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which the water supply tube is adapted to engage the top surface of the endless band to deflect it sufficiently to form a shallow trough into which the water supply flows from the tube. .Iaddend.