GB1182029A - Improvements in processes and apparatus for developing photographic films - Google Patents

Abstract

1,182,029. Endless conveyers. C. H. HOSTERT. 3 July, 1968 [10 July, 1967], No. 28234/68. Heading B8A. [Also in Divisions F2 and G2] A film strip is conveyed through a tank of developing solution by a chain arrangement which causes the film to be transversely corrugated. The tendency of the wet film to curl, and so come away from the gripping means along its edges, is thus prevented. As shown, the film 27 is carried through developing solution in a tank 5 by endless conveying chains 15, 16 which pass round sprockets 8-14. The chains are made of a flexible resilient material, the separate links being shaped and joined together as in Fig. 3 (not shown). Each link has a tongue 26 projecting laterally, the tongues all being on the inner side of the chains as shown in Fig. 2. Initially the film 27 passes between two sets of rollers 28, 29, which are mounted so that each roller can rotate about its own axis, and also each set 28, 29 can move round an endless closed path, as shown in Fig. 1. The rollers 28 which are adjacent to the rollers 29 have their peripheries overlapping, so that the film 27 passing between them is given a wave-like or corrugated configuration, as shown. Thus as the tongues 26 of the chain come into engagement with the edge of the film, the tongues engage alternately above and below the film because of its corrugated shape. The chains 15, 16 diverge away from the film while it is passing between rollers 28, 29, and converge to grip the film only as it is passing over sprockets 9 at the entrance to the tank. Similarly the chains diverge again after passing sprockets 14, so that the film is automatically released. The film can be so conveyed through several tanks in succession if required.