Developing apparatus

Jan. 5, 1954

2,664,801

W. T. E. EISBEIN

DEVELOPING APPARATUS

Filed March 19, 1951

<img file="US2664801A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US2664801A_D0002.tif" />

Attorneys

Patented Jan. 5, 1954

2,664,801

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,664,801 DEVELOPING APPARATUS Walter T. E. Eisbein, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany

Application March 19,1951, Serial No. 216,341

Claims priority, application Germany April 4,1950

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a device for carrying out a photo-mechanical reproduction process such as described in French Patent No. 879,995.

In such process a non-developed negative image is first transferred in the usual way, by exposing it, from the original image to be reproduced on to a coated carrier, e. g. a photo-copypaper the coating of which contains not only light sensitive material but also contains materials for a developing and fixing process. The negative image is then developed and simultaneously a positive image thereof is produced upon a second coated carrier by wetting both the coating of the first coated carrier containing the non-developed negative image, and the non-exposed coating of the second coated carrier, with a liquid which activates the developing and fixing materials, and by then pressing together the respective coatings face to face, finally by separating them again ²⁰after an adequate period of influence.

In my Patent No. 2,657,618 a device capable of carrying through the aforementioned process is described which comprises a casing containing the developer liquid. In this casing two or more ²⁵feeder slide ways arranged above one another and provided as starting from a feeder opening situated above the liquid level lead below the liquid surface and out of it again upwards to an arrangement of rollers comprising at least one pair ;>,o of rollers.

The present invention is based on the perception that a feasibly intense wetting by the developer liquid is necessary for carrying through the process described in the preamble, with an ex- 35 elusive view to the developing of the exposed coatings of the negative-carriers; that, however, it may possibly be a greater advantage to wet less intensely the coating destined to receive the transfer of the image. Experiments proved that the 40 non-exposed coating does not even need any direct wetting at all, and that it is sufficient to press together the up to then dry non-exposed coating with the still wet exposed coating of the negative-carrier. In such proceeding the tendency to 45 subsequent yellowing, as noticed in some cases, of the finished positive image reproductions is reduced.

In accordance with the invention the device described in my Patent No. 2,657,618 is, by realiz- 50 ing the aforementioned perception, improved further in a way permitting the simultaneous insertion into the device of the coated carriers which require direct and not direct wetting respectively and to wet only indirectly, by their joint passing 55 (CI. 95—89) the rollers, the coated carriers not requiring immediate wetting.

This is effected by insulating one or several of the feeder slide ways against an access of the • developer liquid by non-perforated partitions, the embodiment of the device described being such as to keep aloft from the liquid surface not only the contacting portions of the rollers but also the exit openings of the feeder slide ways.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. It is to be understood, however, that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 depicts, on a larger scale a cross section of a feeder separately presented.

Fig. 3 is a partly broken away plane view of the feeder as presented in Fig. 2.

The parts of the device are here designated by the same ciphers as in the drawing accompanying my Patent No. 2,657,618, viz the rollers by 14, the guiding means limiting and subdividing the feeder unit by 5, 6, 7, 8, the frame holding the set of rollers and the feeder slide ways by 3, the lower part of the casing by I and the lid of the casing by 2. In the present drawings the rollers 14 and the feeder slide ways 56, 67, 78 running between the guiding means 5, 6, 7, 8 are so arranged that not only the contacting portions of the rollers ί 4 but also the exit openings of the guiding paths 56, 67, 78 facing the rollers are situated above the level of the developer liquid contained in the lower part I of the casing.

In the example depicted in the appended drawings the guiding means 5, 6, 7, 8 fashioned as curved plates are affixed to the side plates 9 and form with these latter a unit hold by the frame 3. The outer plates 5 and 8 as well as the portions of the side plates 9 situated between the plates 5 and 6 respectively 7 and 8 are provided with numerous perforations 11 in order to permit the developer liquid access to the slide ways 56 and 78, whereas the plates 6 and 7 and likewise the sections of the side plates 9 situated between them are non-perforated. The surfaces of the plates 6 and 7 facing the slide ways 56 and 78 are corrugated in a wavelike manner and obliquely to the direction of the slide ways.

As a result of that, some of the developer liquid can penetrate through the openings 11 of the side

2,664,801 partitions 9 into the wave bottoms formed by the corrugation and wet the coating of the coater carriers not depicted in the drawing which touch the wave tops only.