The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 1979
Filed:
Sep. 22, 1977
Erwin Geyken, Munich, DE;
Peter Dawidowitsch, Munich, DE;
AGFA-Gevaert, A.G., Leverkusen, DE;
Abstract
An arrangement for developing latent images includes a mechanism for conveying an article which carries a latent image over a succession of containers which accommodate a developer, a washing fluid, a fixer and a washing fluid respectively. A pressure chamber is arranged above each container and the article passes through the pressure chambers. A pump is associated with each pressure chamber and pumps the respective fluid therein for contact with the article. A sensing device located at an upstream end of the arrangement senses the length of the article and causes a quantity of fresh developer, which is related to the size of the article, to be admitted into the container with the developer. Concomitantly, a corresponding amount of contaminated developer flows out of the container and into a collecting vessel. The sensing device activates a source of chemical neutralizing fluid and causes a quantity of the latter, which is related to the size of the article, to be admitted into the collecting vessel for neutralizing the contaminated developer. The container with the fixing bath is connected with a chamber which is provided with a pair of electrodes and the sensing device is also effective for causing current to be supplied to the electrodes so as to permit regeneration of contaminated fixer. The sensing device is further operative for causing a quantity of fresh washing fluid to be admitted into the downstream washing bath. The latter is in communication with the upstream washing bath so that washing fluid may be recycled between these baths. The downstream washing bath is provided with an outflow conduit so that, when the level in the washing bath exceeds a predetermined level, contaminated washing fluid flows out of the downstream washing bath. This contaminated washing fluid flows to the same collecting vessel as the contaminated developer for neutralization.