1. art and entertainment
2. visual art and design

L. GAUMONT.
APPARATUSFQR DRYING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.
1,209,696.
‘APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1915
Patentéd Dec. 26, 191-6.
2 SHEETS~SHEET I.
INVENTOR
WITNESSES :
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By Allomcys,
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L. GAUMONT.
APPARATUS FOR DRYING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.
APPLICATION FILED JULY 22.1915.
1,209,696.‘
‘
.
“
Patented Dec. 26,1916.
2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.
WITNESSES ‘:
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INVENTOR
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By A iiorneys,
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L
mans rn'i‘u'i‘ oiuioa
LEON eAmuoN'r, or PARIS, FRANCE, ‘ASSIGNOR T0 sooIErnnrABLIssEiuEN'rs
eAUMoNT, or PARIS, FRANCE, A coRPoRATIoN 0F FRANCE. ‘
APPARATUS FOR DRYING rHo'roeRAPnIc FILMS.
1,209,696.
Speci?cation of Letters Patent.
Patented Dec. 26, 11918.
Original application ?led February 17, 1909, Serial No. 478,454. Divided and this‘ application filed July 22,
v
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.1915.
Serial No. 41,371.
- To all whom it may concern: I '
Be it known that I, LiéoN GAUMoN'r, a'_
citizen of the Republic of France, residing
in Paris, France, have invented certain new
and useful Improvements in Apparatus for
Drying Photographic Films, of which-‘the
followlng is a speci?cation.
'
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This invention relates to devices for dry
A
The ?lm i which may come from an appa-.
ratus wherein it has undergone“ ~treatment, -
such as developing, ?xing and washing, may 55'
?rst pass over a grooved sheave or guide
roller 55 swiveled upon an arm protruding
‘from the casing 27 of the drier h, and is '
then formed into a pendent loop 1 by means
of a loosely heldspool or roller 56, the 0p
60,
ing ?lms, more particularly photographic posite end of said loop Z being passed over
10' ?lms which are made in the form of elon ' a sheave or roller 57 supported upon an arm
gated strips- orrbands to adapt them for em
of the casing 27 immediately in line with an
ployment in moving picture'machines, and aperture 58, through which the ?lm is passed
the like, and aims to provide improvements into engagement with the ?lm-driving and
therein.
15
The present (application is a division of 28 in said casing 27, the ?lm being engaged
United States application, Serial No. between the roller 57 and the aperture 58 by '
- 478,454, ?led February17,;'1909.
20
a rubber or wiper 60 supported by a pivoted ’
By the present invention is provided a arm 59 and serving to remove from the up 70
drier which is automatic in operation, and is per surface of the ?lm any excess, ofv ?uid '
especially adapted for working in conjunc which may adhere thereto. A similar wiper
tion with other apparatus for working upon 6Oa upon the arm which carries the roller 57
or treating the ?lm.
v
has engagement with the under surface of
I In the invention means are. provided for
compensating for variations in the length of
25
65'
supporting means contained in the chamber
_
the ?lm, such as shrinking; means are pro
' . vided for automatically stopping‘ the opera
the ?lm for a similar purpose.
' 75
Within the chamber 28 is a shaft 65 which
extends transversely through‘the upper part
of the chamber and carries a toothed feed‘ '
tion of the device upon breaking of the ?lm; roller 653 to receive and drive the ?lm enter-,7
and provision is made ‘for transporting the ing the chamber at the aperture 58. Along
side the feed roller 65“ upon the shaft,65 is
80
' ?lm‘ withoutmutilating or contacting with
'30 the prepared surface thereof.
,
a plurality of carrying or supporting rollers
The invention further comprises certain in the form of alternately arranged spools
features of construction, combinations and and thin metafdisks 68 and 69, as shown ‘in .
' arrangements of parts whereby certain im Figs. 3, 4 and 6, said spools and disks being 85
portant advantages and conveniences are at- ‘_ capable of free rotary movement, so as to
35
tained, and the apparatus is rendered sim carry. the several runs of the ?lm or print
pler, less expensive, and otherwise better with as little friction as possible. These
adapted and more convenient for use, all as spools or rollers 68 preferably have their
surfaces formed spherically so asto accom
will be hereinafter more fully set forth.
An embodiment of the invention is illus modate the spiral course of the ?lm without
40 trated, in, the accompanying drawings.
imposing undue strain thereon. . The casing
90
In said drawings, Figure 1 is atop plan 27' of the drier 7:, also preferably has its
- view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a. side ele
_.vation of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a per ec
545
chamber 28 divided by a central vertical par-‘
tition into two compartments which are in 95
‘ tive of the apparatus, with parts bro en' ‘communication. at the upper part of the
away and in section to show the interior con
struction. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional
7 view, the sectionbeing' taken 'near the top
of the apparatus. Figs. 5 and 6 respectively
illns rate a detaillof the moistenin'g' device
.50 and? a detail. of the rollers .over which‘, "the
/passes. '
In" said drawings, '1 designates the
casing, and 64 represents‘ a shaft parallel
with the shaft 65, being, driven in unison
with shaft 65 ‘by suitable'gearing, as indi
cated at 63.. The upper surfaces of the rolls
68 are preferably‘ at such ‘a height that the
?lm passes over the upper vedge of the parti
' tion.- At .the lower parts of the ,compart-‘
?lm. ments are shafts 66, parallel with.shafts 64
led
11.11:.
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and 65, and having their ends engaged in _ drier. The motor is herein shown as opera
vertical slots 67, 67 suitably formed in the tively connected with a sprocket wheel 30
casing, which slots permit a certain extent
of vertical movement of said shafts 66.
The shafts 64 and 66 are provided with
?lm-carrying rollers or sheaves, which are
herein shown as formed of spools 68l.and
upon the shaft 65.
In assembling the parts for use, the ?lm ‘is
threaded through‘ the supporting means
within the drier under suf?cient tension to
uphold the vertically movable lower shafts
disks ,69 similarly to the corresponding parts 66,66 at levels above the lower ends of the
upon the shaft 65, and the ?lm after pas slots 67, 67 , and at one side of the casing 27 7
sage
over the driving roller 658 is threaded said shafts are projected through vertical‘a
10v
back and forth between and around the car slotted apertures in the casing 27 ,as shown 75
rying sheavesor rollers upon the upper and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the protruding ends
lower shafts 65' and 66 until it arrives at of such shafts 66 carrying a metallic con
the side of the casing 27 opposite to the aper trolling plate or member 80, one end of
ture
said ?lm is carried rear which is adapted when the shafts are re
15 wardly58,inwhere
the upper part of the casing, as tained in elevated position by the action of
shown at n in Fig. 4, over the carrying spool the ?lm or band'i, as above-described, for
or roller at the adjacent end of the shaft 64, contact‘ with the spaced brushes or contact
being carried thence back and forth in the members 81 and 82 inserted in ‘a su ply con-v
‘90 rear compartment of the drier between and ductor 83 for the motor 29 in suc manner
around the ?lm-carrying sheaves or spools as to establish electrical communication be
upon the rear shafts 64 and-.65, as shown in tween said'spaced brushes and permit the
25
Fig. 4, untilfupon arriving at the side of the
casing 27, at which the driving roller 65a is,
located, it is passed around a similar toothed
driving roller 64‘1 upon the shaft 64, being
thence passed out through an aperture at
80
85
motor, 29 to be operated for continuously
driving the ?lm throu h ‘the apparatus.
‘ The opposite, end 0 the contact member 90
80 has an insulating block or plate 84 which,
when the shafts 66 are held in elevated po
the rear part of the casing 27, as shown~in sition by the’tension of the ?lm is main
Figs. 1 and 4, and Wound upon 'a reel ,75" tained ‘in contact with a‘contact brush or
.30 mounted under spring tension upon a shaft 7 member 85 which forms one terminal of a
76. The shaft 76 has a driving connection normally open alarm or signal circuit 88,
9.5
708 are provided, through which‘ a current ductor 89 for the-motor 29. By this con~
of suitably dried and warmed air may be 'struction it will be seen that in case the ?lm
‘100
77 with shaft 64, whereby the reel may be which includes a bell ' orjother alarm or
actuated for winding the dry ?lm thereon. signal device 86, and has its opposite ter
At the bottom of the casing 27 apertures minal connected with the other supply con
introduced, and passed through the‘ com-, should'break, during its course through the
partments of the casing for drying the ?lms apparatus, the shafts 66, 66 being released
therein. '- The front of the casing preferably from the tension exerted by such ?lm or
40 has a. closed door 71 through'whichthe con
print,\will .be permitted to fall, carrying 105
ditions of the ?lms and carrying means may with them the contact member 80, the down
be observed from time to time, and this door ward movement .of which will operate to
, may be opened to a?ord access to the casing, withdraw the contact brush 85 from engage
Within the upper part of the chamber ment with the insulating block 84 into elec
45 28 the ?lm is adapted to contact with a mois trical communication with the end of said 110
55
tenlng device comprising a pivoted arm 70 member 80, whereby the signal or alarm cir
(Fig. 5), one end of which has a pendent‘ cuit‘88 is closed through said member 80 to
carrier 72, the lower end of which has a supply conductor 83, and the bell 86 or
spongeor other ?brous wiper 71 adapted for equivalent alarm or signal device is actuated
light contact upon'the gelatin or prepared to give warning to the attendant so that the
surface of the ?lm or print for moistening broken ?lm or print may be removed from
the same with a liquid adapted to prevent the apparatus.
I
cracking of such surface during drying of
During the downward movement of the
the ?lm. Such liquid is supplied in a regu member 80, an insulating block or .piece 87
lated manner from a cup or receptacle 73 is inserted in contact with the brush '81 in
above the casing 71..
the supply‘ conductor 83 of motor29, where
In passing over the rollers 55, 56 and'57,‘ by it will. be seen that as soon as the ?lm
115
120
, and over the various rollers 68 upon ‘the ' or print is broken and said member-'80 alls,
'60
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shafts 64, 65, and 66, the prepared or gela the eleetriocircuitthrough the motor, 9 is
tin surface of the ‘?lm is outermost, thereby interru d' so vas to prevent further feeding
125
not coming in contact with the rollers, and of the ? m orprint through the apparatus
<" ilun‘ot thereby liable to be mutilated.
until such time as the necessary repairs-shall ‘
5?iThe shaft 65 (and the shafts entrained have been attended to by the attendant. It
‘' therewith) are preferably driven by an elec - will be evident that this alarm or si
tric motor .29 mounted upon or‘ adjacent the
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mech
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is capablev of considerable modi
1,209,696
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loose roller or weight 56 to run in contact
?cation, and may be dispensed with alto
gether, if desired. Where the ?lm or print
is fed from an electric motor, however, the
arrangement herein shown is capable of con
.with the back surface of the ?lm or print
opposite to‘ the gelatin surface so as to
venient and effective use.
graphic images from contact of the .roller
-
avoid the liability of damage to the photo~
In the use of the improved apparatus, a or weight upon such gelatin surface.
?exible tape or strip of cloth or the like will ' Modi?cations may be made in the con
?rst be threaded through ’ the ap aratus struction illustrated and described without
10
70
along the course to be followed by‘ t e ?lm departing from the spirit of the invention.
or print being treated, and one end‘ of “such
What I claim is :——
‘
75
?lm or print being connected to the end of
1.4 A drying device for photographic ?lms f
said tape or strip, the motor 29 will be set or prints comprising means for passing the
photographic ?lm or print through said dr-y
?lm orprint' through the drier (and other‘ ing ‘device, and means Within the drier to
is apparatus when joined) at such a speed as supply moisture to the ?lm passingvthere
will dry said ?lm or print, it being.under. in operation so as to ‘continuously drive the
through.
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r
stood‘that by varying the speed at which the / 2. A drying device fdr photographic ?lms
said ?lm is driven, many variations may be ‘ or prints comprising means for passing the
attained ‘in the ‘?nished product without re-v photographic ?lm or print through said dry
20
quirlng any intermediate handling or any ing device, and means within the drier to
particular attention‘ upon the part of the ‘ supply moisture to the prepared face of the
_
operator.
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?lm passing therethrough.
85
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- During the use of the apparatus the prints
25
3. A drying device for photographic ?lms
or ?lms are joined or connected end to end ‘or ‘prints comprising means for passing the
for ‘passage through the apparatus so as to photographic ?lm or print through said dry
permit‘the same to be driven in a substan ing device, and means to supplyy’moi'sture to
tially continuous manner, and if it is desired the prepared face of the ?lm passing there
90
strip or tape in“ position for drawing the
5. An apparatus of the character de
?lms or prints through the apparatus when scribed, including a drying device, means for
100
to terminate the use of the apparatus for any through.
reason, as for example, at the end of the
4. A drying device for photographic ?lms
80 work-day, a cloth strip or tape will be at
or prints comprising means. for passing a 95
tached to the end of the last ?lm or print to ?lm or print through the drying devlce, and
be treated so that as soon as the latter shall means within the'drier movable relatively
have passed through the apparatus, the‘ to the ?lm or print to be dried to supply .
> motor may be stopped, leaving said cloth moisture thereto.
_
35
the same-is again placed in operation.
passing photographic prints’ or ?lms‘ there-~
The employment of ‘ the driving rollers through, and means within the drier to sup
65a and 64*‘ arranged for driving engage
ply moisture to the prints or ?lms. passing
ment'with the prints or ?lms serves to dis
therethrough. .
tribute the ‘force necessary for feeding the
.
105
6. An apparatus of the character de
same through the apparatus at such intervals scribed, including a drying device, means for
along the length of the ?lm or print as will passing photographic prints or ?lms there
usually e?'ectively‘avoid breakage or dam ‘ through, and means within "the {drying 'de
45 agethereof, and the arrangement of the sev- ‘ _ vice to supply moisture to the ?lms or prints
. eral driving and carrying wheels or sheaves passing therethrough, and a source of liquid
is such that the gelatin surfaces of the ?lms supply for the moisture-supplying means ex
or prints are exposed, during their passage terior of the drying device.
50
110
around and over the said wheels or sheaves,
7 . An apparatus of the character de
'at the outer surfaces of the ?lms or prints scribed, including a drying device, means 115
and are thereby prevented from such contact for passing photographic prints or ?lms >
with the operative parts as mighlfinjure or therethrough, means within the drying de- 1‘
destroy the photographic impressions.
vice to supply moisture to the ?lms or prints 1
The loops Z produced at intervals in the ' passing therethrough, and regulab'le means
55 ~length of the ?lm or print during its pas
for supplying‘ vliquid to the moisture-sup
sage through the apparatus, a?'ord su?icient
60
plying means.
.
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.
8. An apparatus of the character de
slack of the ?lm or print at points conven
iently situated with‘ relation to the driving scribed, including a drying device, means
devices as will compensate for any ordinary for passing photographic ?lms or prints
irregularities in the speed imparted bythe therethrough, a carrier adapted to. contact 12,5.
several driving devices and thereby avoid by gravity with, the ?lms or prints and
such tension upon the ?lm or print as'niight adapted to discharge moisture thereon,,and
tend to rupture it. The said loops may ad means for supplying liquid to the carrier.
9. A drying device for photographic R
vantageously be crossed or skewed as indi-v
cated at Z in Figs. 1 and 3, to permit the ?lms or prints, comprising means for wip
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Laoacac
ing a ?lm, means for moistening the ?lm, ing the ?lm through the drying device on
and means for passing the ?lm through the both sides of said partition, said chamber
drier.
10
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having openings for the discharge of a cur
10. A drying device for photographic rent of drying air on each side of said par
?lms or prints, comprising means for pass tition.
ing the ?lm or print through the drier, driv
15. A‘ drying device ‘for photographic
ing means, and means operatedby the break— ?lms or prints having driving ‘perforations
ing of the ?lm for automatically interrupt therein, comprising means for passing the
ing the action of said driving means.
?lm or print through the drying device,
11. A drying device for photographic said means comprising toothed rollers for
40
45
?lms or prints, comprising means for ‘pass-_ engaging perforations in and driving the
ing the ?lm or print through the drier, "driv
m
A drying device for photographic,
ing of the ?lm for automatically interrupt ?lms or prints, comp-rising means in. the
ing the action of said driving means, said drier for carrying forward'the ?lm or print, 50
, ing means,and means operated by the break
-15
20
means for passing the ?lm through the drier
comprising a shaft supported by loops in
the ?lm, and said means for interrupting the
action of the driving means being actuated
by said shaft.
12. A drying device for photographic
?lms or prints, comprising means for pass
ing the ?lm 'or print through the drier in
25
and means for supporting said ?lm in a loop
between said means and the point Where the
?lm is initially fed to the drying device.
17. A drying device for photographic
?lms or prints, comprising means in the 55
drier for carrying forward the ?lm or print '
and means for supporting said ?lm in a loop
between said means and the point Where the
the form of a plurality of loops, said means ?lm is initially fed to the drying device,
comprising upper and lower shafts, said said means for supporting the ?lm in the 60
lower shaft being supported by the loops in loop comprising a freely moving weighting
the ?lm.
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13. A drying device for photographic
?lms or prints, comprising means for pass
30
35
ing the ?lm or print through'the drying de
vice, said means comprising rollers having
spherical contours.
14. A drying device for photographic
?lms or prints, comprising a chamber hav
ing a partition therein, and means for pass
roll.
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In witness whereof I have hereunto signed
my name in the presence of two subscribing
witnesses.
I
LEON GAUMONT.
Witnesses:
CHAS. P. PRnssLY, ,
GABRIEL BELLIARD.