US1457451A - Drier for photographic prints - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1923'.

1,457,451 W. H. MORGAN DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filed April 20. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet .1

W. H. MORGAN DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS June 5, 1923. 1,457,451

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rivals Patented June 5, 1923.

WILBERT H. MORGAN, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DRIER FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

Application filed April 20, 1922. Serial No. 555,725.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBERT H. MORGAN, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers for Photographic Prints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to machines for drying prints, such as photographic prints, blueprints, and the like, but some features of my invention may be embodiedin drying machines of other kinds. In my United States Patent No. 1,250,618 of Dec. 18, 1917, I have shown a machine for drying photographic prints in which two heated drums are arranged side by side andare traversed by two superimposed belts-or webs which hold the prints between them and carry the prints around portions of the drums. The belts are guided by adjustable guide rollers and means is provided for adjustable imparting a suitable tension to the belts. Ihave found that superior results are obtained by arranging the heated drums a short distance apart, one above the other, in such manner that the heat from the lower drum assists in heating the upper drum and the portions of the belt and the prints traversing the space between the two drums. I have also found that in view of the length of the belts and the material of which they are made, it is necessary or desirable to provide some means for maintaining the proper alinement of the belts as they pass through the machine. In the machine shown in my former patent, the tension device is so constructed that it may be adjusted by ratchet mechanism but when so adjusted it is rigidly held. I have now found it desirable to have such tension device yieldingly held sothat it may automatically adjust itself when required. Inasmuch as photographic prints usually bend or become curved when being dried and as it is desirable that they should be as straight or fiat'aspossible, I have provided means whereby the prints are flattened to the desired extentjust prior to their delivery to the tray which receives the finished prints.

In carrying out my present invention I employ a frame of any suitable construction, and in the frame I mount one above the other and a short distance apart two drying drums which are heated by gas, gasoline, electricity, or other suitable heating medium. Two superimposed belts are employed as heretofore and they are guided in such manner that at one point in the machine, printsmay be fed between them and at another point the prints may be discharged into a suitable tray or re- The prints are arranged close together, one belt being superimposed upon the other from the receiving end of the carrier to the delivery end thereof and they pass around portions of the drums in a novel way. The belts are not superimposed throughout their entire lengths, but are separated for a portion of their lengths and are guided in such manner as to return to the feed end of the machine in proper relation.

ceiver.

In order that the desired tension in the machine.

a be imparted to the belts, guide rollers areyemployed mounted in suitable frames which are held under spring tension and in order to maintain the alinement of the belts I provide devices which operate on the opposite edge portions of the belts in such manner as to correct any tendency which they may have to leave the proper path of traverse through In order that the belts may have a greater extentof surface applied to the heating drums, I provide novel means for drawing towards each other those portions of the belts disposed between the twodrums and which portions of the belts are exposed not only to the heat of the two drums, but also to the drying effects of the atmosphere.

The device for flattening or straightening the prints preferably comprises an adjustable roller which presses against the belts at their delivery end and imparts a curvature thereto of such nature as to bend the prints reversely to their normal bend and thus correct their shape. Other features of the invention will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of a print drying machine embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale, partly in elevation and partly in section on the line 22 of Figure l and showing particularly how one of the improved tension devices is constructed and mounted.

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale in side elevation of the devices for guiding the delivery ends of the belts and for correcting the shape of the prints before leaving the belts.

Figure lis a detail view on an enlarged scale and in section on the line l4 of Figure 1, showing particularly certain features of the devices for preserving the alinements of the belts.

Figure 4: shows the parts in their normal position when the belt is running true.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure d.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating how the devices operate when the belt tends to leave its normal path.

The main frame of the machine is preferably made for the most part of channel iron but other material may be employed. It consists of four uprights A having feet a, horizontal bottom cross-pieces B connected to the uprights A a short distance above their lower ends and inclined cross-pieces C connected to one set of 111 rights at the up per ends thereof and to the other set of uprights a considerable distance below their upper ends thus providing means above said inclined cross pieces for supporting the belt driving and print delivery mechanism. Diagonal frame pieces D connected to two of the uprights at their junctions with the cross pieces 33 are connected to the other set of uprights at their junction with the inclined cross pieces C. This form of frame is strong and durable and is the construction preferred although not essential.

The drums E and F are arranged one above the other with a space between them. They may be constructed in any suitable way and are mounted to turn in hearings in the frame in manner shown. The ends of the drums are formed with ventilating openings f and man holes a, f. These drums may be heated in any suitable way, preferably by gas or gasoline supplied through pipes G provided with regulating cocks g.

is heretofore I employ two belts which are so supported and operated as to carry the prints to be dried into contact with the drawing drums and to deposit them in a suitable receptacle. The inner belt or the one which comes in direct contact with the drying drums is marked X. while the outer belt which holds the prints on the inner belt is marked Y. The inner belt X passes from a tension roller J over a guide roller K mounted between the cross-pieces C to the upper drum E and presses against the lower side portion thereof on one side. It then passes through a guiding device L located between the drums, then into contact with the lower drum around which it passes being in contact with all but a small portion of the surface thereof. The belt X next passes up through the guide device L into contact with one side of the drum E, then over an ad justable guide roller M, then around a guide roller N, then under the roller 0 of an alining device O and then to the tension roller J. The outer belt Y passes from a guide roller P at the feed end of the machine over the roller K and follows the inner belt through the guide L around the lower drum F, around the drum E, and across the adjustable roller M, carried by the bracket a It then passes around another guide roller R and over a roller S to a guide roller T located in the lower part of the frame. It then passes through an alining device U, under a guide roller V, through the tension device V and back to the guide roller P. It will be observed that the guide L, located in the space between the drying drums, holds the belts close to the adjacent portions of the drums and thus increases the heating surface in direct contact with the drums. This device consists of a frame Z having rollers Z on opposite sides of the two belts. These rollers extend entirely across the machine and are preferably a little longer than the width of the belts. The frame is held stationary. being attached to the adjacent uprights A Separate tension devices are employed for the two belts. It is important that the same degree of tension should be applied to the belts in order that they may properly move together. The tension device for the outer belt Y comprises a frame consisting of side pieces to connected in any suitable way as indicated at 10 and pivotally mounted on the front uprights A. A roller 20 is carried at the lower end of the frame and a roller 10 at the upper end thereof, and the outer belt Y traverses these rollers in the manner indicated. A ratchet wheel w is keyed to the frame W in the manner indicated at 'w", Figure 2. and this ratchet wheel is engaged by a spring pawl 2 carried by an operating lever or handle Z. This handle is connected by a spring Z with the guide L. The tension of the spring may be regulated by adjusting the handle Z to cause the pawl a to engage different notches in the ratchet wheel. I have found that by equipping the tension device with a spring, the operation of the machine is materially improved.

In order to mount the frame W between the uprights and to support parts of the mechanism I preferably as shown in Fig. 2 employ stub shafts w which are secured to the frame bars and have beaded ends as shown. The lever Z is pivotally mounted on one of the stub shafts w as shown in Fig. 2.

The inner belt is also provided with a tension device. This is shown at I and it comprises a frame carrying the roller J hereinbefore referred to. This frame is provided at z to the inclined cross-pieces G. Preferably two springs I are employed, one on each side of the machine. Each of these springs carries a hook 2' which may be made to engage any one of a series of holes 0 in the inclined frame bar C so that the tension of the springs may be thus varied.

The belts are driven by mechanism operated by motor IV 2 which is suitably geared as shown to the shaft 0" on the roller B. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the belts X and Y separate when they come to the rollers M and It and dry prints are delivered from the belt to a suitable receiving tray S Inasmuch as photographic prints have a tendency to curl or bend and as it is desirable that they should be as straight or flat as'possible, I provide means for flattening the prints just before they leave the belts. This device consists of a roller M, the shaft m of which is engaged by adjusting screws m and the shaft is mounted in slotted bearings which permit the roller to be moved diagonally upwards in such manner as to bend the inner and outer belts just before they separate. belts and the contained prints, the desired flatness is given to the prints before they drop into the receiving tray. Should any of the prints adhere to the outer belt at the delivery ends of the belts, they will be removed therefrom by the doctor D and dropped into the receiving tray.

Experience has demonstrated that where belts, such as those made of canvas, are employed, there is difficulty in machines of this classin causing the belts to move in proper alinement through the machine and it is, of course, important that the belts should thus move while carrying the prints and in order to correct any tendency to move out of alinement, I have provided devices for operating on the inner belt and other devices for operating on the outer belt. The devices for operating on the outer belt are shown at U. They comprise a roller a supported by two links a which are hinged to the diagonal framepieces D at d. Each link to is independently hinged to the frame. The roller.

10 which is shown also in Figures 4, 5 and 6, is preferably partially covered with strips of emery paper, corrugated rubber, or the like as indicated at u The roller u extends from one side of the machine to the I have found that by thus bending the other as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. Cooperating with the rolleru are tworollers u, 24 These rollers arequite short and they are secured to a shaft u which extends from one side of the machine to the other and passes through slots a in the links M, A spring a; is attached to each end of the shaft or rod '11? and to the shaft 11 of the roller u. In this way the rollers a u are drawn towards the roller u and are normally held yieldingly in contact therewith. Fig ure 4 shows the outer belt Y in proper alinement, passing over the roller a without coming in contact with the tapered ends of the rollers a w, and when the belt runs normally the parts will occupy the position shown in Figure 4 and also in Figure 5, but should this belt pass out of alinei'ne-nt as; indicated in Figure 6, one of its edges will be guided by the tapered roller into the bite of the rollers u and u 01' u and then the link u which carries the small roller thus engaged will swing on its pivot in the manner indicated in Figure 6 while thusengaged with the belt. This operation tends to straighten the belt or bring it into proper alinement. In the actual operation of the machine, the link swings back and forth several times before the belt is properly alined. Should the correcting movement given to one side of the belt be more than is sufiicient, the devices on the opposite side of the alining device will operate on the opposite edge portion of the belt and'this operation of the devices on opposite sides of the belt will continue until the normal alinement of the belt is obtained.

Th alining devicesfor the inner belt are shown at 0. These comprise links 0 pivotally connected with the frame pieces C at 0 The links 0' carry a roller 0 he-reinbefore referred to corresponding with the roller u. and these links also carry small rollers 0 similar in all respects to the small rollers u 74 and drawn towards the roller 0 by springs 0 The links 0 extend upwardly from the inclined frame bars 0 and hold the roller 0, above these frame bars. The links are continued downward below the inclined frame bars and carry counterbalancing weights 0 These alining devices 0 serve to preserve the proper direction of movement of the inner belt while the alining devices U preserve the proper direction of movement of the outer belt. These alining devices co-operate with each other and the superimposed belts are thus caused to carry' the prints properly from. feeding position through the drying means to the point of delivery.

A machine constructed as shown in the drawings and as hereinbefore described'has been found to be most eificient in practice. The tension of the belts is automatically ad- &

justed and remains uniform. The prints are delivered in a fiat condition thoroughly dry. By placing the drying drums one above the other with a space between them the heat from the lower drum assists in heating the upper drum, thus saving fuel. Furthermore the belts are dried to a material extent and the moisture evaporated therefrom and from the'prints while they are passing between the heated air space between the drums, as in this way considerable portions of the inner belts are exposed to the evaporating effects of the heated air.

By bending the belts towards each other between the drums a larger amount of belt surface is brought into contact with the drums.

An important feature of the invention resides in the device for automatically preserving the alinement, as in this waythe belts may be made to move continuously without dropping the prints and without becoming ammed in the guide mechanism.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of upper and lower heated drums, with an air space between them, a belt traversing both drums and a belt guide in the air space between the drums for drawing the oppositely moving portions of the belt between the drums towards each other and thus increasing the amount of surface contact between the belt and the drums.

2. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of one or more heated drums, superimposed belts moving in contact therewith and adjustable means operating on the discharging ends of the belts to bend them and to thus flatten or straighten prints delivered by the belts.

3. In a drier for photographic prints and I the like, the combination of a heated drum,

superimposed belts moving in contact there with, guides for the receiving and discharging portions of the belts, intermediate guides for the belts, and an adjustable guide roller operating on the discharge portion of the belts to bend the same and to thus flatten the prints contained between the belts.

4. A drier for photograph prints and the like, comprising a heated drum, superimposed belts traversing the drum, guides for the belts, and a tension device operating on the belts comprising a pivotally mounted frame, ratchet mechanism for adjusting it, rollers carried by the frame in contact with the belts, and a spring for holding the frame under tension.

5. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of heated drums arranged one above the other, superimposed belts traversing the drums, guides for the belts, and a belt tension device comprising a roller held in contact with the belt, a frame in which it is mounted, and a spring for holding the frame yieldingly.

6. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of heated drums arranged one above the other, endless superimposed belts moving in contact with the drums, guides for the belts, and a tension device engaging one of the belts comprising a pivotally mounted frame, a ratchet wheel rigidly secured thereto, rollers on the frame engaging opposite sides of the belt, a pawlcarrying lever cooperating with the ratchet wheel, and a spring connected with the lever for holding the tension device yieldingly.

7. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of heating means, superimposed print-carrying belts moving in contact with the heating means, guides for the belts, and devices for maintaining the alinement of the belts, one of which comprises a guide roller in contact with which the belt normally moves, and other smaller rollers adapted to engage the edge portions or the belt on the opposite side thereof.

-8. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of drying means, an endless belt moving in contact with the drying means, guides for the belt, and means for maintaining the alinement of the belt comprising a guide operating on one side of the belt, and devices arranged on the opposite side of the belt and adapted to operate on the edge portions thereof to correct the alinement.

9. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of drying means, a belt cooperating therewith, guides for the belt, and means for maintaining the alinement of the belt, comprising a guide roller on one side of the belt, and devices operating on the edge portions of the opposite side of the belt mounted to move back and forth lengthwise of the belt.

10. In a drier for photographic prints and the like, the combination of drying means, a

belt cooperating therewith, guides for the belt, and means for maintaining the alinement of the belt, comprising a roller engaging one side of the belt, small rollers on the opposite side of the belt and adapted to engage the edge portions thereof, and links pivotally mounted in the frame of the ma chine adapted to swing longitudinally of the belt while the belt is moving through the machine.

11. In a drier, the combination of upper and lower heated drums with an air space between them, a belt traversing both drums and which is exposed to the air space between the drums when passing from one drum to the other.

12. In a drier, the combination of a heated drum, a belt traversing the drum, guides for the belt, and a belt tension device comprising a roller held in contact with the belt, a

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frame in which it is mounted, and a spring for holding the frame yieldingly.

13. The combination with a belt, guides therefor, means for moving the belt and 5 means for maintaining the alignment of the belt comprising a guide operating on one side of the belt and devices arranged on the opposite side of the belt moving longitudinally therewith and adapted to operate on the edge portions of the belt to maintain 10 alignment.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILBERT H. MORGAN. Witness:

GEORGE J. BRIGHAM.

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