US3286367A - Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets - Google Patents

Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets Download PDF

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Publication number
US3286367A
US3286367A US313880A US31388063A US3286367A US 3286367 A US3286367 A US 3286367A US 313880 A US313880 A US 313880A US 31388063 A US31388063 A US 31388063A US 3286367 A US3286367 A US 3286367A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
platen
sheet
dryer
belts
emulsion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US313880A
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English (en)
Inventor
Henry N Fairbanks
Daniel H Robbins
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Co Inc
Original Assignee
Itek Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to BE653886D priority Critical patent/BE653886A/xx
Application filed by Itek Corp filed Critical Itek Corp
Priority to US313880A priority patent/US3286367A/en
Priority to CH1279064A priority patent/CH439965A/fr
Priority to GB40263/64A priority patent/GB1083718A/en
Priority to NL6411558A priority patent/NL6411558A/xx
Priority to FR990390A priority patent/FR1410650A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3286367A publication Critical patent/US3286367A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D15/00—Apparatus for treating processed material
    • G03D15/02—Drying; Glazing
    • G03D15/027—Drying of plates or prints

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an improved apparatus for drying emulsion coated carrier sheets. More particularly the invention is related to a dryer for photographic processing projection offset plates suchas the typefmarketed by the assignee under the trademark Project-A- Lithf This material is a silver halide emulsion on a support, which upon development results in an image area which is oleophilic and a non-image area which is The automaticprocessor of the type disclosed in the copending application has as one of its features, the ability to produce offset platesat a rapid rate.
  • the device disclosed therein is capable ofproduc'ing offset plates on a continuous basis at the rate of approximately two per minute. In order to maintain a two per minute overall continuous production rate, it is desirable that a compatible dryer operate at the same rate. Coupled with the problem of relatively short drying time is the relatively low maximum temperature at which the offset plate becomes adversely affected.
  • the offset plate is a plastic coated carrier sheet having an emulsion coating on one of the plastic coated sides. Both the plastic and emulsion have relatively low softening temperatures, e.g. in the order of 185 F. If either material is heated above these temperatures it would tackify and stick to the transport and dryer.
  • his a further object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for drying photographic type emulsion coated sheets at a rapid rate and at relativelylow temperatures.
  • an improved apparatus for drying photographic type emulsion coated sheets comprises a housing having an inlet opening and a discharge opening.
  • a heated platen is disposed within the housing.
  • a portion of the platen surface defines a path along which the sheets travel through the dryer.
  • contact means for holding the sheets in intimate contact with the path defining portion of the platen.
  • the contact means holds the sheets in contact with the platen as the sheets travel along the defined path for causing heat conduction through the sheet to the emulsion coating.
  • the contact means are spaced to permit vaporization of moisture from the emulsion.
  • Transport means are provided for transporting the sheet in the defined path from the inlet along the platen, to the discharge opening whereby the emulsion coated sheets are dried.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the principles of operation of a dryer embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially cut away of a dryer embodying the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG.
  • FIG. 4 is an end view, partially in section, of another embodiment of the present invention.
  • the dryer broadly operates by first conducting heat to the moisture to be removed and then accelerating vaporization by forcing air against the preheated moisture.
  • a typical material to be dried is designated by the numeral 10. This material, by way of example only, has four layers.
  • An emulsion layer 10a, a plastic coating Connects the pulley 41,to the cylinder 34a.
  • sheet 1-0 is fed into the dryer housing 11 'so that the .16 controls the electrical input (i.e., voltage), to the heat source.
  • the platen source is maintained at a substantially constant temperature through a feedback loop consisting of a sensor 14 and control 16.
  • the sensor measures the platen temperature while the control is set for a desired reference temperature. The difference between the two temperatures causes'the control 16 to energize or deenergize the heat source 13.
  • a contact means 18 maintains the sheet in intimate contact with the platen during a portion of its travel in the dryer, thereby preventing air spaces from developing between the platen and the sheet. Any air space would be a local insulator causing nonuniform drying of this sheet.
  • the contact means 18 is provided with perforations 21 for allowing the moisture to escape from the emulsion layer 10a.
  • the emulsion layer is heated by conduction of heat from'the platen 12 through the, layers 10d, 10c, and 10b. The temperature of the emulsion surface rises initiating vaporization of the moisture at the surface.
  • the critical temperature beyond which Project-A-Lith emulsion can be heated is in the order of 17()190 F.
  • a blower 19 is mounted in the housing 11 and blows ambient air in the direction A against the emulsion surface to accelerate vaporization of moisture therein.
  • An exhaust system shown by the exhaust fan 20, may be added to further accelerate vaporization.
  • the exhaust fan continuously removes moisture from the housing 11 in the direction B preventing the humidity level from rising therein.
  • FIG. 2 there is here shown a perspective view, partially cut away, of the preferred embodiment of a dryer embodying the present invention.
  • the dryer is contained in a housing generally As a practical matter, it
  • the housing has an inlet guide 33 for deflecting and guiding the leading edge of the sheet to be dried towards a rotatable cylindrical platen 34.
  • the platen'34 has a cylindrical section 34a and a pair of circular end plates 34b only one of which is shown in FIG. 2. 'Ihe end plates are fastened to the cylindrical section 34a by means of screws 35.
  • the end plates have bearings 36 mounted therein. One bearing is shown in FIG. 2. Associated with each bearing 36 is a snap ring'60 for preventing axial shifting of the platen assembly along shaft 37.
  • the platen assembly is rotatable about stationary shaft 37, which is secured to the housing 30.
  • the assembly is rotated by means of a motor 38 mounted on top of housing 30 in a motor housing 39.
  • a chain drive connects the motor 38 to a sprocket 39 mounted on the end of shaft 40.
  • the opposite end of shaft 40 has a pulley 41 thereon around which is wrapped a garter spring 42.
  • the garter spring 42 p
  • the garter spring 42 is under tension therefore rotating platen 34 as pulley 41 is rotated.
  • Also mounted on shaft 40 is a plurality of spaced rollers 43. As seen more clearly in FIG. 3 which is a vertical section taken along line 33 in FIG. 2, the rollers 43 have endless belts 44 coupled thereto.
  • the endless belts pass over rollers 45, 46, and 47 mounted on shafts 48, 49, and 50 respectively.
  • the means for rotatably mounting the shafts on the'housing and the means for fixedly mounting the shaft 37 to the housing have not been shown. Any of the means well known in the art for accomplishing the desired result may be used.
  • the rotatable shafts may be mounted in sleeve bearings which are held in trunions on the housing, the trunions for shaft 49 being adjustable vertically as the shaft is adjusted.
  • the stationary shaft 37 may be bolted to the housing.
  • the platen is heated by a heat source 51 which may for example be an infrared lamp, which is coupled toshaft 37 by two brackets on either end of the shaft, one of which is'shown at 52.
  • the belts 44 are preferably porous to allow moisture to pass therethrough,and spaced to leave a maximum area on the sheet material exposed to the housing environment for the purpose of vaporizing moisture from the surface thereof.
  • a blower 53 is mounted in the housing 30. The blower 53 forces ambientair against the exposed surface of the sheet thus accelerating vaporization of moisture on the exposed surface which. has been initially heated by conduction from platen 34.
  • An exhaust fan 54 may be provided for removing accumulated moisture from the housing 30 thus controlling the humidity level therein.
  • the exhaust fan 54 is also mounted in the housing30.
  • a temperature sensor 60 which may be a thermocouple or thermistor is coupled to the platen for'providing an indication of the platen temperature.
  • Shaft 40 is provided with a plurality of pulleys 43 supporting endless belts 55 disposed between the belts 44 for transporting paper from the platen towards the exit opening 32.
  • the endless belts 55 are disposed about I The operation of the dryer will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
  • the platen 34 Prior to use, the platen 34 is preheated by energizing the heat source 51.
  • the motor 38 is energized causing the chain drive to drive sprocket 39 in the direction of arrow C shown on shaft 40.
  • the sprocket 39 in turn drives shaft 40 in the same direction causing belts 44 to move in the direction of arrow E and the platen 34 to rotate in the direction of arrow E.
  • the belts 55 move in the direction of arrow F.
  • the photographic emulsion is fed into the dryer through the inlet opening 31 with its emulsion side down.
  • the leading edge of the sheet contacts guide 33 and is directed towards the platen 34.
  • the leading edge thereafter, engages the portion of belts 44 in contact with the platen on the side nearest the inlet opening 31.
  • the sheet is then transported in contact with the rotating platen toward the exit side of the dryer.
  • the emulsion surface is away from the platen whereby moisture in the emulsion is heated by heat conduction through the platen to the emulsion surface.
  • ambient air is forced against the emulsion surface by the blower accelerating vaporization of the moisture that has been preheated by conduction from the platen.
  • belts 44 are porous and spaced.
  • the sheet coutinues to travel in the dryer until the leading edge engages the guide 59 at which point the sheet is directed toward the exit opening 32.
  • the leading edge travels along the guide 59 until it passes between spring 61 and belt 55.
  • the sheet is then driven through the exit opening by the combination of belt 55 and spring 61.
  • the sheet emerges from the dryer with its emulsion side down.
  • An exhaust fan 59 removes air from the housing.
  • the removal of air from the housing lowers the humidity level as well as lowering the housing temperature. Lowering the housing temperature causes a greater temperature drop across the platen and sheet increasing the amount of heat flow therethrough at a given input temperature.
  • FIG. 4 Another embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 2 and 3 is illustrated in FIG. 4.
  • a receiving bin 62 is mounted on the rear wall of the housing 30.
  • the emulsion side As the sheet emerges from the dryer through the exit opening 32, with its emulsion side down, it slides down the rear wall of bin 62. As the sheet lies in the bin, the emulsion side would be facing the discharge of the exhaust blower 54. Although this air from the exhaust blower is slightly damp, it is heated and it has been found to be useful in further drying the sheets.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
US313880A 1963-10-04 1963-10-04 Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets Expired - Lifetime US3286367A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE653886D BE653886A (fr) 1963-10-04
US313880A US3286367A (en) 1963-10-04 1963-10-04 Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets
CH1279064A CH439965A (fr) 1963-10-04 1964-10-02 Appareil de séchage de feuilles enduites d'une émulsion photographique
GB40263/64A GB1083718A (en) 1963-10-04 1964-10-02 Apparatus for drying photographic sheet material
NL6411558A NL6411558A (fr) 1963-10-04 1964-10-05
FR990390A FR1410650A (fr) 1963-10-04 1964-10-05 Appareil de séchage de feuilles enduites d'une émulsion du type photographique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US313880A US3286367A (en) 1963-10-04 1963-10-04 Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3286367A true US3286367A (en) 1966-11-22

Family

ID=23217559

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US313880A Expired - Lifetime US3286367A (en) 1963-10-04 1963-10-04 Dryer for photographic type emulsion coated sheets

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3286367A (fr)
BE (1) BE653886A (fr)
CH (1) CH439965A (fr)
GB (1) GB1083718A (fr)
NL (1) NL6411558A (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63228156A (ja) * 1987-03-17 1988-09-22 Konica Corp 熱現像機のカ−ル防止装置

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1794063A (en) * 1926-01-18 1931-02-24 Glen M Dye Print-drying apparatus
US2596358A (en) * 1949-03-22 1952-05-13 Batson Cook Company Drier for slashers
US2895395A (en) * 1955-04-16 1959-07-21 Engelhard Ind Inc Conveyor device for photo-printing material in photo-printing machines

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1794063A (en) * 1926-01-18 1931-02-24 Glen M Dye Print-drying apparatus
US2596358A (en) * 1949-03-22 1952-05-13 Batson Cook Company Drier for slashers
US2895395A (en) * 1955-04-16 1959-07-21 Engelhard Ind Inc Conveyor device for photo-printing material in photo-printing machines

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1083718A (en) 1967-09-20
BE653886A (fr)
CH439965A (fr) 1967-07-15
NL6411558A (fr) 1965-04-05

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