Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for setting liquid photographic materials which have been applied as a coating on a support web, while the coated web is moving substantially horizontally with the liquid materials on the underside of the web. Chilling of the liquid materials may be commenced while the web is moving upwards or downwards after coating, but any setting is not permitted to occur until the web has been turned to move substantially horizontally with the liquid materials on the underside. In this way, gravity and surface tension forces act in opposition to one another where the coating lies adjacent surface non-uniformities in the web and tend to retain the uniformity of coating thickness achieved at the time of coating.

Abstract: Bubbles are eliminated from a liquid such as a photographic emulsion by passing the emulsion through a horizontal tubular container while pulling a vacuum on the container and subjecting the emulsion to ultrasonic vibrations from an ultrasonic transducer having a horn located in a well in the bottom of the container. Emulsion is pumped out of the container and delivered through a conduit to the point of use. The delivery circuit can include a secondary gas separation chamber which also has a transducer horn therein. Provision is made for selectively recycling part or all of the emulsion back into the well. The container can be operated either partly full or completely full of liquid. Provision is also made for cleaning the internal walls of the apparatus by injecting a swirling stream of liquid into the tubular container to flow through the container and downstream portions of the system.