Abstract: A film dryer is described which has a central vertical film feeding section for downward movement of the film which is introduced at the top and delivered at the bottom, vertical air delivery sections on each side of the film feeding section, each of the air delivery sections being connected to wind boxes and therefrom to pairs of vertical air delivery ducts and a plurality of spaced horizontal air delivery tubes in groups each carried by a pair of delivery ducts for delivery of air from each side for drying, the tubes preferably being substantially square in cross section and with opposite pairs of corners respectively vertical and horizontal, access openings to the interior of the tubes being provided at each end from the vertical ducts and elongated slots being provided along the inner corners function as self-cleaning nozzles with increased velocity of the air for delivery of air against the faces of the film on each side, a fan or blower at the bottom delivering air to the wind boxes, the air moving outw

Abstract: The invention relates to the processing of photographic material such as photographic film which has a tendency to curl in roller type photographic processing equipment, without attaching a separate leader portion to the film. After removing the curl from an end portion of the film, it is processed in a roller type photographic processing equipment without curling around the transporting rollers.The invention also provides a method of making this leaderless processing possible. This is performed by deforming a portion of the photographic material so as to prevent the tendency to curl to allow positive self-leading through the roller type processing equipment. Another embodiment of the invention provides a one-piece, partially curled, photographic material wherein curl has been removed from a portion, thus making the film suitable for photographic processing equipment.Another embodiment provides an apparatus for preventing curl in a portion of photographic material.

Abstract: A parapet-like component for a building which includes an air plenum. The plenum is a multipurpose structure which allows for transfer of a predetermined amount of heat from the outside into the building. The plenum includes translucent surfaces which allow light to enter the building and concurrently provide insulation against loss of heat from within the building towards the outside. The parapet-like component can be operated reversibly in allowing for cooling of the interior of the building when its temperature exceeds that of the outside.The structure is highly functional and also is aesthetically pleasing, having the general appearance of a mansard.The novel design of the invention allows for and incorporates the use of traditional and widely accepted building and architectural practices and esthetics.In a preferred embodiment, the plenum has an exterior wall of a tinted plastic or glass and a clear inside wall of plastic or glass.

Abstract: A transport roller rack for automatic film developing machines, which employs gear driven rollers arranged in a staggered pattern, and spaced so closely together that the film follows nearly a straight path between the rollers. This renders the rack more jam-proof, and frees it of any need for stationary film guidance means, but on the other hand materially increases the number of rollers to be driven. A highly efficient gear drive is used which easily handles the increased number of rollers, and whose construction also eliminates any problem of binding between the gears driving adjacent rollers which rotate in the same direction.Each roller has a driving gear at its end. Every other pair of adjacent rollers rotating in mutually opposite directions have these driving gears at the same given ends and is mesh with each other. The intervening pairs of adjacent rollers rotating in mutually opposite directions have their driving gears at the ends opposite the said given ends, and also in mesh with each other.

Abstract: Control apparatus is provided responsive to liquid flow which has in the suction line of the pump a float operated magnetically actuated switch in which the float is moved to one position by the presence of liquid attendant on flow and moves to another position upon cessation of flow with provisions including an expansible chamber for impelling the float to the other position either by delivering gas or air to the float chamber or by positively moving the float to the other position. The apparatus is particularly suitable for use in closed systems utilizing supply containers which are collapsed as the liquid is withdrawn.

Abstract: A reciprocating adjustable stroke positive displacement fluid pump is provided with an expandable chamber driven in the displacement or feed direction by an eccentric drive acting through a driven member. The eccentric drive moves the expandable chamber to its limit of excursion in the displacement or feed direction. Adjustment means cooperating with stop means limits the excursion of the driven member and the expansion of the expandable chamber in the suction or intake direction so that the amount of fluid pumped is continuously adjustable from no volume to the capacity of the expandable chamber by positioning the stop means. The pump is further provided with means for driving a plurality of individually adjustable pumps from the same drive motor and with means for equalizing the load on the pump motor.

Abstract: An air operated power plant is provided with a pair of impellers rotating on vertical axes. A pair of panels is mounted in fixed relation to the impellers forming a V-shaped converging tunnel with the impellers near the rear of the V. The purpose of the tunnel is to act as an amplifier taking the wind from a large cross section and amplifying its speed and power and thereby concentrating its effect on the vanes of the impellers. The panels are built in the shape of vertical airfoils with the negative surfaces disposed outwardly so that wind which passes outside the structure will create a vacuum outside and behind the structure. The panels have openings behind the impellers so that the vacuum caused by the airfoil design forceably draws air compressed in the tunnel out past the impellers. The impellers and the entire power plant can be mounted to extend upwardly from the ground eliminating the need for a costly supporting tower. The impeller shafts can drive electric generators or any other desired load.

Abstract: A transport roller rack highly efficient in use of power, especially suitable for photographic film developing machines. The rack combines transport rollers in staggered, non-nip forming configuration, with a power gear train having coaxial power tap-offs to clusters of roller driving gears.Each cluster has its own cluster drive gear, which is coaxially rotated by a larger power gear.Roller driving gears belonging to adjoining clusters also mesh with each other, thereby uniting these clusters into a continuous train of intermeshing roller driving gears.Also, the method of transporting film by the use of this rack.

Abstract: A masonry wall construction having good heat insulating qualities and strength is disclosed of courses of conventional blocks laid in with mortar, the blocks having interior air spaces, one course having outer blocks of one size and inner blocks of another size spaced to provide an air space and the next course above or below the one course having outer blocks of said other size and inner blocks of said one size spaced to provide an air space, the blocks of the next course being in overlapped relation along the wall and from front to back, intervening horizontal screens filled with mortar being provided at predetermined locations to confine the air within the spaces in the blocks and in the wall.

Abstract: Conveyor apparatus for processing photographic materials is disclosed and more specifically equipment for turnaround during processing of an elongated web of photographic material at the midportion of a processing operation, a plurality of parallel inner and outer driven rollers being employed to receive and direct the web for turnaround, the outer rollers being disposed at spaced locations along the outside of the turnaround path, the inner rollers also being disposed along the inside of the turnaround path and being spaced from and having their axes offset from a radial plane through the outer rollers and the center of the turnaround path, the inner and outer rollers being disposed for advancing the web without pinching of the web and free from contact with fixed guides which tend to scratch or mar the surface being processed, an improved and compact drive being provided particularly for the inner rollers.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding small and large X-ray film and the like to processing machines is disclosed which includes an entrance section contiguous to infeed rolls of the processing machine, which can receive the film, and which has a movable closure and a chute movable into a feeding position with respect to the entrance section when the closure is in an open position, the chute having a closure and being of a length to accommodate the large film as it is advanced by the infeed rolls.

Abstract: A combination heat exchanger and blower unit suitable for connection into the breeching between a heater and the stack to admit hot flue gases into the unit. The flue gases enter a fan section wherein the hot flue gases and recirculated gases within the unit are accelerated by a fan. A helical coiled tube heat exchanger is positioned within the unit and is bombarded by the gases which are discharged by the fan. The turbulence created within the unit causes the heated gases to impact upon and to pass between the heat exchanger coils many times at high pressure. The repeated impacts of the heated gases upon the tube heat exchanger breaks down the boundary layer of stagnant gas surrounding the heat exchanger coils and results in greatly increased heat exchange efficiency.

Abstract: A transport roller is disclosed for advancing elongated strips of flat sheet material such as photographic film, paper and the like in tanks for chemical treatment, in driers and for other purposes which comprises a hollow tubular roller body having shafts extending from its ends, with an improved leakproof and quickly assembled shaft mounting being provided in expanded frictional engagement with the tube.

Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting a web is described especially suitable for photographic development equipment, including a plurality of rotatable web transporting members such as rollers, which are driven at uniform surface speed, a plurality of power transmitting gears which are driven together and a plurality of cluster drive gears coaxially connected to respective power transmitting gears and driven thereby at the same rate of rotation. The pitch diameter of the power transmitting gears is larger than the pitch diameter of the cluster drive gears. The system also provides a plurality of clusters of gears which are driven by cluster drive gears to rotate the rollers.The web is transported through the system at uniform speed.

Abstract: Liquid level responsive apparatus is provided which includes a tube having a lower terminal end immersed in the liquid in a container uncovered when the liquid level is below the terminal end for discharge of air from the tube, the tube having a small electric motor driven air pump supplying air thereto, the tube having a pressure tap connected to one side of a diaphragm for normally maintaining the diaphragm in one control position, the diaphragm being collapsible to another control position, the tube having a vent of predetermined size for limited venting of air from the tube while the diaphragm is maintained in its one control position. The diaphragm can control a microswitch which in turn can control any desired operation such as shut-off of delivery. A plurality of tubes can be connected in parallel with their terminal ends in different liquid containers.

Abstract: Two or more reciprocating pumps are controlled to deliver fluids in adjustable proportions. The pumps are connected to respective actuating levers. Each lever is reciprocated about a pivot, whose position along the lever is adjustable to vary the stroke length of the pump connected to that lever. By so controlling the stroke lengths of the different pumps, the proportions in which they deliver fluids can be adjusted.

Abstract: The invention relates to the processing of photographic material such as photographic film which has a tendency to curl in roller type photographic processing equipment, without attaching a separate leader portion to the film. After removing the curl from an end portion of the film, it is processed in a roller type photographic processing equipment without curling around the transporting rollers.The invention also provides a method of making this leaderless processing possible. This is performed by deforming a portion of the photographic material so as to prevent the tendency to curl to allow positive selfleading through the roller type processing equipment. Another embodiment of the invention provides a one-piece, partially curled, photographic material wherein curl has been removed from a portion, thus making the film suitable for photographic processing equipment.Another embodiment provides an apparatus for preventing curl in a portion of photographic material.

Abstract: An improved gear system of greater efficiency having less bearing loading and less power requirement to rotate long gear trains. The system includes a plurality of large power gears serially mounted which receive rotative force from another power gear, the power gears positioned to turn respective power gear shafts. The power gear shaft transmits rotative forces to a drive gear which is smaller in diameter with respect to the power gear which drives it. The drive gear powers an individual satellite gear system of driven gears which drive a plurality of work producing satellite shafts. The large power gear in turn drive a downwardly positioned, similar, large power gear which in turn powers its own satellite gear train. In this manner the load of rotating the work producing shafts into a plurality of individual systems is broken up.

Abstract: Drying rollers for use in the dryer section of an automatic X-ray or other film developing machine which incorporates a pair of tangentially contacting, thermoplastic, micro-porous rollers which form a nip therebetween to receive the developed film from the wash tank. The rollers serve to dry the film surface by absorbing the moisture into the roller pores by capillary action. The usual dryer section heater continuously dries the rollers as they are rotated in the dryer section when the film travels through the developing apparatus.