(19)
(11) EP 0 603 952 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
24.08.1994 Bulletin 1994/34

(43) Date of publication A2:
29.06.1994 Bulletin 1994/26

(21) Application number: 93203549.6

(22) Date of filing: 16.12.1993
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5G03D 3/12
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 19.12.1992 GB 9226491

(71) Applicants:
  • KODAK LIMITED
    Harrow, Middlesex HA1 4TY (GB)

    GB 
  • EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Rochester, New York 14650-2201 (US)

    DE FR 

(72) Inventor:
  • Earle, Anthony c/o KODAK LTD., Patent Dept.
    Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4TY (GB)

(74) Representative: Phillips, Margaret Dawn et al
Kodak Limited Patent Department Headstone Drive
Harrow, Middlesex HA1 4TY
Harrow, Middlesex HA1 4TY (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Photographic processing apparatus


    (57) It is known to use continuous belts for transporting photographic material through large multi-stranded photographic processing machines so that the material is pulled and guided through each of the processing stages in the machine. The belt is arranged to run on one side of the material path and special spring clips are used to attach the material to the belt. However, the spring clips tend to damage the belt and reduce its operational life. Described herein is a belt arrangement for which clips are not required. A continuous belt (60) having a plurality of slots (68) formed therein is arranged to travel in the material processing path, the belt extending across substantially the entire width of the processing path. Material (70, 72) to be processed is threaded through one of the slots (68) in the belt (60) and folded over. This belt arrangement allows unstable chemistries, such as redox amplification chemistry, to be used in large processing machines by reducing the volumes of processing solutions required.







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