JPS6017835B2 - Fixer automatic circulation regeneration device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic circulation regeneration device for photographic processing solutions, particularly used fixer solutions, in automatic processors.

Since the fixing solution dissolves silver halide in photosensitive films and the like as a soluble compound, the fixing solution contains the most silver to be recovered in the photographic processing solution used. It is well known that fixing solutions become fatigued by dissolving silver halides in films, etc. and become no longer usable, but that even such fixing solutions can be reused by removing the dissolved silver. Electrolysis is generally adopted as such a recovery and regeneration means. In that case, there is no problem in reusing the solution even if all the silver contained in the fixer solution is not recovered, and it is better to save time and money for electrolysis and reduce the amount of recovered metallic silver. This is also advantageous when considering quality.

On the other hand, it is known that the silver concentration contained in the fixer has a significant effect on the fixing speed and fixing effect of developing films, etc. When a large amount of film is developed by recovering and circulating silver, it is important to keep the silver concentration in the fixer constant at all times to avoid unevenness in the developed film, etc., as described above. This is extremely important in achieving a consistent developing effect. However, in the conventional automatic fixer circulation regeneration device, the silver concentration was measured exclusively using a test paper, which required manual labor, and furthermore, since the silver concentration was measured using the eyelid 9, it was difficult to ensure accuracy. Ta.

An object of this invention is to automatically measure the silver concentration inside the fixer while collecting silver from the used fixer, and when the silver concentration reaches a certain value, transfer the silver from the processing tank to the fixer tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic fixer circulation and regeneration device that can be sent to a fixer solution.

To explain this invention from its principle below, the inventors were conducting research day and night in order to achieve the purpose of this invention entrusted to them, and it happened that they electrolyzed the fixer by applying a constant current. While recovering silver using this method, it was noticed that the resistance between the electrodes gradually decreased over time, as shown in Figure 1.

When we investigated the relationship between voltage drop and silver concentration in the fixer using a voltmeter and test paper, we found that the voltage drop and the silver concentration drop completely matched. The reason for this is not currently known, but it is because silver, which is dissolved in the fixer as a soluble rust salt, is deposited on the cathode side through electrolysis, and the fixer and the fixer as a whole changes into an electrolyte. It is considered deaf. Therefore, the inventors took advantage of this phenomenon and completed the following device. According to the drawings, in FIG. 2, 1 is a storage tank that stores the fixer overflowing from the fixer tank 2 of the automatic processor via a lotus pipe 3, and 4 is a storage tank that stores the fixer that overflows from the fixer tank 2 of the automatic processor. This is a processing tank that is transported by a lotus pipe 6 equipped with a.

This processing tank 4 consists of a collection chamber 4a and a standby chamber 4b arranged in upper and lower stages. Collection chamber 4a via transportation pipe 8
and circulated within the processing tank.
A drain pipe 9 is further attached to the processing tank 4, and this drain pipe 9 is directly connected to the fixer tank 2 of the automatic developing machine described above via a pump 10, a filter 11, etc. Inside the recovery chamber 4a, Yin and Yang electrodes 12 and 13 designed to obtain the most preferable electrical density are placed opposite each other.
The negative electrode 12 is made of flexible stainless steel, and the intestinal electrode 13 is made of carbon. The electrodes 12, 13 are connected in series to a power source 14, and a switch device 15, such as a comparator, is inserted in parallel to the circuit of the electrolyzer.
The circuit by which the switch 15 operates the pump 10 is, for example, the one shown in FIG. 3, in which the power source 14 of the electrolysis circuit is used as is. Therefore, the fixer in use that overflows from the fixer tank 2 is
It is stored in the storage tank 1 via the connecting pipe 3, and is injected into the processing tank 4 via the connecting pipe 6 by the pump 5, and first stored in the collection chamber 4a. Thereafter, the water overflows and accumulates in the waiting chamber 4b, and when a certain water level is reached, the pump 5 is stopped by the pressure switch 16, for example.
Then, for example, the pump 7 is activated by the pressure switch 16 to send the fixing liquid from the waiting chamber 4b to the recovery chamber 4a.
Since the fixer starts to circulate in the processing tank 4, when a constant DC current is applied from the power source 14 to both terminals 12 and 13 while circulating the fixer in the processing tank, the fixer is completely removed. Upon contact with the cathode 12, silver in the fixing solution begins to adhere to the stainless steel electrode of the cathode 12 as metallic silver due to electrolysis. Then, as time passes, the resistance between the electrodes 12 and 13 begins to gradually decrease as described above, so the switch 15 is set to operate at a constant voltage in advance to remove the silver in the fixer. When the concentration reaches a certain value, it starts operating and performs a switching action, and the pump 10 is operated for a certain period of time by a relay, and the fixer is transferred to the processing tank 4.
from the waiting room 4b.

The discharged fixer is sent through the filter 11 to the fixer tank 2 of the automatic processor again. Then, the used fixer overflows from the fixer tank 2 and is sent to the storage tank 1 through the transfer pipe 3. When the water level in the waiting chamber 4b decreases, the pump 5 is activated again by the pressure switch 16 and sent to the processing tank 4. The next fixer is sent out, and the fixer is automatically circulated while recovering silver, and the fixer having a constant silver concentration is always regenerated and sent to the fixer tank 2. . It goes without saying that what is shut off by the switch device (comparator in the example) may be a solenoid valve or an indicator lamp in addition to the pump, and a voltmeter may be used instead of the switch device to measure the silver concentration. It would be a good idea to display it using a meter. Further, the means for displaying the silver concentration and the switch device may be provided in parallel. Furthermore, in this invention, the inside of the processing tank that collects the fixer used for use is divided into a silver recovery chamber and a waiting chamber, and both electrodes of the electrolyzer are submerged in the recovery chamber, and the fixer is transferred to the recovery chamber. Since the structure is configured so that electrolysis is performed while circulating from the waiting room to the recovery room, the fixing solution containing silver ions comes into contact with the cathode uniformly, increasing silver recovery efficiency. , and it became possible to accurately detect the silver concentration in the fixer.

Furthermore, if circumstances permit, if a constant voltage direct current is applied between the two electrodes, the current will change due to changes in the resistance between the electrodes, and this change can be used to measure and detect the silver concentration in the fixer. As explained above in detail, the present invention recovers silver from the fixer used in a short period of time, makes it have a constant silver concentration, and then Since the fixer can be automatically returned to the fixer tank of the automatic processor and circulated, it extends the life of the fixer, keeps the fixing speed and effect of the film constant, and is particularly effective against silver accumulation. It is extremely effective for films fixed with extremely sensitive sodium thiosulfate fixers.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a resistance characteristic curve between electrodes during electrolysis of a fixer, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the present invention, and FIG. is a circuit diagram of the same part. 4... Processing tank, 7... Pump, 8
...Hotsu pipe, 9...Drain pipe, 12...
...Cathode electrode, 13...Intestinal electrode, 14...
...Power supply, 15...Switch device. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A storage tank for storing the fixer sent out from the fixer tank of an automatic processor, and a fixed amount of the fixer in the storage tank that is automatically received and used to produce silver by electrolysis. and a processing tank capable of automatically operating a drainage device to send the fixer toward the fixer tank when the silver concentration reaches a certain value, and further collect the processing tank. The fixing solution is divided into a chamber and a standby chamber, and the fixing solution is circulated between the recovery chamber and the standby chamber, and both electrodes of the electrolyzer are immersed in the recovery chamber, and a change in electrical resistance is applied between the two electrodes. An automatic fixer circulation and regeneration device characterized by interposing a responsive drain device switch. 2. characterized in that the switch is a comparator,
An automatic fixer circulation regeneration device according to claim 1.