Importance

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Abstract

Spindled photographic film discs are coated with an ultraviolet light curable protective coating apparatus which receives a developer spindle carrying a plurality of film discs at a receiving station. Carry-in arms transfer the spindle into a coating station through a door and deposit the spindle at a location where the lower films on the stacked discs are partially submerged in a pool of coating liquid. A drive gear engages a spur gear on the spindle and slowly rotates the spindle for applying the coating evenly to the discs. Carry-over arms engage the spindle and carry it about the circumference of the drive gear, first lifting the spindle above the coating material and then causing the spindle to be spun at a relatively high rate for removing excess material from the discs. The carry-over arms thereafter transport the spindle through a second door and into an ultraviolet curing region while maintaining the rotation of the discs during curing. The carry-over arms thereafter deposit the spindle onto a carry-out conveyor where the spindle may be removed from the apparatus. The method includes the steps of partially lowering the film disc carried on a spindle to submerge the discs in a pool of coating material, elevating the spindle above the pool and rotating the same to spin off excess coating material, moving the spindle out of the coating region and into an ultraviolet light curing region while continuing the rotation of the spindle and the discs thereto to provide for even curing throughout the film areas of the spindle, and thereafter removing the spindle from the ultraviolet region.

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First Claim