Photographic system, apparatus and cassette for processing a self- developing film unit

摘要

A photographic system for coupling together discrete photosensitive and image receiving sheet elements of a self-developing film unit, after the photosensitive sheet element is exposed, bringing the coupled sheet elements into superposition, and applying a compressive pressure progressively along the length of the superposed elements to distribute a processing composition therebetween. The system is especially useful from handling large format, e.g. 8×10 size, film units and includes a processor for receiving a cassette holding the photosensitive sheet, and a sheet advancing mechanism for advancing an image receiving sheet into the forward end of the cassette, through an access slot therein, wherein the image receiving sheet element becomes coupled to the photosensitive sheet. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of one of the two coupled sheet elements is automatically advanced out of a cassette withdrawal slot, in response to the image receiving sheet element insertion, to a position where it becomes engaged with a pair of pressure applying rollers that advance the coupled sheet elements out of the cassette and therebetween for processing.