A tank having an agitator therein comprised of a plurality of plates horizontally mounted on a support rod urged to one side of the tank by a resilient member coupling the bottom of the support rod to a plinth. One of the plates extends beyond the other plates so that its forward projecting portion lies beneath an inlet in the top of the tank through which photographic material mounted in a frame is inserted so that the bottom of the frame pushes the plate down moving the other plates and the support rod away from the side of the tank thus agitating the processing liquid in the tank. The resilient member urges the rod back towards the side of the tank thus causing the plates to further agitate the liquid. The rod can either be rigid with a flexible resilient coupling to the plinth or be rigidly coupled to the plinth and made of flexible material. In one embodiment of the invention the agitator is made of material which is buoyant relative to the processing liquid, a lid to the tank being provided to prevent the agitator emerging therefrom.
A photographic apparatus has a camera beneath which is arranged a circular array of open topped tanks for processing liquid. A film carrier is arranged to receive exposed film from the camera and can move up and down as well as rotate step by step in order to dip film received from the camera and carried by the carrier into each tank of the array in turn. Each tank has an agitator therein. Each agitator has an operating stem which can move up and down in the tank. The stem has a plurality of agitator blades which are caused to move by the upward and downward movement of the operating stem so as to agitate the liquid in the tank.
A marinating machine rotates a drum containing the food to be marinated. The drum is positioned on a pair of rotatable shafts only one of which is drivingly engaged to a motor rotating the drum. The pair of shafts is spaced far enough apart from each other such that the vector of force applied by the wall of the drum against the drive wheel is sufficient to ensure that the drum will rotate with the drive wheel. Within the drum is a pair of spaced apart paddles to agitate the food product being marinated. The two paddles are joined to each other by a compressible member, and the compressible member is compressed to allow insertion of the paddles into the drum. The compressible member applies sufficient force against the inner surface of the drum to cause the paddle assembly to rotate with the drum.
An insulated vibration-stirring apparatus comprising a vibration generating means containing a vibration motor and a vibrating member attached to that motor, and a vibrating rod attached by an installation piece to allow vibration linked with the vibration generating means, and vibrating vanes installed on this vibrating rod. An electrical insulation area made from hard rubber is installed on a section nearer to the installation section to the installation piece than the section where the vibrating vanes are mounted on the vibrating rod. An electrical line is connected to the lower section of the vibrating rod on the electrical insulation area side where the vibrating vanes are installed. This electrical line conducts power to the vibrating vanes by way of the lower section of the vibrating rod. A power supply applies a voltage across the lower section of the vibrating rod and vibrating vanes and treatment tank by way of the electrical lines, and while applying power to the processing liquid within the treatment tank, the insulation vibration stirring apparatus vibrates and stirs the processing liquid.
A vibrationally fluidly stirring apparatus includes tank (13) to be charged with liquid (LIQ) to be stirred; a vibration generating portion containing vibration motor (14); vibration absorbing member (3) disposed between the tank (13) and the vibration generating portion; a vibrating bar (7) operationally connected to the vibration generating portion and extended in the tank (13); and a vibration vane (10) attached to the vibrating bar (7), the vibration absorbing member (3) is a laminate of upper metal plate (1), rubber plate (2) and lower metal plate (1').
