SILVER RECOVERY UNIT

An improved unit for the recovery of silver from spent photograhic processing solutions by a metallic replacement technique. The unit is designed to pass silver-bearing photographic processing solution through a roll of steel wool, and includes a high-density polyethylene cartridge to hold the steel wool, fitted with suitable plumbing for passing the solution through the roll in the cartridge. The polyethylene cartridge is essentially a drum with a generally flat lid, and includes a rim clamp for locking the lid tightly on the drum. The rim clamp fits around the top of the drum and has a lever lock operable from one side of the drum. The plumbing attached to a drum includes fittings for routing the solution into and out of the drum through a pair of openings in the cartridge lid. When the unit is in operation, feed solution passes into the top of the cartridge, contacts the steel wool roll in the cartridge drum, and then passes out of the drum for recycle use or discard to a sewer. The unit operates efficiently until the steel wool in the cartridge is exhausted, at which point it becomes necessary to replace the cartridge. This requires removal of the cartridge lid, but the removal can be easily accomplished without disconnecting the plumbing from the lid since the lever lock is operable from the side of the drum to permit loosening of the clamp for easy movement of the lid with the plumbing attached.