Method for the production of a metallic printing member

Claim 1

IN THE PRODUCTION OF A METALLIC PRINTING MEMBER PRESENTING A ZINC SURFACE THAT IS WATER RECEPTIVE IN CERTAIN AREAS AND IS COATED IN OTHER AREAS OF PREDETERMINED OUTLINE WITH A METAL COATING LAYER HAVING GREATER AFFINITY FOR PRINTING INK THAN SAID ZINC SURFACE, THE STEPS COMPRISING COVERING THE ZINC SURFACE PRESENTED BY SAID PRINTING MEMBER WITH A MASKING COATING CONTAINING OPENINGS THEREIN DEFINING EXPOSED AREAS OF SAID ZINC SURFACE HAVING SAID PREDETERMINED OUTLINE AND DEPOSITING ON SAID EXPOSED AREAS OF SAID ZINC SURFACE AN ADHERENT METAL LAYER BY CHEMICAL DEPOSITION FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE SOLUTION IN CONTACT THEREWITH WHICH CONTAINS DISSOLVED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS LIQUID ARGANIC SOLVENT THEREFOR A COPPER SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COPPER CHLORIDE AND COPPER NITRATE AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE CHLORIDES AND NITRATES OF NICKEL, CHROMIUM, COBALT AND TITANIUM, SAID SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.15% TO ABOUT 18% BY WEIGHT OF COPPER SALT CONTENT AS AFORSAID AND FROM ABOUT 0.1% TO ABOUT 12% BY WEIGHT OF THE AFORESAID SALT CONTENT OTHER THAN SAID COPPER SALT, AND THE WEIGHT RATION AND SAID COPPER SALT CONTENT TO THE CONTENT OF AFORESAID SALT OTHER THAN COPPER SALT BEING IN THE RANGE FROM 5:1 TO 1:3.