Image transfer apparatus

Claim 1

IMAGE TRANSFER APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS TO ADVANCE AN IMAGE-BEARING CARRIER AND AN IMAGE-RECEIVING CARRIER EDGEWISE INTO PROGRESSIVE SUPERPOSED CONTACT ONE WITH THE OTHER ALONG RESPECTIVE PATHS WHICH CONVERGE TOGETHER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A GUIDE SURFACE ON WHICH ONE CARRIER IS GUIDED IN APPROACHING SUCH CONVERGENCE WITH THE OTHER CARRIER, THE GUIDE SURFACE BEING CONTACTED BY THAT FACE OF SAID ONE CARRIER WHICH IS OPPOSITE THAT CONTACTED BY THE OTHER CARRIER, DEVELOPER LIQUID APPLICATOR SHOE MEANS DISPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID GUIDE SURFACE AND CONFORMING SUBSTANTIALLY IN SHAPE TO AND PARALLEL WITH SAID GUIDE SURFACE TO FORM A NARROW PASSAGE THEREBETWEEN AND THROUGH WHICH SAID ONE CARRIER IS MOVED, WITH SAID PASSAGE BEING ONLY SLIGHTLY THICKER THAN SAID ONE CARRIER, SAID APPLICATOR SHOE MEANS HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGE AT AN INTERMEDIATE LOCATION ALONG THE EXTENT OF SAID GUIDE SHOE IN THE DIRECTION OF CARRIER MOVEMENT THROUGH THE PASSAGE, AND PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID OPENING TO FORCE DEVELOPER LIQUID INTO SAID PASSAGE UNDER PRESSURE AND THEREBY CREATE A PRESSURIZED FILM OF LIQUID WHICH INHERENTLY, BY REASON OF THE PRESSURE AND THE CONFINEMENT BETWEEN SAID ONE CARRIER AND SAID SHOE MEANS, SPREADS OUT AND FLOWS OVER THE CARRIER THEREIN.