Method of developing photographic materials by means of gases or vapours and to apparus for carrying the method into effect

Claim 1

A METHOD OF DEVOLOPING, BY EXPOSURE TO AMMONIANCAL DEVELOPING VAPOURS, TWO-COMPONENT LIGHT-SENSITIVE DIAZOTYPE MATERIALS WHICH HAVE BEEN DIFFERENTIALLY SUBJECTED TO ACTINIC RADIATION, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES THE STEPS OF SUBJECTING THE MATERIALS WHILE MOVING TO A TEMPERATURE IN A SEPARATE PREHEAT ZONE SUFFICIENT TO HEAT THE MATERAILS TO A PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE DURING THEIR DWELL IN SAID PREHEAT ZONE, SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE BEING SO RELATED TO THE MOVING SPEED OF THE MATERIAL THAT UPON RACHING A DEVELOPING ZONE HAVING AN ENTRY END AND SPACED APART EXIT END THE MATERIALS REACH DEVELOPMENT TEMPERATURE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE SAID ENTRY END, PASSING THE MATERIALS AT SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE TO A DEVELOPING ZONE AND SUBJECTING SAID MATERIALS IN SAID ZONE AT SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE TO DEVELOPING VAPOURS.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF DEVOLOPING, BY EXPOSURE TO AMMONIANCAL DEVELOPING VAPOURS, TWO-COMPONENT LIGHT-SENSITIVE DIAZOTYPE MATERIALS WHICH HAVE BEEN DIFFERENTIALLY SUBJECTED TO ACTINIC RADIATION, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES THE STEPS OF SUBJECTING THE MATERIALS WHILE MOVING TO A TEMPERATURE IN A SEPARATE PREHEAT ZONE SUFFICIENT TO HEAT THE MATERAILS TO A PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE DURING THEIR DWELL IN SAID PREHEAT ZONE, SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE BEING SO RELATED TO THE MOVING SPEED OF THE MATERIAL THAT UPON RACHING A DEVELOPING ZONE HAVING AN ENTRY END AND SPACED APART EXIT END THE MATERIALS REACH DEVELOPMENT TEMPERATURE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE SAID ENTRY END, PASSING THE MATERIALS AT SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE TO A DEVELOPING ZONE AND SUBJECTING SAID MATERIALS IN SAID ZONE AT SAID PRESELECTED TEMPERATURE TO DEVELOPING VAPOURS.