Lithographic process using a stop bath

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING A LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE FROM AN EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC ELEMENT COMPRISING A SUPPORT HAVING THEREON A GELATIN LAYER CONTAINING THEREIN A SILVER HALIDE DEVELOPING AGENT CAPABLE OF OXIDATION IN THE PRESENCE OF A HYDROPHILIC ORGANIC COLLOID TO FORM AN IMAGE RECEPTIVE TO GREASY PRINTING INK, AND OVER SAID GELATIN LAYER ON EXPOSED HYDROPHILIC ORGANIC COLLOID SILVER HALIDE EMULSION CONTAINING A HARDENER, IN WHICH THE COLLOID HAS A HARDNESS EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF A GELATIN LAYER CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 2 GRAMS TO ABOUT 15 GRAMS OF DRY FORMALDEHYDE PER POUND OF GELATIN, COMPRISING: (1) INITIATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPOSED EMULSION LAYER WITH AN ALKALINE SOLUTION, THEREBY FORMING AN IMAGE, AND (2) ARRESTING THE DEVELOPING ACTION BY MEANS OF AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING 1-10% BY WEIGHT BENZYL ALCOHOL, ABOUT 1-10% BY WEIGHT OF AN ACID SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF PHOSPHORIC ACID, ACETIC ACID, GLYCOLIC ACID AND CITRIC ACID AND AN ORGANIC WATER MISCIBLE SOLVENT.