Image photopolymerization transfer process

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR REPRODUCING AN IMAGE AT NORMAL ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND ROOM TEMPERATURE FROM A STRATUM OF A PHOTOPOLYMERIZABLE COMPOSITION HAVING A STICK TEMPERATURE BELOW 30*C. AND COMPRISING A NONGASEOUS ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED COMPOUND CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE TERMINAL ETHYLENIC GROUP HAVING A BOILING POINT ABOVE 100*C. AT NORMAL ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND BEING CAPABLE OF FORMING A HIGH POLYMER BY FREE-RADICAL INITIATED, CHAIN-PROPAGATING ADDITION POLYMERIZATION, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES (1) EXPOSING SAID STRATUM IMAGEWISE WITH ACTINIC RADIATION, (2) PRESSING THE RESULTING EXPOSED SURFACE OF SAID STRATUM WITH THE SURFACE OF AN IMAGE-RECEPTIVE SUPPORT AND (3) SEPARATING THE TWO SURFACES WHEREBY AN IMAGE CORRESPONDING TO THE UNDEREXPOSED IMAGE AREAS IN TRANSFERRED TO THE SURFACE OF THE IMAGE-RECEPTIVE SUPPORT; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING PLACING A REMOVABLE COVER SHEET IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SAID STRATUM PRIOR TO THE EXPOSING STEP, SAID COVER SHEET BEING CAPABLE OF UNIFORMLY TRANSMITTING ACTINIC RADIATION AND HAVING LOW PERMEABILITY TO OXYGEN, AND REMOVING SAID COVER SHEET AFTER EXPOSURE AND PRIOR TO SAID PRESSING STEP (2).