Apparatus for producing photographic images and printing plates

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHIG IMAGES FOR A HEAT TRANSFER PROCESS FROM A SUPPORTED LIGHT-SENSITIVE SILVER HALIDE EMULSION LAYER BEING IMAGE WISE EXPOSED, DEVELOPED AND HEATED WHILE IN CONTACT WITH A SUPPORTED TRANSFER LAYER, COMPRISING A ROTATABLE DRUM DISPOSED FOR RECEIVING THE SUPPORTED LAYERS WITH SAID LAYERS CONTACTING THE SURFACE OF SAID DRUM AT A FEED PORTION AND LEAVING THE SURFACE OF SAID DRUM AT A DISCHARGE PORTION, MOISTENING MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FEED PORTION OF SAID DRUM WHEREBY THE LAYERS ARE PASSED THROUGH SAID MOISTENING MEANS AND ON TO THE SURFACE OF SAID DRUM, HEATING MEANS FOR HEATING SAID DRUM, SAID DRUM HAVING A VAPOR TIGHT AND WATER IMPERVIOUS SURFACE UPON WHICH THE LAYERS ARE IN CONTACT, A MOVABLE ENDLESS BELT CONTACTING SAID SURFACE OF SAID DRUM BETWEEN SAID FEED PORTION AND SAID DISCHARGE PORTION WHEREBY SAID BELT AND THE PORTION OF SAID SURFACE OF SAID DRUM CONTACTED BY SAID BELT FORM A HEATING ZONE, SAID ENDLESS BELT BEING OF A WATER-IMPERVIOUS ELASTIC MATERIAL OF LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY WHEREBY SAID HEATING ZONE IS WATER IMPERVIOUS, SAID ENDLESS BELT HAVING A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 20* AND 70*C. LOWER THAN SAID SURFACE OF SAID HEATING DRUM, AND ADJUSTABLE GUIDE MEANS MAINTAINING SAID BELT IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE OF SAID DRUM.