Vapor fusing method for xerographic powder images

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF XEROGRAPHY THAT INCLUDED THE STEPS OF FORMING A LOOSELY SUPPORTED POWDER IMAGE REPRODUCTION WITH POWDER MATERIAL HAVING A SOLVENT SOLUBLE COMPONENT ONTO A CONTINOUS WEB SUPPORT SURFACE, AND FUSING THE LOOSELY SUPPORTED POWDER SUBSTANTIALLY PERMANENTLY ONTO SAID SUPPORT SURFACE, THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE FUSING STEP COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) FORMING A SOLVENT VAPOR ATMOSPHERE FOR THE SOLVENT SOLUBLE COMPONENT OF THE POWDER IMAGE AND IN WHICH THE WEB SUPPORT IS INSOLUBLE; (B) EXPOSING THE POWDER IMAGES ON SAID WEB TO SAID VAPOR ATMOSPHERE FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME PERIOD TO ENABLE FUSING OF THE SOLVENT SOLUBLE COMPONENT THEREOF AND WINDING THE WEB WHILE IN SAID VAPOR ATMOSPHERE INTO OVERLAPPING RELATION ONTO A TAKE-UP ROLL ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE WEB BEING RECEIVED THEREON AT LEAST PARTIALLY WITHIN SAID VAPOR SOLVENT ATMOSPHERE; AND (C) REMOVING THE WOUND WEB HAVING FUSED POWDER IMAGES THEREON FROM THE VAPOR ATMOSPHERE AFTER A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF WEB HAS BEEN WOUND ON SAID ROLL.