Direct imaging of offset plates

Claim 1

IN THE IMAGING OF AN OFFSET PLATE HVING A STRONGLY HYDROPHILIC FACE COATING COMPRISING A HYDROPHILIC BINDER, A HYDROPHILIC FILLER POWDER, AND A DISCONTINUOUS PHASE OF HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT SYNTHETIC ORGANOPHILIC POLYMER LATEX PARTICLES, THE LATEX BEING CHARACTERIZED AS FORMING A FRAGILE WATER-RECEPTIVE AND INK-REPELLENT DRIED FILM WHICH BECOMES WATER-REPELLANT AND INK-RECEPTIVE ON BEING HEATED, THE PROCESS COMPRISING IMPARTING A DESIRED PREFERENTIALLY RADIATION-ABSORPTIVE IMAGE TO A TRANSFER SHEET HAVING A FACE COATING COMPRISING A VOLATILIZABLE TRANSFER MATERIAL WHICH CAUSES GROSS SWELLING OF SAID POLYMER ON ABSORPTION THEREBY, PLACING THE FACE COATING OF THE IMAGED TRANSFER SHEET AGAINST THE FACE COATING OF SAID OFFSET PLATE, AND BRIEFLY EXPOSING THE IMAGED SURFACE OF THE TRANSFER SHEET TO INTENSE RADIATION TO CAUSE HEATING AT SAID IMAGE AND TRANSFER OF SAID VOLATILIZABLE TRANSFER MATERIAL TO SAID FACE COATING OF SAID OFFSET PLATE TO PROVIDE AN INK-RECEPTIVE PATTERN CORRESPONDING TO SAID IMAGE.