Master registry chase for use in a vacuum enclosure

Claim 2

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in freefloating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are under compression between the platen and the cover, the platen taking the form of an unbonded laminar assembly comprised of a hard, low flexibility face sheet arranged back to back with a layer of stiff, relatively compressible backing material thereunder.

Claim 3

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in a free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are uNder compression between the platen and the cover, the indexing means being rigidly upstanding on the face of the frame so as to be operatively interposed between the face of the frame and the cover when the vacuum is applied, and including series of spaced attachment elements on opposite sides of the opening in the frame, individually aligned with one another on spaced parallel courses from one side of the opening to the other, and substantially coextensive with the opening at each side, so that the image producing transparency can be attached on any given center line between the sides.

Claim 4

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in a free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are uNder compression between the platen and the cover, the indexing means being rigidly upstanding on the face of the frame so as to be operatively interposed between the face of the frame and the cover when the vacuum is applied, and including series of spaced attachment elements on opposite sides of the opening in the frame, individually aligned with one another on spaced parallel courses from one side of the opening to the other, and substantially coextensive with the opening at each side, so that the image producing transparency can be attached on any given center line between the sides.

Claim 5

The chase according to claim 2 wherein the attachment elements comprise sets of upright pins for engagement with holes in the plate and the image-producing transparency.

Claim 6

The chase according to claim 3 wherein the sets of indexing pins are upstanding on a pair of flat elongated adjustment members which are slidably engaged in the face of the frame, flush with the plane of the surfaces.

Claim 7

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in a free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are under compression between the platen and the cover, the marginal frame having a diaphragm secured airtight across the opening thereof, and the platen resting in a free-floating condition on the diaphragm and reciprocably guided by the edges of the opening.

Claim 8

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in a free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are under compression between the platen and the cover, the marginal frame having a diaphragm secured airtight across the opening thereof, and the platen resting in a free-floating condition on the diaphragm and reciprocably guided by the edges of the opening.

Claim 9

The chase according to claim 5 wherein the face of the frame has flat coplanar surfaces adjacent the edges of the opening, and in its normal condition the platen is interposed between the diaphragm and the plane of said surfaces.

Claim 10

In a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are under compression between the platen and the cover, the vacuum enclosure having a perforated base plate, and the marginal frame being supported on and secured airtight to the base plate, about the perforation or perforations therein.

Claim 11

In a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, an open-faced marginal frame having a stiff, hard-surfaced platen supported in free-floating condition and reciprocably guided within the opening thereof, to be applied by the vacuum against the cover, while the plate and an image-producing transparency are compressed therebetween, and indexing means on the marginal frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image-producing transparency in relation to one another, while they are under compression between the platen and the cover, the vacuum enclosure having a perforated base plate, and the marginal frame being supported on and secured airtight to the base plate, about the perforation or perforations therein.

Claim 12

The vacuum enclosure according to claim 7 wherein a flexible vacuum seal is formed on the base plate, about the body of the frame, to be engaged by the cover when the vacuum is applied.

Claim 13

THe vacuum enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the cover is floatably mounted in relation to the base plate, so that the platen and cover can seek a parallel when the cover is engaged with the seal.

Claim 14

THe vacuum enclosure according to claim 7 wherein a blank of transparent sheet material is superimposed on the marginal frame, which has tabs projecting from opposite edges thereof which are of substantially lesser width than the edges themselves and contain pairs of holes which are arranged in parallel rows from one tab to the other, and engaged with the indexing means on opposite sides of the opening in the frame.

Claim 15

The vacuum enclosure according to claim 7 wherein the indexing means includes sets of upright pins which are upstanding on the face of the frame, and the holes in the tab at one end of the blank are complemental to the pins in siZe, whereas the holes in the tab at the other end of the blank are oblong in relation thereto.

Claim 16

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising a marginal frame having an opening therein and a platen reciprocably guided in the opening, means supporting the platen in the opening, for movement in relation to the frame, and indexing means on the frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image producing transparency in relation to one another, while the plate and transparency are under compression between the platen and the cover.

Claim 17

A chase for use in a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, comprising a marginal frame having an opening therein and a platen reciprocably guided in the opening, means supporting the platen in the opening, for movement in relation to the frame, and indexing means on the frame, in substantially the surface plane of the platen, to fix the positions of the plate and the image producing transparency in relation to one another, while the plate and transparency are under compression between the platen and the cover.

Claim 18

The chase according to claim 12 wherein the frame has a diaphragm secured airtight across the opening thereof, and the platen is rested in a free-floating condition on the diaphragm and reciprocably guided by the edges of the opening.

Claim 19

In a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, a marginal frame having an opening therein and a platen reciprocably guided in the opening, means supporting the platen in the opening, for movement in relation to the frame, means operative to raise the platen against the cover when the vacuum is applied to the enclosure, and indexing means on the frame in substantially the surface plane of the platen to fix the positions of the plate and the image producing transparency in relation to one another, while the plate and transparency are under compression between the platen and the cover.

Claim 20

In a vacuum enclosure having a transparent cover to enable the photoimpression of an image on a photosensitive plate therein, a marginal frame having an opening therein and a platen reciprocably guided in the opening, means supporting the platen in the opening, for movement in relation to the frame, means operative to raise the platen against the cover when the vacuum is applied to the enclosure, and indexing means on the frame in substantially the surface plane of the platen to fix the positions of the plate and the image producing transparency in relation to one another, while the plate and transparency are under compression between the platen and the cover.

Claim 21

THe vacuum enclosure according to claim 14 wherein the frame has a diaphragm secured airtight across the opening thereof, and the platen is rested in a free floating condition on the diaphragm and reciprocably guided by the edges of the opening.

Claim 22

THe vacuum enclosure according to claim 14 wherein the enclosure has a perforated base plate, and the frame is supported on and secured airtight to the base plate, about the perforation or perforations therein.