US 4,740,075 AGranted

Device for processing photosensitive materials

AssigneeHoechst Aktiengesellschaft

InventorEberhard Schoernig

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Abstract

A compact device which can be attached to a conventional printing plate developing machine either as a correcting agent washing station or as a developing station is provided. The device comprises an antechamber and a brush area which contains a brush roller, squeeze rollers, spray tubes, a doctor blade resting against the upper squeeze roller and a sealing blade resting against the lower squeeze roller. The squeeze rollers and the sealing blade create a fluid bath which reaches into an antechamber and the fluid level of which is limited by overflows in the side shields of the device. The antechamber is separated from the brush area by a partition. The brush roller is partially immersed in the fluid bath. In the antechamber, a spray tube is located through which fluid is fed into the fluid bath without spraying the printing plate surface. Pairs of feed rollers, transport the printing plate along an inclined feed table. A closeable bottom drain is closed during operation of the device and is opened for replacing the fluid bath.

A device for processing photosensitive materials, comprising:

a housing;
an inclined feed table supported within the housing;
means for feeding the photosensitive material along the inclined feed table;
a receptacle for retaining fluid disposed within the housing and adjacent a lower end of the inclined feed table, the receptacle having an upper edge sealingly connected to the lower end of the inclined feed table;
a pair of squeeze rollers rotatably supported by the housing and disposed adjacent the lower end of the inclined feed table, each roller being positioned on a respective side of the plane of a surface of the inclined feed table, whereby the pair of squeeze rollers squeeze the photosensitive material as it passes beyond the lower end of the inclined feed table;
means for rotating each of the pair of squeeze rollers;
a brush roller rotatably supported by the housing and positioned to brush the photosensitive material as it is fed along the surface of the inclined feed table, the brush roller being positioned upwardly from the pair of squeeze rollers with respect to the plane of the surface of the inclined feed table and having tufts of bristles along its circumferential surface;
means for rotating the brush roller;
means for preventing correcting agents and copying layer particles from adhering to the bristles of the brush roller, the means for preventing comprising a bath of fluid, the bath formed by positioning the pair of squeeze rollers with respect to the receptacle and the inclined feed table so that the fluid rises along the surface of the inclined feed table to immerse at least a portion of the brush roller, whereby the fluid sufficiently penetrates the bristles of the brush roller so as to prevent correcting agents and copying layer particles from adhering to the bristles;
and
means for feeding fluid to the bath without spraying the photosensitive material comprising a first spray tube supported by the housing above the bath and adapted to feed fluid directly into the bath.

8 more elements

Abstract

Claims19