Anti-clockspringing cassette for a roll of web material and method

A cassette for holding and dispensing a roll of photosensitive web material, said cassette comprising:

• a web core rotatable about an axis and having an inner peripheral surface defining a core opening;
• at least one end cap having a tubularly shaped hub member insertable into said core opening for rotatably supporting said web core, said hub member having an outer peripheral ramp radially spaced from said inner peripheral surface of said web core to form an annular gap therebetween;
• a jacket encasing said web core and supported by said end caps;
• and,
• anti-clockspringing means for securing said web core against rotation during shipping and handling, and for releasing said web core for rotation in a forward direction during web transport from said cassette, the anti-clockspringing means comprising:
• a fork slidably mounted within at least one hub member each fork having at least one latch finger at one end, and at least one lock finger at the opposite end, said fork being further slidably movable between a core-locked position in which said latch finger latchingly engages said end cap and said lock finger is wedged into said annular gap between said hub member and said web core for locking web core from rotation, and a core-released position in which said latch finger is disengaged from said end cap and said lock finger is disengaged from said annular gap for allowing web core rotation.