METHOD AND AUTOMATED APPARATUS FOR PHOTOCOMPOSING

摘要

The disclosed invention is for an automated photocomposing apparatus and improvements in a method of operating such a photocomposing apparatus. The apparatus includes (A) means for storing and supplying severed sheets of plastic film; (B) means for dispensing and leveling a liquid photocurable composition on a sheet of plastic film; (C) a housing having at one end an actinic light source and at the other end a support adapted to receive thereon a supported liquid photocurable composition which on exposure to actinic light through an image bearing transparency becomes selectively insolubilized in the exposed portions thereof; (D) a vertically disposed posterior photocuring station; (E) an etching bath energized by ultrasonic energy; (F) a washing bath; (G) an air-drying station disposed adjacent the washing bath; and (H) a horizontally disposed posterior photocuring station for finally curing the processed plate. A plurality of conveying means transfer sheets from location (A) to location (H) in automated sequence. The invention is especially useful in preparing a developable printing plate from a liquid photocurable composition.