Abstract: A method for providing a lithographic printing plate includes developing an exposed imageable element with an alkali silicate-containing developer composition having a pH of at least 12.0. The developer composition is regenerated by adding to it an alkali silicate-containing regenerator composition having a pH of at least 12.0. Conductivity of both the developer and regenerator compositions is suppressed from the presence of one or more conductivity reducing agents (such as glycerin). This conductivity suppression in the developer composition is greater than the suppression of the conductivity of the regenerator composition.

Abstract: A concentrated developer can be prepared with less than 60 weight % water and still remain in a single phase with little or no haze or precipitation. This developer concentrate also includes a water-soluble or water-miscible organic solvent, one or more alkyl ether carboxylic acid, coconut oil alkanolamine, coconut fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, ?-naphtholethoxylate, and block propylene oxide-ethylene oxide in an amount of at least 0.1 and up to 50 weight % solids, and optionally an alkyl naphthalene sulfonate in an amount of up to 40 weight % solids. The developer concentrate can be diluted up to 80:1 or greater with water and used to process imaged lithographic printing plate precursors.

Abstract: An imaged and developed element, such as a lithographic printing plate, is provided by infrared radiation imaging of a negative-working imagable element having an outermost imagable layer that includes a free radically polymerizable component, a free radical initiator composition comprising a diaryliodonium borate, and an infrared radiation absorbing compound. The imagable layer also includes a polymeric binder that is represented by the following Structure (I): -(A)w-(A?)w?-??(I) wherein A represents recurring units comprising a pendant reactive vinyl group, A? represents recurring units other than those represented by A, w is from about 1 to about 70 mol %, and w? is from about 30 to about 99 mol %. The imagewise exposed element is developed with a gum to remove only the non-exposed regions. The gum has a pH greater than 7 and up to about 11 and at least 1 weight % of an anionic surfactant.

Abstract: An imaged and developed element, such as a lithographic printing plate, is provided by infrared radiation imaging of a negative-working imageable element having an outermost imageable layer that includes a free radically polymerizable component, a free radical initiator composition comprising a diaryliodonium borate, and an infrared radiation absorbing compound. The imageable layer also includes a polymeric binder that is represented by the following Structure (I): -(A)w-(A?)w?-??(I) wherein A represents recurring units comprising a pendant reactive vinyl group, A? represents recurring units other than those represented by A, w is from about 1 to about 70 mol %, and w? is from about 30 to about 99 mol %. The imagewise exposed element is developed with a gum to remove only the non-exposed regions. The gum has a pH greater than 7 and up to about 11 and at least 1 weight % of an anionic surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous regenerator for addition to an aqueous developer that contains an organic solvent, a dispersing agent and a weak base, and has a pH of between about 8 and less than about 13. The aqueous regenerator includes an organic solvent, dispersing agent, and an effective amount of a strong base such that the regenerator has a greater pH than the developer into which the regenerator is to be added.

Abstract: A method for providing a lithographic printing plate includes developing an exposed imageable element with an alkali silicate-containing developer composition having a pH of at least 12.0. The developer composition is regenerated by adding to it an alkali silicate-containing regenerator composition having a pH of at least 12.0. Conductivity of both the developer and regenerator compositions is suppressed from the presence of one or more conductivity reducing agents (such as glycerin). This conductivity suppression in the developer composition is greater than the suppression of the conductivity of the regenerator composition.

Abstract: A highly alkaline developer composition includes an alkali silicate, an alkyl sulfate, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible polyhydroxy compound such as glycerin. The developer composition is useful for processing imaged elements to produce lithographic printing plates with reduced etching of the aluminum substrates that have been coated with hydrophilic polymers such as poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) and with minimal sludging in the developer tank.

Abstract: A positive-working lithographic printing plate is used to provide a positive image without a post-exposure baking step and without any floodwise exposure steps. The printing plate includes a layer that is imageable using an infrared radiation laser. This layer consists essentially of a phenolic resin, an infrared radiation absorbing compound, and a dissolution inhibitor that is non-photosensitive and is capable of providing sites for hydrogen bonding with the phenolic moieties of the binder resin. These printing plates are developed with an alkaline composition that includes an alkali metal silicate, a thickener and a fluorosurfactant or phosphate ester hydrotrope.

Abstract: An alkaline developing composition for processing a lithographic printing plate includes an alkali metal silicate, at least 6 weight % of a thickener such as glycerine, and a nonionic fluorosurfactant or a phosphate ester hydrotrope. Lithographic printing plates that can be developed using this composition are either positive- or negative-working, and include both positive- and negative-working thermal plates.

Abstract: An alkaline developing composition for processing a lithographic printing plate includes an alkali metal silicate, at least 6 weight % of a thickener such as glycerine, and a nonionic fluorosurfactant or a phosphate ester hydrotrope. Lithographic printing plates that can be developed using this composition are either positive- or negative-working, and include both positive- and negative-working thermal plates.

Abstract: Aqueous alkaline developing compositions useful in the development of negative-working lithographic printing plates are comprised of an organic solvent, an anionic surface active agent, an alkali metal tetraborate, an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, an alkali metal citrate, a poly(alkylene glycol), an alkali metal salt of an hydroxylated aromatic carboxylic or sulfonic acid and sufficient alkaline buffering system to provide an alkaline pH. The developing composition is resistant to oxidation, highly effective in dissolution-type processing, able to effectively desensitize the background areas of the printing plate, and capable of preventing excessive deposits in a processing machine and rapidly redissolving deposits that do form.

Abstract: Aqueous alkaline developing compositions useful in the development of negative-working lithographic printing plates are comprised of an organic solvent, an anionic surface active agent, an alkali metal tetraborate, an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, a long chain aliphatic amine and sufficient alkaline buffering system to provide an alkaline pH. The developing composition is resistant to oxidation, highly effective in dissolution-type processing, able to effectively desensitize the background areas of the printing plate, and effective in enhancing the oleophilicity of the image areas of the printing plate.

Abstract: A negative-working lithographic printing plate having a radiation-sensitive layer comprising a diazo resin, an acid-substituted ternary acetal polymer and an unsaturated polyester is developed with an aqueous developing composition comprising an organic solvent, an anionic surface active agent, sodium oxalate, sodium nitrate or an alkali metal tetraborate an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and sufficient alkaline buffering system to provide an alkaline pH. The method effectively avoids problems of blinding and background sensitivity which are of critical concern in the printing art.

Abstract: Aqueous alkaline developing compositions useful in the development of negative-working lithographic printing plates are comprised of an organic solvent, an anionic surface active agent, sodium oxalate, sodium nitrate or an alkali metal tetraborate, an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and sufficient alkaline buffering system to provide an alkaline pH. The developing composition is resistant to oxidation, highly effective in dissolution-type processing, and able to effectively desensitize the background areas of the printing plate.

Abstract: A razor blade body in the form of a cartridge structure includes a guard member assembled thereon forward of, and extending parallel to, the blade or blades. The guard is of a two part molded structure having an upper portion of elastomeric material with a plurality of upwardly projecting protrusions formed thereon and a lower base portion of rigid plastic material having a downwardly projecting V-shaped cross-sectional portion. A pair of upwardly projecting elements are disposed in spaced relation forming a recess on the blade cartridge structure for receiving the V-shaped base portion therebetween and a latch means disposed in the recess retains the guard member in the assembled position.

Abstract: A shaving system includes body structure with guide structure and blade structure carried by the body structure. The blade structure has a cutting edge extending along the length of the body structure. A movable guard member of sheet material is carried by the body structure forwardly of the cutting edge of the blade structure and has a vertically extending rear wall portion, a sloped surface portion that extends forwardly in cantilever relation from the rear wall portion and that includes skin-tensioning surface structure, and integral guide portions disposed in the guide structure. The movable guard member is biased for dynamic movement as guided by the guide structure in the course of a shaving stroke.

Abstract: A shaving system of the wet shave type includes body structure that incorporates guide structure and fixed skin-engaging structure with skin-tensioning surface structure. Blade structure, carried by the body structure rearwardly of the fixed skin-engaging structure, has a cutting edge extending along the length of the body structure, and movable guard structure is carried by the body structure between and adjacent to the fixed skin-engaging structure and the cutting edge of the blade structure. The movable guard structure includes a series of skin-tensioning crest portions disposed for skin-engagement between and adjacent to the fixed skin-engaging structure and the cutting edge. The movable guard structure is positioned in the body structure in engagement with biasing structure for dynamic movement of the movable guard structure relative to the fixed skin-engaging structure against the biasing structure as guided by the guide structure in the course of shaving.

Abstract: Radiation-sensitive compositions which are especially useful in the production of negative-working lithographic printing plates comprise a photocrosslinkable polymer containing the photosensitive group ##STR1## as an integral part of the polymer backbone and, in an amount sufficient to improve the properties of the composition, both a polymer of vinyl pyrrolidone and an unsaturated polyester such as a polyester derived from fumaric acid and a 4,4'-isopropylidine-diphenol. The combination of a polymer of vinyl pyrrolidone and an unsaturated polyester improves the properties of the radiation-sensitive composition in regard to such factors as shelf life, image contrast, developability and ink receptivity and thereby provides a superior lithographic printing plate.

Abstract: A razor blade body in the form of a cartridge structure includes a guard member assembled thereon forward of, and extending parallel to, the blade or blades. The guard is of a two part molded structure having an upper portion of elastomeric material with a plurality of upwardly projecting protrusions formed thereon and a lower base portion of rigid plastic material having a downwardly projecting V-shaped cross-sectional portion. A pair of upwardly projecting elements are disposed in spaced relation forming a recess on the blade cartridge structure for receiving the V-shaped base portion therebetween and a latch means disposed in the recess retains the guard member in the assembled position.