Abstract: In a stack of lithographic printing plate precursors, each plate has an aluminum substrate, a photo-polymerizable (PS) layer carried on the upper surface of the substrate, a water soluble topcoat oxidation inhibitor carried on the PS layer, and a water insoluble bottom coat on the lower surface of the substrate, wherein the bottom coat of each intermediate plate is in direct covering contact with the topcoat of an immediately adjacent plate. The associated process includes cutting through multiple sections of the finished web without interleaving to produce stacks of finally sized precursor plates, and without interleafing, packaging together at least 25 stacked and confronting precursor plates.

Abstract: A method for constructing a non-linear structure comprising bending a chain of serially connected hollow metal tetrahedral to form a non-linear segment and reinforcing the connections of the segment to form a rigid non-linear structure, and a tetrahedral structure comprising at least one non-linear segment consisting of a chain of serially connected hollow metal tetrahedra, in which each connection between successive tetrahedra includes external reinforcement. The structure can be a sculpture or a multipod such as legs for a table or the like.

Abstract: A method of immersion casting objects from molten metal, by crystallizing the metal outwardly from a heat-absorbing forming element such that upon removal from the molten metal bath, the solidified object has an internal surface defined by the shape of the forming element, and an outer surface that features random crystallization and a high degree of texture. The method can be facilitated by the interaction of the forming element and molten metal with molten salt provided as a layer on the molten metal. When the object is cast from a high purity metal such as aluminum or copper, the exposed crystal structure is especially random and highly reflective and can be enhanced by electro-chemical brightening.

Abstract: A method for producing a lithographic plate from a negative working, radiation imageable plate having an oleophilic resin coating that reacts to radiation by cross linking and is non-ionically adhered to a hydrophilic substrate. The steps include imagewise radiation exposing the coating to produce an imaged plate having partially reacted image areas at an initial double bond conversion rate including unreacted coating material, and completely unreacted nonimage areas; developing the plate by removing only the unreacted, nonimage areas from the substrate while retaining unreacted material in the image areas; and subjecting the upper surface of the plate to blanket post treatment energy, which further reacts the retained unreacted material in the image areas to increase the initial double bond conversion rate, producing a lithographic printing plate with enhanced durability.

Abstract: A method for producing a printable lithographic plate from a negative working, radiation imageable plate having an oleophilic resin coating that reacts to radiation by cross linking and is non-ionically adhered to a hydrophilic substrate. Steps include imagewise radiation exposing the coating to produce an imaged plate having partially reacted image areas including unreacted coating material, and completely unreacted nonimage areas; developing the plate by removing only the unreacted, nonimage areas from the substrate while retaining unreacted material in the image areas; and blanket exposing the developed plate with a source of energy which further reacts the retained unreacted material in the image areas. A plate with a coating containing resin particles can be imaged to produce initial cross-linking, then mechanically developed. Hardening of the imaged areas is completed with a relatively intense post-heating at 160 deg. C., which further cross links the monomer and fuses the resin particles.

Abstract: An explosion resistant armor for use on a military vehicle and method of manufacture. The explosion resistant comprises a plurality of tubular core members rigidly secured together in adjacent rank formation. The rigidly secured core members are sandwiched between upper and lower plates, such that each core member is in the form of a chain of integrally interconnected hollow tetrahedrons.

Abstract: A weight reduced and strength enhanced concrete structure in which at least one tubular reinforcing core is embedded in a solid concrete matrix. Each core is a chain of integrally interconnected hollow tetrahedra. Each tetrahedra has triangular faces connected at common edges and vertices. The planar faces of adjacent tetrahedra are spaced from each other, and concrete fills the spaces. The cores are suspended within the concrete and self-anchored, without anchors at the exterior surface of the structure. With the embedded cores the concrete structure becomes more resistant to compressive, tensile, and bending loads. For even greater strength of the structure, the cores can be tensioned and thereby pre-stress the concrete. Impact or other loads are distributed substantially isotropically, thereby reducing local stresses. These advantages can be achieved with cores that are lighter than the concrete material they displace or rebar they replace.

Abstract: A method of on-press development of a lithographic printing plate having an imaged photosensitive (PS) coating by (a) applying an emulsive film of press ink and fountain onto the entire PS coating; (b) transferring all nonimage areas of the inked PS coating and all of the ink film on the nonimage areas of the PS coating from the plate to a blanket roll while the image areas of the PS coating remain on the substrate, wherein the nonimage areas are transferred to the blanket roll in particulate form without dissolution or dispersion in any ink or fountain; and (c) contacting the blanket roll with a paper leader to further transfer all the ink, fountain water, and particles of nonimage PS coating that were transferred to the blanket roll, from the blanket roll to the paper leader.

Abstract: A printing plate having a substrate and a radiation sensitive, negative working, organic, polymerizable, photosensitive (PS) resin coating non-ionically adhered to the substrate such that the cohesion of the PS coating exceeds the adhesion of the PS coating to the substrate. The PS coating contains active components that participate in radiation induced polymerization, all of which active components are soluble in non-aqueous solvents and none of which active components are soluble or dispersible in any of the group of fluids consisting of water, fountain solution, ink, and press ink. The PS coating has sufficient cohesion and surface tack to adhere to and be mechanically pulled off the substrate by press ink as particulates without dissolution or dispersion into the press ink.

Abstract: A plate carries a solvent-soluble, radiation-polymerizable, oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate, which can be imagewise exposed to polymerizing radiation and then directly processed by the application of disruptive mechanical forces such as compression or tension to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using pressurized water and brushing pre-press, or the tack of the ink on-press.

Abstract: A method for preparing lithographic printing plates for on-press development, including sequentially feeding the plates to an imaging station to produce a plurality of latent image reference marks allocated among at least two margins along a respective two sides of the plate, and a latent print image within the margins. The imaged plates are transported from the imaging station to a plate bending station where the short ends of the plate are bent over. Between the imaging station and the bending station, the unimaged areas of the coating in at least two of the margins are removed to reveal the reference marks without developing the latent print image. Preferably, the reference marks are revealed while the plate is temporarily aligned in landscape orientation at stop, such as at the feeder to the bending station.

Abstract: A negative working, radiation imageable plate having an oleophilic resin coating that reacts to radiation by cross linking and is non-ionically adhered to a hydrophilic substrate. The plate is amenable to steps that include imagewise radiation exposing the coating to produce an imaged plate having partially reacted image areas including unreacted coating material, and completely unreacted nonimage areas; developing the plate by removing only the unreacted, nonimage areas from the substrate while retaining unreacted material in the image areas; and blanket exposing the developed plate with a source of energy which further reacts the retained unreacted material in the image areas. A plate with a coating containing resin particles can be imaged to produce initial cross-linking, then mechanically developed. Hardening of the imaged areas is completed with a relatively intense post-heating at 160 deg. C., which further cross links the monomer and fuses the resin particles.

Abstract: A method for producing a printable lithographic plate from a negative working, radiation imageable plate having an oleophilic resin coating that reacts to radiation by cross linking and is non-ionically adhered to a hydrophilic substrate. Steps include imagewise radiation exposing the coating to produce an imaged plate having partially reacted image areas including unreacted coating material, and completely unreacted nonimage areas; developing the plate by removing only the unreacted, nonimage areas from the substrate while retaining unreacted material in the image areas; and blanket exposing the developed plate with a source of energy which further reacts the retained unreacted material in the image areas. A plate with a coating containing resin particles can be imaged to produce initial cross-linking, then mechanically developed. Hardening of the imaged areas is completed with a relatively intense post-heating at 160 deg. C., which further cross links the monomer and fuses the resin particles.

Abstract: On-press development of an imaged printing plate on a plate cylinder, in which ink is applied by an ink form roll, a blanket roll is in contact with the plate, a rubber roll is opposed to the blanket roll, and printable media passes between the blanket roll and the rubber roll. The plate comprises a substrate carrying an imaged coating and nonimage areas. The respective cohesive and adhesive properties of the nonimage and image areas to the applied ink, substrate, blanket roll and printable medium, and the ink to the roll are such that the blanket roll pulls the ink from the plate and the ink pulls the nonimage areas from the substrate as undissolved particles that are transferred by the blanket with the ink to the printable media.

Abstract: On-press development of an imaged printing plate on a plate cylinder, in which ink is applied by an ink form roll, a blanket roll is in contact with the plate, a rubber roll is opposed to the blanket roll, and printable media passes between the blanket roll and the rubber roll. The plate comprises a substrate carrying an imaged coating, in which nonimage areas have cohesion C1, adhesion to the substrate A1, and adhesion to the applied ink A3 and image areas have cohesion C2, adhesion to the substrate A2, and adhesion to the applied ink A4. The ink has cohesion C3 and adhesion A5 to the blanket roll. The nonimage areas have adhesion A6 to the printable medium and the ink has adhesion A7 to the medium. The adhesions and cohesions are such that the blanket roll pulls the ink from the plate and the ink pulls the nonimage areas from the substrate as undissolved particles that are transferred by the blanket with the ink to the printable media.

Abstract: A solvent-soluble, radiation-polymerizable, oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate can be imagewise exposed to polymerizing radiation and then directly processed by the application of disruptive mechanical forces such as compression or tension to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using pressurized water and brushing pre-press, or the tack of the ink on-press.

Abstract: A method of on-press development of a lithographic printing plate having an imaged photosensitive (PS) coating by (a) applying an emulsive film of press ink and fountain onto the entire PS coating; (b) transferring all nonimage areas of the inked PS coating and all of the ink film on the nonimage areas of the PS coating from the plate to a blanket roll while the image areas of the PS coating remain on the substrate, wherein the nonimage areas are transferred to the blanket roll in particulate form without dissolution or dispersion in any ink or fountain; and (c) contacting the blanket roll with a paper leader to further transfer all the ink, fountain water, and particles of nonimage PS coating that were transferred to the blanket roll, from the blanket roll to the paper leader.

Abstract: A printing plate having a substrate and a radiation sensitive, negative working, organic, polymerizable, photosensitive (PS) resin coating non-ionically adhered to the substrate such that the cohesion of the PS coating exceeds the adhesion of the PS coating to the substrate. The PS coating contains active components that participate in radiation induced polymerization, all of which active components are soluble in non-aqueous solvents and none of which active components are soluble or dispersible in any of the group of fluids consisting of water, fountain solution, ink, and press ink. The PS coating has sufficient cohesion and surface tack to adhere to and be mechanically pulled off the substrate by press ink as particulates without dissolution or dispersion into the press ink.

Abstract: A plate carries a solvent-soluble, radiation-polymerizable, oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate, which can be imagewise exposed to polymerizing radiation and then directly processed by the application of disruptive mechanical forces such as compression or tension to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using pressurized water and brushing pre-press, or the tack of the ink on-press.

Abstract: An imaged plate with an oleophilic resin coating non-ionically adhered on a hydrophilic substrate can be directly processed on-press by the application of disruptive mechanical tension forces to remove the unimaged areas as undissolved particles, using the tack of the ink on-press.