Abstract: An electrostatic imaging sheet wherein one side of the sheet, e.g. paper, is electrically conductive and the other side of the sheet has a continuous dielectric layer comprising a mixture of a smectite clay e.g. a synthetic hectorite swelling clay and an electrically insulating polymer, preferably in particle form. The dielectric layer may comprise a layer of a smectite clay which forms a barrier between the electrically conductive layer and the layer of insulating polymer.The invention is also a dielectric coating composition comprising a mixture of electrically insulating polymer in aqueous dispersion and a water dispersible smectite clay.The mixture of polymer and water dispersible smectite clay, preferably form a colloidal suspension, and the amount of smectite clay in the composition is preferably in the range 0.5 to 5% by weight of the composition excluding inorganic filler.

Abstract: A method for forming an electrostatic latent image usable to produce images free from fog and "gooseflesh" non-uniformity wherein an electrostatic recording medium placed between two electrodes and a photoconductive layer is illuminated in a first step while a voltage less than the minimum threshold recording voltage is applied across the electrodes and then exposed in a second step to an optical image while a voltage higher than the minimum threshold recording voltage is applied across the electrodes.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image residing on an electrically insulating surface used to induce a similar image on a sectionally conductive member by bringing one surface of the sectionally conductive member into proximity with the latent image while the opposite surface of the sectionally conductive member is brought to ground potential. The sectionally conductive member is then removed from proximity with the latent image. To prevent electrical breakdown during removal, a grounded electrode is placed adjacent the surface of the sectionally conductive member opposite the latent image but separated from the sectionally conductive member by a thin electrically insulating layer. A latent image is thus formed on the sectionally conductive member which can be developed by conventional means such as with electroscopic materials well known in the xerographic art.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying method in which there are employed a photosensitive member including a photoconductor layer backed by a conductive electrode and a dielectric layer backed by a conductive electrode comprises the steps of positioning the members with the layers in face-to-face virtual contact and while so positioned applying a voltage of a first polarity between the electrodes under dark conditions to cause gaseous discharges in the gaps between the layers and the charging of the dielectric layer and short circuiting the electrodes while illuminating the photoconductive layer until the electric field therein is zero, and then applying a voltage of reverse polarity between the electrodes while exposing the photoconducted layer to a light image to produce an electrostatic latent image thereof on the dielectric layer which is then separated from the photoconductor layer and the latent image developed and transferred to copy paper.

Abstract: A method of producing an electrostatic latent image of an original includes the successive steps of positioning of face-to-face virtual contact a photoconductor layer superimposed on a conductive backing electrode and a dielectric layer superimposed on another conductive backing electrode, applying a direct current voltage of a first polarity between the electrodes of a value to produce gas discharges between the layers to charge the dielectric layer while the photoconductor layer is unexposed to any light, short circuiting the electrodes while exposing the full surface of the photoconductor layer to light until the electric field across the photoconductor layer is substantially zero and applying a voltage between the electrodes at a polarity opposite to the first polarity while exposing the photoconductor layer to the light image of an original.

Abstract: In an electrically activatable recording element, such as one comprising an electrically conductive support having thereon, in sequence: (a) a polymeric electrically active conductive (EAC) layer, (b) an electrically activatable recording layer comprising (A) a dye-forming coupler, and (B) an oxidation-reduction combination comprising (i) an organic silver salt oxidizing agent, such as a silver salt of a 1,2,4-mercaptotriazole derivative, with (ii) a reducing agent which, in its oxidized form, forms a dye with the dye-forming coupler, (c) a photoconductive layer separated from (b) by an air gap of up to 20 microns, and (d) an electrically conductive layer; improvements are provided by means of a polymeric EAC layer (a) comprising a halogen containing polyester, such as poly(2,2'-oxydiethylene:2,2'-dimethyl 1,3-propylene 50:50-2,5-dibromoterephthalate) and poly(ethylene:2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propylene 50:50-2,5-dibromoterephthalate).

Abstract: Charge transfer imaging method and apparatus using a photoreceptor assembly. The assembly, which is formed by the interposition of a semiconducting substrate between a photoreceptor and a conducting base member, is used to transfer an image to a dielectric member with reduced image degradation.

Abstract: An image-forming member for forming a metal grain image of the type containing a reducible metal compound which is able to isolate metal from it when reduced, and a reducing agent being capable of reducing the metal compound so that there may be formed a metal grain image by the metal isolated from the metal compound at the portion of the member subjected to the action of energy for producing a metal grain image-forming ability and thermal energy is characterized by the provision of a capturing means which is capable of capturing by-product produced from the metal compound upon the isolation of the metal from the metal compound.

Abstract: An electrophotographic plate comprising a conductive substrate, a photoconductive-insulative layer overlaying the substrate and a transparent, electrically active, organic, electron transport layer overlaying the photoconductive-insulative layer in which the photoconductive layer comprises a Se--Te or Se--As mixture in the range of 90-97.5 atomic percent Se or 60-97.5 atomic percent, respectively, and wherein the thicknesses of the photoconductive layer and transport overlayer range between 40 to 100 micrometers and 1 to 5 micrometers, respectively.

Abstract: The method of forming a charge-image on a charge-retaining object by applying an electrical image-activating energy and a mechanical image-activating energy in a manner to result in the functional dependence of the charge density of the consequent charge-image to the magnitudes of the image-activating energies and to the length of the activating time period, enabling the charge-image or the subsequent visible image to have a uniform desired level of desired density, controlled multiple levels of density, controlled continuously varying density, or a combination thereof. It also enables the trading off of charge density for a lower image-activating voltage and the trading off of charge-imaging speed for higher charge density. The resulting image is of high fidelity to the original.

Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive material for producing an electrostatic printing master having improved electrostatic characteristics comprises a support, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder.

Abstract: A heat-developable photosensitive member for forming an electric printing master comprises a support, an organic silver salt layer containing an organic silver salt, a halide and a toning agent dispersed in a binder, and a surface protecting layer or a particular surface, and a reducing agent is contained in at least one layer of the organic silver salt layer and a layer adjacent to the organic layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording material comprising a support having formed thereon a dielectric layer composed of a terpolymer consisting of (a) methacrylic acid, (b) a monomer selected from the group consisting of (1) acrylic acid esters containing at least 4 carbon atoms and (2) methacrylic acid esters containing at least 5 carbon atoms, and (c) a monomer selected from the group consisting of (1) acrylic acid esters containing at least 4 carbon atoms and (2) methacrylic acid esters containing at least 5 carbon atoms, wherein monomer (b) and monomer (c) are different and at least one of the monomers (b) and (c) is an acrylic acid ester containing at least 11 carbon atoms or a methacrylic acid ester containing at least 8 carbon atoms, and a method for producing an electrostatic recording material, which comprises converting such a terpolymer to a water-soluble or water-emulsifiable salt of the terpolymer in which about 20 to 100 mol% of the carboxyl groups present form a salt with ammonia and/or a volatile amine,

Abstract: An improved heat-developable photosensitive material is disclosed which comprises an infrared rays-absorbing layer provided in contact with or adjacent to a layer comprising a reducible organic silver salt.

Abstract: A first method of revealing a fingerprint involves the charging of the surface bearing the fingerprint to a high electric potential and applying finely divided carbon to the charged surface to form a pattern thereon corresponding to the fingerprint.The finely divided carbon may be dusted or sprayed on or may be in suspension in a dielectric liquid into which the charged surface is introduced.In another method the surface is charged while submerged in the dielectric liquid, under the action of an electric field in the dielectric.In another method an electrically charged sheet is brought into contact with a surface bearing a fingerprint and after being removed, the charged sheet has applied to its surface finely divided carbon which adheres thereto depending on the charge pattern remaining thereon after contact with the fingerprint.The pattern of finely divided carbon can be fixed in position by applying thereover a transparent protective layer.

Abstract: A method whereby a large number of copies can be produced from a single electrostatic latent image formed on one of a dielectric member, an insulating member or photoconductive member by developing and printing the image by transfer printing in successive operations. The absolute value of a bias voltage impressed on the developing device in developing the electrostatic latent image is gradually reduced until the number of copies produced reaches a specific level, and then progressively increased as the number of copies produced increases for producing copies in numbers which exceed the specific level, whereby copies of a number greater than the number of the specific level can be produced from the same electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming an electrostatic latent image on a recording element having a dielectric layer superposed on a conductive electrode. In the first step of this process, the recording element and a xerographic sensitive element having a photoconductive layer also superposed on a conductive electrode are charged with the same polarity. In the second step, the photosensitive element is brought into virtual contact with the recording element so that the charged surface of the photoconductive layer in the photosensitive element is in face-to-face relationship with the charged surface of the dielectric layer in the recording element.

Abstract: An electrophotographic system employing double image transfer. A photoconductive member is charged and exposed to form a latent electrostatic image, which is then transferred to a drum with a durable dielectric coating. The latent electrostatic image is subsequently toned and transferred by pressure to a recording medium, with or without simultaneous pressure fixing.