US3839040A

US3839040A - Process for preparing colored film overlays

Info

Publication number: US3839040A
Application number: US00349318A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Goldstein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-15
Filing date: 1973-04-09
Publication date: 1974-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-01

Abstract

A carrier sheet or film covered with a photo-hardenable emulsion of the desired color is placed in a vacuum frame in contact with the image to be copied and then exposed to ultraviolet light. The film is then developed and moved through a bath of liquid to which a compatible surfactant has been added, and scrubbed in this bath to remove the soluble emulsion therefrom by using a rotating spongy wheel moving over the surface of the emulsion faster than the film is moving through the liquid. All clinging surface liquid is then removed from the film by squeezing it between two sets of facing contacting ringers or rollers, and the film then rapidly dries in the air.

Description

llmted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,839,040 Goldstein [45 U 1, 1974 [5 PROCESS FOR PREPARING CULURED 3,397,980 8/1968 Stone 96/48 R FILM OVERLAYS 3,410,190 11/1968 Browning 96/48 R 3,561,962 2/197! Ewing 96/35.l [76] Inventor: Alvin M. Goldstein, 1610 Kelmer Mlnneapolls, 55426 Primary Examiner-Ronald H. Smith 22 Filed; Apt 9 1973 Assistant Examiner-Edward C. Kimlin 121] App. NO.Z 349,318 [57] ABSTRACT Related US. Application Data A carrier sheet or film covered with a photo- [63] continuationqmpan f Sen 124,561 March 15, hardenable emulsion of the desired color is placed in a 1971, abandoned. vacuum frame in contact with the image to be copied and then exposed to ultraviolet light. The tilm is then [52] US. Cl. 96/48 R, 96/35 .1, 95/89 R, e loped n mov through a bath of liquid to 95/89 D, 95/89 A, 95/95, 95/96 which a compatible surfactant has been added, and [51] Int. Cl G03c 5/24 scrubbed in t ath t move the solu le emulsion [58] Field of Search 96/48 R, 35.1, 35; therefrom y us ng a rotating spongy wheel moving 95/89 R, 89 D, 89 A, 95, 96 over the surface of the emulsion faster than the film is moving through the liquid. All clinging surface liquid [56] References Cit d is then removed from the film by squeezing it between UNITED STATES PATENTS two sets of facing contacting ringers or rollers, and the 3,110,595 11/1963 Roman 96/48 R mm rapidly dnes m the 3,388,652 6/1968 Parrent 95/89 R 19 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEU on 11914 FIEZQ FIEIS PROCESS FOR PREPARING (IOLORED FILMI OVERLAYS This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. l24,56l,filed Mar. I5, 1971, now abandoned. The disclosure of that application is incorporated herein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Films used to prepare color film overlays before the present invention utilized either: (1) a silver system, (2) a non-silver diazo system, or (3) a non-silver, nondiazo system. Non-diazo films were sold under the trademark COLOR GUIDE, while diazo films were sold under the trademark COLOR-KEY. All these films were designed to be exposed in the presence of an image to be copied, to ultraviolet light.

The non-diazo films were then developed in much the same manner as contemplated by the present inventionv However, after the development step, non-diazo films were subjected to a spray of water at a temperature between 90 and 100 F to remove the unset emulsion layer. Once the unset emulsion was removed, it was necessary to spray again, this time with cold water, to set the remaining fixed emulsion against the tendency to abrasive damage in subsequent handling. After these two spray steps, it has been necessary to hang the resulting dripping wet, finished film and to wait for it to air dry. Such air drying, with clinging beads of surface water present, resulted, of course, in objectionable water marks on the finished film. Attempts to remove the clinging beads of water through the use of squeegees or the like have proved unsuccessful in many instances due to the damaging, abrasive action of the squeegee on the fixed emulsion.

Thus, in the prior art, in using non-diazo films, an undue amount of time was expended in double spray washing the film to remove the unset portions of the emulsion therefrom. Rigorous temperature control over large quantities of the first warm spray water was required, and an inordinate length of time was needed in order to dry the finished product, which product tended to have water marks or spots thereon due to the drying of water beads! After being exposed to ultraviolet light, the diazo films were developed by a process which involves the usage of a highly volatile and/or inflammable liquid with a noxious odor. The unset emulsion was then removed by hand rubbing which often resulted in the deep shadows being blocked. Highlight definition was often lost.

Developing of silver films presented problems similar to those encountered in developing non-silver, nondiazo films.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By performing the process of the present invention, the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome.

In accordance with the teachings of the prior art, a film covered with a photosensitive photohardenable emulsion of the desired color is placed in a vacuum frame in contact with an image to be copied, and the film is exposed to ultraviolet light, through the image or by reflection from it as is desired. In accordance with the invention as described herein, the film is then immersed in a suitable developer to set or fix the exposed or unexposed portion of the film as is desired and to release the opposite portion. Under certain conditions,

this step can be eliminated as will be explained below.

Following the ultraviolet exposure step and the development step. which were known in the prior art. the film is passed through a liquid bath having a controlled temperature high enough to insure the proper action on the emulsion to be removed but not high enough to cause appreciable softening of the fixed emulsion of the film. The film will be processed through the bath at a fixed rate, and the emulsion side of the film, under the surface of the liquid, is subjected to the action of a rotating spongy roller moving at a speed faster than the lineal speed of the film through the bath. In many instances it is advisable to add a surfactant to the bath.

A squeegee action and a hand rubbing action, even under water spray conditions of the prior art, can have a deleterious effect on the film emulsion which has been set or fixed. Such emulsion can become partially dissipated or marred. However, it has been discovered that the scrubbing action carried out by a relatively soft spongy roller beneath the surface of the water bath, particularly where a surfactant has been added, will have no such deleterious effect on the fixed emulsion, but will result in the rapid and effective removal of the unfixed emulsion from the film.

As the film moves from the bath, and above the surface of the liquid therein, it is passed and squeezed between two sets of opposed rollers which are in facing, normally contacting relation to each other. The rollers are rotated to have a surface speed which is exactly the same as the lineal speed of the film through the bath as powered by other means, acting under the surface of the bath. These rollers prevent any surface water from adhering to either side of the film as the film passes through them. In fact, at the end of the pass through the second set of rollers, only a thin molecular, uniform layer of moisture exists on either side of the film. This rapidly practically immediately, air dries from the film leaving it ready to be used for its intended purpose and without water marks thereon.

While the invention as shown anad described herein is related to transparent film overlays, it is to be understood that the process of the invention would be equally effective on other sheet-like carriers of photosensitive materials such, for example, as sheets of aluminum, opaque or transparent plastic, rubber, etc.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a vacuum frame in which a photosensitive film and an image to be copied are placed for the first step in the method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a pan with a developing fluid and the exposed film therein;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of one form of apparatus useful for performing the scrubbing and water removing steps of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an unexposed photosensitive film on which the method is to be performed;

FIG. 5 is a similar plan view of such a film after all of the steps of the invention have been performed thereon; and

FIG. 6 is an edge elevational view of the film of FIG. 5 but with the thickness of the emulsion shown as enlarged many times for the purposes of clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vacuum frame consisting of a base 11 and a cover 12 in sealing relation thereto and having a transparent sight glass 13 can be of any usual or preferred construction and is equipped with an evacuation conduit 14 to be connected to a means (not shown) for evacuating the frame. To perform a first step of the present invention, a photohardenable unexposed film 15 such as seen in FIG. 4 will be situated in contact with a representation of an image which is to be reproduced on film. When so positioned, this filmand image will be exposed to ultraviolet light from a source (not shown) in the usual or preferred manner.

For the purpose of this specification, the image will be considered as a negative of the desired end result on the film, and the film 15 will be considered to have a photohardenable negative-working nature. In such a situation, the portion of the film aligned with the negative image will be subjected to ultraviolet light, and this portion of the emulsion on the film which is aligned with the negative image will end up permanently affixed to the film as fixed emulsion. The remainder of the emulsion, not subjected to the ultraviolet light, will remain unset or unfixed, and will be washed away in the performance of the method of the invention.

It is to be understood that the method of the invention can be performed when the film is positiveworking and when the image is a positive of the desired final image on the film. In this situation, the ultraviolet light does not hit the portion of the emulsion which is to be ultimately retained, and the developing solution and the chemistry of the emulsion are such that the emulsion not exposed to ultraviolet light is set or fixed while the emulsion so exposed remains unset or unfixed and is removed from the film by the action of the spongy roller during the performance of the method.

Emulsions and developers for use in practicing the process of the invention are well known. The exact chemical composition of some of the diazo, non-diazo and even silver systems are maintained in secret and the knowledge of such formulations is not available to the users of the process of the present invention. However, other positive-working and negative-working formulations are well known and have been for some time. A discussion of some of these is set out in the patent to Ewing, US. Pat. No. 3,561,962, issued on Feb. 9, 1971 as follows.

The cinnamate esters of polyvinyl alcohol and/or celulose which may be further sensitized by the presence of anthrones and their derivatives, polynuclear quinone derivatives and certain ketones such as Michlers Ketone and which are commercially available under the trademarks Kodak Photoresist (KPR), KMER and KOR from the Eastman Kodak Co. are found to be preferred photohardenable materials for use herein.

However, any suitable photohardenable material may be used. Typical photohardenable materials are systems comprising a non-photosensitive polymer and a photosensitive low molecular-weight compound with which it is capable of reacting on exposure to produce insolubility typified by polymeric materials such as casein and rubber, in combination with photosensitive azidostilbene sulfonate derivatives; systems comprising a monomer, a dimer and/or a lowmolecular weight polymer with a filler and one or more polymerization catalysts typified by materials as described in Plambeck US. Pat. Nos. 2,760,863 and 279L504; systems comprising a non-photosensitive polymer and photosensitive low-molecular weight compounds wherein the photosensitive agent reacts with itself on exposure to create insolubility in exposed portions typified by ethylcellulose, polymethyl methacrylate and numerous other commercial plastics containing photosensitive chalcone or unsaturated ketone derivatives typified by materials as described in Murray US. Pat. No. 1,965,710 and Van Deusen US. Pat. No. 2,544,905; systems of chromate compounds in colloids such as gelatin, albumen and glue or protein colloids sensitized for example with potassium bichromate or cellulose derivatives sensitized for example with ammonium dichromatic or other polyvinyls such as polyvinylalcohol, polyvinylacetal, polyvinyl methyl ether and polyvinylpyrrolidone sensitized for example with ammonium dichromate or polyamides sensitized by dichromates; diazo-sensitized materials, and others.

EXAMPLE I Negative Working Process As set out as Example I at Column 6 of the Ewing patent, the liquid photohardenable material KPR from Eastman Kodak Co. is coated on about a 5 mil aluminum substrate and allowed to dry to form about a A mil layer of KPR.

The imaging member thus formed is exposed to a photographic negative by focusing on the member an image produced by a 100 watt I-Ianovia Utility Model Quartz Lamp positioned about 7 inches above the member transmitting light through the translucent portions of the negative for about 5 minutes.

The imaging member is then dipped into a liquid mixture of about three parts by volume of methylene chloride as the more volatile active solvent and about two parts by volume of about 1.65 centistoke hexamethyl disiloxane as the less volatile non-solvent, developer liquid, for about 3 seconds.

The imaging member is then passed through a liquid bath 21 in a manner as set out below.

EXAMPLE ll Positive Working Process 4-amino N-butyl-N-w-sulfobutyl-anilin Anhydrous sodium sulfite Potassium bromide Potassium carbonate Water lit The support or carrier is next bleached and fixed in accordance with common practice and employing conventional bleaching baths or combined bleaching and fixing baths, for example, aqueous solutions of complexes of trivalent iron or trivalent cobalt with aminopolycarboxylic acids such as ethylene diamine instance, a 20 percent by weight solution of potassium ferricyanide or a percent by weight aqueous solution of potassium bichromate. The required pH can be adjusted by adding the necessary amount of aqueous solution of acids or alkali metal hydroxides or carbonates.

As in the case of the negative working process, the carrier or support sheet can then be passed through a liquid bath 21 in a manner as set out below.

In the more typical case, as disclosed in this specification, after exposure to ultraviolet light, the film or carrier sheet will be removed from the vacuum frame and inserted in a liquid developing bath 16 which is situated in a developing tray 17, as shown. When in this state, the exposed and developing film has been designated by the numeral 18. When the exposing and developing processes have been completed in accordance with the teachings of the prior art or in any preferred manner, the exposed and now developed film 18 is passed through a liquid bath 21 which is situated in a washing tray 22, only part of which has been shown in FIG. 3. While being passed through the liquid bath and scrubbed, the exposed and developed film which is being processed has been designated by the numeral 23.

While under the surface of the liquid bath 21, the film 23 is exposed to a scrubbing action on the emulsion side thereof. As shown in the drawings, this is carried on by a relatively soft spongy, resilient, water absorbent roller 24 which is mounted to the tray 22 to rotale in the direction indicated by the arrow 25 on an axle 26. As shown, two relatively hard surfaced

rollers

27,27 are rotatably mounted with respect to the tray 22 and support an endless backing sheet 28. In some forms of the apparatus used to perform the method of the invention, the roller 24 is manually rotated by a hand crank extending beyond the side walls of the washing tray 22. The backing sheet 28, in such a case, is constituted as a fixed plate so that the scrubbing action is performed over the emulsion surface of the film 23 by turning the roller 24 manually as the film 23 is manually pushed and/or pulled beneath the surface of the water between the scrubbing roller 24 and the backing sheet. The roller 24 will be manually operated at such speed that it will be moving over the emulsion surface of the film faster than'the film is moving past the roller.

In another embodiment of the invention, however, and as suggested in FIG. 3, gear means (not shown) are provided for driving the axles of

rollers

27,27 to carry the endless backing sheet along at the speed at which it is desired to move the film 25 through the bath and a gear drive from these axles to axle 26 of roller 24 insures that the relative surface speed of the roller 24 over the emulsion surface of the film 23 is faster than the speed of the film 23 through the liquid bath.

A first set of resilient liquid stripping rollers 31,31 is rotatably mounted with respect to the washing tray 22 and these rollers are so located that the film 23 leaving the scrubbing roller 24 will move to position between and in contact with them.

In one form of the invention, these rollers can be manually operated to cause the film 23 to be drawn through the water bath at the desired speed and to have the desired speed relationship to the roller 24. In another form of the invention, the drive for these rollers is connected with the same gear train as previously mentioned to insure that both the lineal speed of the backing sheet 28 and the peripheral speed of the rollers is the same.

A second set of resilient

liquid stripping rollers

32,32 is rotatably supported in tray 22 and will likewise serve to strip any remaining liquid from the film 23, and particularly to remove any wash liquid which has splashed into the space between the

rollers

32,32 and the rollers 31,31.

As stated, each set of rollers can be separately manually operated, or some of the rollers can be interconnected with gearing for manual operation. In one form of the invention, however, it has been found highly desirable to drive the gearing interconnecting all of the rollers with uniform speed electric motor, thus insuring that the film 23 moves through the water bath at a desirable and predetermined constant number of inches per minute, and that the relationship between the peripheral scrubbing movement of the roller 24 with respect to the movement of this film 23 is fixed.

When the film 23 leaves the

rollers

32,32 and 31,31 and washing tray 22 in the direction of the arrow 33, there are no beads of liquid thereon. A very thin layer of moisture is all that remains. In normal usage and in normal humidity conditions, this film will air dry substantially immediately. Under severe conditions, the film can be hung to dry with or without a separate air source (not shown) blowing on it. The film, when it has completely processed, is indicated at 34 in FIGS. 5 and 6, while the emulsion remaining on that film is indicated at 35.

Typically when using a non-diazo film such as COLOR GUIDE brand film as sold by General Photo Products Company, Inc. of Newton, New Jersey, the developing solution specified by them will be present as the developing bath 16 and the'liquid bath 21 will be made up of water to which a surfactant has been added. For example, 1 ml of a photographic wetting agent sold under the trademark VIVIFLOW 300 by General Analine & Film Corporation to every 2,000 ml of water has been found to be very effective. In order to prevent excessive softening of the emulsion, this liquid bath 21 must be maintained below a temperature of 90 F. It will be effective in its operation down as low as 78 F, but operation with the liquid bath at lower temperatures will result in less than perfect cleaning of the unfixed emulsion from the film. Operation at a temperature of about F has produced optimum results. In order to maintain this temperature in the liquid bath 21, this bath can be circulated to a heat source, (not shown), or a heater 37 can be provided in the washing tray 22. The heater will be provided with a power lead in 39 and adjustable controls 41.

In certain instances it will be possible and desirable to omit the separate developing step. In these situations, the film after it has been exposed to ultraviolet light will be placed directly into the washing tray 22, and liquid bath 21 will be constructed as the developing solution. Specifically, the developer recommended by General Photo Products Company, Inc. for use with their COLOR GUIDE system can be utilized as the liquid bath 21 in the process described heretofore.

Also, the developing solutions commonly used on diazo materials can be added directly to the washing tray 22 to form a liquid bath 21 useful for processing the diazo films such as sold under the trademark COL- OR-KEY by the 3M Company.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A process for preparing film overlays including the steps of:

A. subjecting a film with a photohardenable emulsion thereon to an image-wise exposure of light to produce exposed and unexposed portions of the emulsion;

B. immersing said exposed film in at least one organic solvent which will render one of the exposed and unexposed emulsion portions soluble while leaving the other such portion fixed;

C. removing the soluble emulsion with the film immersed in a liquid bath by scrubbing the emulsion side of said film under the surface of the liquid with a resilient, soft, liquid absorbent member wherein said scrubbing is accomplished by use of a roller shaped scrubbing member and the scrubbing action is accomplished by supporting the side of the film opposite the emulsion side on a back-up plate and with the emulsion side in contact with the scrubbing roller, and by rotating the roller while moving the film past the roller, the rotation of the roller being at a high enough speed so that the peripheral speed of the roller surface over the emulsion side of the film is considerably faster than the rate of movement of the film past the roller;

D. removing the film from said bath and removing all beads of the adhered liquid therefrom by squeezing it between two adjacent, resilient contacting rollers which make firm contact with the film and which are rotating at a speed such that the peripheral speed of the rollers is identical with lineal speed of the film; and

E. allowing the film to air dry after leaving said adjacent rollers.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step ofimmersing the film in said organic solvent takes place in advance of the step of removing the soluble emulsion.

3. The process ofclaim 1 wherein the step ofimmersing the film in an organic solvent takes place concurrently with the step of removing the soluble emulsion.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein a surfactant is present in effective quantities in the liquid bath during the scrubbing step.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the surfactant eonstitutes at least one part to 2,000 parts of liquid bath by volume.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein said liquid bath is constituted as water to which at least one part of surfactant has been added to 2,000 parts of water by volume; and wherein said liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than about 78 F.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the liquid bath temperature does not exceed 90 F.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath does not exceed 90 F.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than 78 F.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than,'.78 F.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is F.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of removing the adhered liquid includes squeezing the film between a second set of adjacent, resilient, contacting rollers after the film leaves the first such set.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the speed of the peripheral surface of said adjacent resilient, contacting rollers is precisely the same as the speed of the film through the bath and under the scrubbing roller.

14. A process for preparing photographic sheet-like carriers including the steps of:

A. subjecting a sheet-like carrier with a photohardenable emulsion thereon to an image-wise exposure of light to produce exposed and unexposed portions of the emulsion;

B. immersing said exposed carrier in a developer which will render one of the exposed and unexposed emulsion portions soluble while leaving the other such portion fixed;

C. removing the soluble emulsion with the carrier immersed in a liquid bath and scrubbing the emulsion side of the film under the surface of the liquid with a resilient, soft, liquid absorbent member wherein said scrubbing is accomplished by use of a roller shaped scrubbing member and the scrubbing action is accomplished by supporting the side of the film opposite the emulsion side on a back-up plate and with the emulsion side in contact with the scrubbing roller, and by rotating the roller while moving the film past the roller, the rotation of the roller being at a high enough speed so that the peripheral speed of the roller surface over the emulsion side of the film is considerably faster than the rate of movement of the film past the roller;

D. removing the carrier from the bath and removing all beads of adhered liquid therefrom by squeezing it between two adjacent, resilient, contacting rollers which make firm contact with the carrier and which are rotating at a speed such that the peripheral speed of the rollers is identical to the lineal speed of the carriers; and

E. allowing the carrier sheet to air dry after leaving the adjacent rollers.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the step of immersing the carrier in said developer takes place in advance of the step of removing the soluble emulsion.

16. The process of claim 14 wherein the step of immersing the carrier in developer takes place concurrently with the step of removing the unsoluble emulsion.

17. The process of claim 14 wherein a surfactant is present in effective quantities in the liquid bath during the scrubbing step.

18. The process of claim 14 wherein the step of removing the adhered liquid includes squeezing the carrier between a second set of adjacent, resilient, contacting rollers after the carrier leaves the first such set.

through the bath and under the scrubbing roller.

7 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,839,040 Dated October 1 1974 Inventofls) Alvin M; Golds tein I It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2 line 44, "anad" should be "and" Column Li -Cline 16, "dichromaTic" should be dichromate--.

column i5, line 51, "25" should be --23--.

Column 6 lin .e, 58, "constructed' should be "constituted-- Claim 6; line 5, remove "about", should Tead "temperature of not less than 78 F.--.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

IIcCOY M; GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting, Officer Commissioner of Patents L I J 3 3 33 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN Patent No. 3,839,040 Dated October 1, 1974 Inventor(s) Alvin M; Goldstein It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2 l ine 44, "anad" should be "and Column line 16, "dichromatic" should be d ichromate-- Column j 5 line 51, '.'25" should be --23--.

Column 6 line 58, "constructed" should be --cons ti"cuted-- Claim 6,' line 5, remove "about", should read "temperature of not less than 78 F.-.

Signed and sealed this 31st day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M; GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents L. l ".J

Claims

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING FILM OVERLAYS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: A. SUBJECTING A FILM WITH A PHOTOHARDENABLE EMULSION THEREON TO AN IMAGE-WISE EXPOSURE OF LIGHT TO PRODUCE EXPOSED AND UNEXPOSED PORTIONS OF THE EMULSION; B. IMMERSING SAID EXPOSED FILM IN AT LEAST ONE ORGANIC SOLVENT WHICH WIL RENDER ONE OF THE EXPOSED AND UNEXPOSED EMULSION PORTIONS SOLUBLE WHILE LEAVING THE OTHER SUCH PORTION FIXED; C. REMOVING THE SOLUBLE EMULSION WITH THE FILM IMMERSED IN A LIQUID BATH BY SCRUBBING THE EMULSION SIDE OF SAID FILM UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID WITH A RESILIENT, SOFT, LIQUID ABSORBENT MEMBER WHEREIN SAID SCRUBBING IS ACCOMPLISHED BY USE OF A ROLLER SHAPED SCRUBBING IS ACCOMTHE SCRUBBING ACTION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY SUPPORTING THE SIDE OF THE FILM OPPOSITE THE EMULSION SIDE ON A BACK-UP PLATE AND WITH THE EMULSION SIDE IN CONTACT WITH THE SCRUBBING ROLLER, AND BY ROTATING THE ROLLER WHILE MOVING THE FILM PAST THE ROLLER, THE ROTATION OF THE ROLLER BEING AT A HIGH ENOUGH SPEED SO THAT THE PERIPHERAL SPEED OF THE ROLLER SURFACE OVER THE EMULSION SIDE OF THE FILM IS CONSIDERABLY FASTER THAN THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF THE FILM PAST THE ROLLER; D. REMOVING THE FILM FROM SAID BATH AND REMOVING ALL BEADS OF THE ADHERED LIQUID THEREFROM BY SQUEEZING IT BETWEEN TWO ADJACNET, RESILIENT CONTACTING ROLLERS WHICH MAKE FIRM CONTACT WITH THE FILM AND WHICH ARE ROTATING AT A SPEED SUCH THAT THE PERIPHERAL SPEED OF THE ROLLERS IS IDENTICAL WITH LINEAL SPEED OF THE FILM; AND E. ALLOWING THE FILM TO AIR DRY AFTER LEAVING SAID ADJACENT ROLLERS.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of immersing the film in said organic solvent takes place in advance of the step of removing the soluble emulsion.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of immersing the film in an organic solvent takes place concurrently with the step of removing the soluble emulsion.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the surfactant constitutes at least one part to 2,000 parts of liquid bath by volume.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein said liquid bath is constituted as water to which at least one part of surfactant has been added to 2,000 parts of water by volume; and wherein said liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than about 78* F.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the liquid bath temperature does not exceed 90* F.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath does not exceed 90* F.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than 78* F.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is maintained at a temperature of not less than 78* F.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the liquid bath is 85* F.

14. A process for preparing photographic sheet-like carriers including the steps of: A. subjecting a sheet-like carrier with a photohardenable emulsion thereon to an image-wise exposure of light to produce exposed and unexposed portions of the emulsion; B. immersing said exposed carrier in a developer which will render one of the exposed and unexposed emulsion portions soluble while leaving the other such portion fixed; C. removing the soluble emulsion with the carrier immersed in a liquid bath and scrubbing the emulsion side of the film under the surface of the liquid with a resilient, soft, liquid absorbent member wherein said scrubbing is accomplished by use of a roller shaped scrubbing member and the scrubbing action is accomplished by supporting the side of the film opposite the emulsion side on a back-up plate and with the emulsion side in contact with the scrubbing roller, and by rotating the roller while moving the film past the roller, the rotation of the roller being at a high enough speed so that the peripheral speed of the roller surface over the emulsion side of the film is considerably faster than the rate of movement of the film past the roller; D. removing the carrier from the bath and removing all beads of adhered liquid therefrom by squeezing it between two adjacent, resilient, contacting rollers which make firm contact with the carrier and which are rotating at a speed such that the peripheral speed of the rollers is identical to the lineal speed of the carriers; and E. allowing the carrier sheet to air dry after leaving the adjacent rollers.

19. The process of claim 14 wherein the speed of the peripheral surface of said adjacent resilient, contacting rollers is precisely the same as the speed of the carrier through the bath and under the scrubbing roller.