Apparatus for flow-line treatment of articles in an artificial medium

{
  "publication_number": "US6517692B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Apparatus for flow-line treatment of articles in an artificial medium",
  "abstract": "An apparatus for flow-line treatment of articles has two chambers. The first chamber is a vacuum working chamber to treat articles in an artificial atmosphere. First transport means transport articles through the first chamber and at least one lock at the end of the chamber. Second transport means transport articles though the second chamber. The lock has a movable body with at least two cavities, installed inside an airtight shell. The movable body moves between a first position, in which one cavity connects with the first chamber and the first transport means extend into the cavity, and a second position, in which the cavity connects with the second chamber and the second transport means extend into the cavity. The at least two cavities are adjacent and similar and are provided with openings. Each cavity holds one carrier with articles. The first and second transport means provide simultaneous and antiparallel movement.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for flow-line treatment of articles under artificial atmosphere, the apparatus comprising at least a first chamber and a second chamber; the first chamber comprising a vacuum working chamber provided with treatment means for processing of the articles; means for maintaining the artificial atmosphere in the first chamber; at least one lock at one end of the first chamber; first transport means for transporting the articles through the first chamber and the at least one lock; loading and unloading devices in the ambient atmosphere; and second transport means for transporting the articles though the second chamber; wherein each lock comprises a movable body, installed inside an airtight shell, wherein each movable body comprises at least first and second cavities; the movable body is movable between a first position, in which the first cavity is in connection with the first chamber and the first transport means extend into the first cavity, and a second position, in which the first cavity is in connection with the second chamber, being located at another side of the lock, while the second transport means extend into the first cavity; and wherein an air gap seal is located between the shell and the body, wherein the at least first and second cavities are adjacent and similar and are provided with openings; each cavity is made with a volume for one carrier with articles; and the first and second transport means are made for simultaneous and antiparallel movement.",
    "2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is a working chamber having an artificial atmosphere different from the artificial atmosphere in the first working chamber; wherein the at least one lock is provided between at least the first and second working chambers; and the first or second transport means extend through at least the first and second working chambers and the at least one lock along one line.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moveable bodies are rotatable and made in the form of a body of revolution.",
    "4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the body of revolution is in the form of a cylindrical shell having cylindrical surfaces, wherein a first gap is formed between the cylindrical surfaces and walls of the airtight shell and a second gap is formed between the ends of the cylindrical shell and the airtight shell, wherein the first gap and second gap form an airtight space, the airtight space containing an inert gas with marker properties under a pressure not more than {fraction (1/10)} of the atmospheric level, and the second gap is not more than a half of the first gap.",
    "5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the carriers includes supports to hold the articles to be treated; each of the supports being positioned at the top end of a spindle, perpendicular to the carrier; wherein each of the spindles is a live spindle; and each of the live spindles is coupled with a sprocket wheel on one end; wherein in all of the chambers and locks the transport means comprise driving rollers and bearing rollers to transport the carriers; and each of the chambers comprises one row of pins for engaging the sprocket wheels to make the supports rotate during movement of the carriers along the pins.",
    "6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport means comprise carriers which carry more than one independently rotatable article, and wherein each of the cavities have a volume sufficient to hold a carrier with a certain number of the independently rotatable articles.",
    "7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein between the first chamber and the second chamber or between the first working chamber and the ambient atmosphere, at least one pair of adjacent locks are arranged in series; wherein auxiliary vacuum chambers are located between the adjacent pairs of locks and connected to means to admit atmospheric air into the auxiliary vacuum chamber.",
    "8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of the auxiliary chambers is connected to a tank to admit atmosphere air, and the volume of the tank is substantially larger, and the pressure in the tank is lower, in comparison to the volume and pressure in the auxiliary chamber.",
    "9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber is a vacuum working chamber and the first chamber and the second chamber are adjacent and parallel to each other; wherein the transport means are arranged for simultaneous and antiparallel movement of the carriers through the first and second chambers.",
    "10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the loading and unloading devices are a combined loading/unloading unit at one end of the apparatus; the apparatus is provided with a turning lock between the first and second working chambers with lowest pressures at the end of the apparatus opposite to the loading/unloading unit; and the turning locks comprise locking compartments with openings at opposite ends.",
    "11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the carriers includes supports to hold the articles to be treated; each of the supports being positioned at the top end of a spindle, perpendicular to the carrier; each of the spindles is a live spindle; and each of the live spindles is coupled with a sprocket wheel on one end; wherein in all of the chambers and locks, the transport means comprise driving rollers and bearing rollers to transport the carriers; and each of the chambers comprises one row of pins for engaging the sprocket wheels to make the supports rotate during movement of the carriers along the pins.",
    "12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pins are resiliently attached to each of the chambers.",
    "13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the transport means provide a uniform movement of the carriers through a working zone of the working chamber and provides uniformly variable movement at the ends of the working chamber, while the driving rollers at the ends of each of the working chamber is provided with freewheel clutches.",
    "14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the transport means provide a uniform movement of the carriers through a working zone of the working chamber and provides uniformly variable movement at the ends of the working chamber, while the driving rollers at the end of the working chamber is provided with freewheel clutches.",
    "15. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one working chamber provided with a magnetron sputtering device to coat three dimensional articles with metals or other materials.",
    "16. The apparatus according to claims 1, further comprising an outgassing chamber, wherein the outgassing chamber is positioned before the working chamber provided with a magnetron sputtering device.",
    "17. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising at least one working chamber designed to treat the surfaces of the articles by glow discharge.",
    "18. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one working chamber provided with a thermal evaporation device to coat three dimensional articles with metals or other materials.",
    "19. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one working chamber provided with an arc evaporation device to coat three dimensional articles with metals or other materials."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "C23C 14/568",
    "C23C 14/566"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "VACUMETAL B V",
    "SIDRABE AS"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1999-10-13",
  "publication_date": "2003-02-11",
  "grant_date": "2003-02-11",
  "priority_date": "1998-10-13",
  "application_number": "US-80740501-A",
  "family_id": "8234215",
  "citations": [
    "EP0837154A1",
    "FR1496205A",
    "US3260383A",
    "US3833018A",
    "US5340454A",
    "US6086728A"
  ]
}