Electron beam multi-chamber unit, e.g. for welding and hardening

摘要

An electron beam multi-chamber unit consists of an electron gun (9) of axial type with an intermediary chamber (7) arranged on it having vacuum valves for alternating the supply of the electron beam to several process positions separated by vacuum and several receivers (1') arranged below it and which can be separately evacuated. The receivers (1') are arranged in parallel rows of desired length and have a vacuum sealed (4) opening (3) in the side facing the electron gun (9). The electron gun (9) can be displaced together with the intermediary chamber (7) parallel to the rows of receivers (1'). A sprung metallic strip (6) is displaceably arranged between the receivers (1') and the intermediary chamber (7) parallel to the rows of receivers (1') such that it vacuum-tightly covers all the openings (3) in each position. The intermediary chamber (7) is vacuum-tightly fixed to the strip (6) such that the electron gun (9) moves with movement of the strip (6). The strip (6) has the same number of openings (10) as the adjacent receivers (1'); the gap between and the position of the openings (10) in the strip (6) are selected such that they coincide with the openings (3) in the receivers (1') for letting the electron beam (8) into the receivers (1'). The strip (6) is rolled onto and rigidly held at both ends of the receivers (1') arranged in parallel rows.