VACUUM PROCESSING APPARATUS

摘要

A method and an apparatus for transporting workpieces into and out of a single-ended vacuum processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a processing chamber and a second chamber which contains a workpiece transporting device comprising two conveyors on a common frame and a means for aligning the frame and each conveyor to transfer workpieces in opposite directions through the second chamber. The second chamber may be an end lock with access to the outside or an intermediate lock or holding chamber between the processing chamber and an end lock. Preferably, the conveyors comprise two parallel sets of horizontal rollers and an elevator for selectively aligning each set of rollers with a pass line along which workpieces are transferred between an end lock and a holding chamber and between a holding chamber and a processing chamber.