| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To ensure dust proofness and facilitate a replacing operation, by a method wherein a plurality of cassettes each hermetically housing a mask or a reticle are loaded in a cartridge, being aligned with each other, and a carrying means is moved to a desired position in order to perform an inserting and removing operation. CONSTITUTION:A glass substrate as a mask or the like is mounted on the step portion of a cassette bottom lid 3 and housed with an upper lid 2 closed. Cartridges 14, 15 are secured onto a base 18 in parallel to each other, and cassette projections 4, 5 are fitted into grooves in the respective cartridges 14, 15 facing to each other, thereby allowing a plurality of cassettes to be loaded being aligned with each other, The operation for removing the glass substrate is conducted such that a fork-shaped arm 16 is moved to a position in front of a door member 1 of a given cassette by means of members 30, 41, and after the cassette is ooened by actuating opening- closing mechanisms 26, 27 mounted on the member 30, fork portions 16a, 16b of the arm 16 are inserted. Thereby, it is possible to maintain the glass substrate under a dust-proof condition as well as readily replace a mask or the like having become defective through replacement of cassettes. |
