US3868106A - Vacuum chamber seal - Google Patents

Vacuum chamber seal Download PDF

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Publication number
US3868106A
US3868106A US315898A US31589872A US3868106A US 3868106 A US3868106 A US 3868106A US 315898 A US315898 A US 315898A US 31589872 A US31589872 A US 31589872A US 3868106 A US3868106 A US 3868106A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
strip
rolls
gate
chamber
treatment chamber
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US315898A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
George H Donckel
Dominique Th F L J M Streel
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arcelor Luxembourg SA
Original Assignee
Arbed SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Arbed SA filed Critical Arbed SA
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3868106A publication Critical patent/US3868106A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/74—Methods of treatment in inert gas, controlled atmosphere, vacuum or pulverulent material
    • C21D1/773—Methods of treatment in inert gas, controlled atmosphere, vacuum or pulverulent material under reduced pressure or vacuum
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/52—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for wires; for strips ; for rods of unlimited length
    • C21D9/54—Furnaces for treating strips or wire
    • C21D9/56—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire
    • C21D9/562—Details
    • C21D9/565—Sealing arrangements
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
    • C23C14/562—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks for coating elongated substrates
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S277/00—Seal for a joint or juncture
    • Y10S277/906—Seal for article of indefinite length, e.g. strip, sheet
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S277/00—Seal for a joint or juncture
    • Y10S277/913—Seal for fluid pressure below atmospheric, e.g. vacuum

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A gate for an evacuated chamber used for the treatment of metal strip of band having a thickness ranging from tenths of a millimeter to several millimeters comprising a plurality of guide rolls over which the strip is passed alternately overshooting and undershooting the rolls.
  • the chamber is compartmentalized by shoes which closely confront the rolls in diametrically opposite locations, the inter-roll spacing being of the order of the thickness of the strip so that the latter is substantially in constant contact with the rolls over all of its length within the compartments and the strip extends over arcs of substantially 180 while the shoes confront arcs of substantially 90 to 120 of the rolls.
  • a further inlet or discharge roll is provided for deflecting the strip.
  • the present invention relates to a gate or lock adapted to be provided at the inlet or outlet of an evacuated chamber for processing of metal strip or band to enable the vacuum within the treatment chamber to be sustained.
  • the invention also relates to an associated method.
  • metal strip or band having a thickness ranging from tenths of a millimeter to several millimeters, e.g., steel strip in evacuated chambers in order for example to apply to a moving metal strip a coating by vacuum deposition of a coating material, e.g., a metal or its alloy.
  • a coating material e.g., a metal or its alloy.
  • Other metal treatments are, of course known in which a metal band is passed through a chamher in which well defined conditions of pressure and atmosphere are maintained.
  • Such vibration may cause the strip to come into contact with the shoes, thereby damaging the strip or the shoes or causing material to build up upon the shoes and thereby vary the operational conditions of the apparatus or requiring cleaning thereof with disadvantageous downtime.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a gate or lock for a metal-treatment chamber under suction or vacuum, especially a chamber for the vapor disposition of a metal bath onto a mettallic strip, whereby damage to the strip is precluded and there is little danger of injury to the apparatus.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gate for the purposes described which will allow a sub-atmospheric pressure of a high degree to be maintained in a vapor-disposition chamber with increased efficiency over prior-art systems, with a minimum of downtime, at low capital expense, and without danger of deformation or rupture of metal strip.
  • a gateor lock for a strip-metal treatment chamber preferably a treatment chamber maintained under vacuum and used for the vapor disposition of metal from a metal bath onto the strip
  • a gateor lock for a strip-metal treatment chamber, preferably a treatment chamber maintained under vacuum and used for the vapor disposition of metal from a metal bath onto the strip
  • which comprises an ante-chamber or gate chamber communicating with the treatment chamber at the inlet and/or outlet side thereof and provided with a plurality (at least two but preferably more than three) of gate rolls having parallel axes and close spacing such that the strip passes alternately over and under the rolls (i.e., alternately overshoots and undershoots the rolls), the spacing between the rolls being of the same order of magnitude as and preferably equal to the thickness of the strip.
  • the guiding rolls are closely spaced such that the gap between two adjacent rolls is of the order of magnitude of the thickness of the metallic band or strip.
  • Each of the rolls is juxtaposed with a pair of diametrically opposite sealing shoes which overly a relatively large are or subtend a relatively large angle of the rolls to form small clearances, also of the order or magnitude of the thickness of the band, with the rolls.
  • the clearance A of the shoes juxtaposed with the exposed surface of a band lying on the confronting surface of the roll is not more than 0.4 mm.
  • the sealing shoes form compartments, i.e. compartmentalize the gate chamber, the compartments being evacuated so that, as the band passes from one compartment to the next, it may encounter spaces successively approaching the pressure within the treatment chamber.
  • the rolls being driven in synchronism and in the alternately opposite senses so that there is no elongation of the band or strip.
  • the rolls may be freely rotatable in appropriate low-friction bearings so that they are simply entrained by the strip. Since, at the location of closest approach, the band or strip may completely fill the gap between neighboring rolls, all of the rolls will tend to move at the same peripheral speed.
  • all of the rolls have axis of rotation lying along a common horizontal plane and the band extends over angle or are of about each roll.
  • the sealing 3 shoesadvantageously subtend angles of substantially 90 to 180.
  • the gate maybe used with chambers under elevated pressure for the treatment of other types of band or strip materials.
  • the individual compartments need not be individually evacuated,rbut can remain under whatever 7 pressure may develop therein by evacuation of the compartment closest to the evacuated treatment cham- 7 her.
  • the gate or lock comprises a housing
  • the shoes 11 are arcuate and, extend over substantial arcs of the rolls or of the metal strip which alternately overshoots and undershoots these rolls 2 through 6. For the above exposed reason the shoes 11 may also be cooled by circulation of a cooling fluid.
  • both s and t have dimensions ranging from tenths of a millimeter, to several millimeters, e.g. 0.1 to 5 mm.
  • the band 12 is in contact with each of the rolls 2 through 6 over an angle of about 180.
  • the contact angle r at the rolls 1 and 7 is about 90.
  • theinfeed and the discharge direction must not necessarily coincide with the horizontal. line.
  • the rolls 2 through 6 and the juxtaposed shoes 11, with their webs 29 subdivide the chamber 20 into a plurality of compartments 1 3 which may be evacuated by pumps 30 and 31 via valves 32 such that the pressure drops successively in the chambers to 200, 50, 5 and 0.4 mm from the juxtaposed face of the roll or of the metal strip. Under these conditions, the amount of air which flows from one compartment 13 to another is minimalized.
  • the vacuum-treatment chamber 22 which may be conventional and can comprise a metal bath 24, shown schematically, for the vapor deposition of metal upon a strip 12, can be evacuated by a suction a radius S-R+A where A pump 26 to the desired level, generally about 10 7 Torr.
  • the window 28 at the left hand end of the gate housing 10 is shown to communicate with the vapor-deposition installation 22 at its inletside.
  • the gate of the present invention can also be effective for the discharge of the metal strip, the discharge end being located at the same side or at the opposite side of the vapor-deposition installation 22.
  • each roll 2 to 6 is a pair of inwardly extending shoes 11 of aluminum disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the rolls and supported by webs 29 from the wall of the housing 10.
  • the shoes 11 may have the same center of curvature Cand 0.4 mm or t-l-A.
  • a gate for a metal-strip treatment chamber maintained at a particular non-ambient pressure comprising i a housing defining a gate chamber communicating with said treatment chamber;
  • each of said shoes subtending an arc of substantially to of the respective guide roll.
  • said treatment chamber being a chamber for the vapor disposition of metal onto said strip.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
  • Braking Arrangements (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Strip Materials And Filament Materials (AREA)
US315898A 1971-12-14 1972-12-08 Vacuum chamber seal Expired - Lifetime US3868106A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
LU64454 1971-12-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3868106A true US3868106A (en) 1975-02-25

Family

ID=19726906

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US315898A Expired - Lifetime US3868106A (en) 1971-12-14 1972-12-08 Vacuum chamber seal

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3868106A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4979975A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE792701A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA985037A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2260683A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2163512B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1409576A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT974044B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
LU (1) LU64454A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7216991A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4268977A (en) * 1979-12-03 1981-05-26 Exxon Research & Engineering Company Sealing apparatus for ovens
US4466618A (en) * 1981-05-20 1984-08-21 Brevetti Elettrogalvanici Superfiniture S.R.L. Self-adjusting sealing device for chromium plating plants
US4643131A (en) * 1984-09-28 1987-02-17 Nisshin Steel Company, Ltd. Combined continuous plating apparatus for hot-dip plating and vacuum deposition plating
US4763601A (en) * 1987-09-02 1988-08-16 Nippon Steel Corporation Continuous composite coating apparatus for coating strip
US5522955A (en) * 1994-07-07 1996-06-04 Brodd; Ralph J. Process and apparatus for producing thin lithium coatings on electrically conductive foil for use in solid state rechargeable electrochemical cells
EP1004369A1 (fr) * 1998-11-26 2000-05-31 Recherche et Développement GROUPE COCKERILL SAMBRE Sas d'étanchéité pour chambre à vide
US20030033982A1 (en) * 2001-08-16 2003-02-20 First Solar, Llc Chemical vapor deposition system
US20030079837A1 (en) * 2001-10-29 2003-05-01 Etsuro Hirai Semiconductor processing apparatus for continuously forming semiconductor film on flexible substrate
US20040159285A1 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-08-19 Joachim Doehler Gas gate for isolating regions of differing gaseous pressure
US20060236942A1 (en) * 2003-05-23 2006-10-26 Usinor S.A. Sealing lock for an in vacuo line for deposition on a flat product

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0291952B1 (en) * 1987-05-20 1994-08-17 Kawasaki Steel Corporation Differential pressure sealing apparatus and method
US5192585A (en) * 1987-05-20 1993-03-09 Kawasaki Steel Corp. Differential pressure sealing apparatus and method
JPH0637303U (ja) * 1992-10-13 1994-05-17 株式会社ナイガイ 長靴下
JPH0661903U (ja) * 1992-12-25 1994-09-02 日清紡績株式会社 紳士用靴下
DE102006025751B4 (de) * 2006-05-31 2010-12-23 Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik Gmbh Verfahren zur Abdichtung einer Vakuumkammer und Schleuseneinrichtung für eine Vakuumkammer

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2972330A (en) * 1956-02-15 1961-02-21 Nat Steel Corp Vacuum seal for coating apparatus
US3158507A (en) * 1960-01-11 1964-11-24 Continental Can Co Floating roller seal
US3227132A (en) * 1962-12-31 1966-01-04 Nat Res Corp Apparatus for depositing coatings of tin on a flexible substrate
US3367667A (en) * 1965-07-16 1968-02-06 United States Steel Corp Roll seal for vacuum strip-treating chamber
US3467399A (en) * 1965-01-08 1969-09-16 United States Steel Corp Roll seal for vacuum strip-treating chamber

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2972330A (en) * 1956-02-15 1961-02-21 Nat Steel Corp Vacuum seal for coating apparatus
US3158507A (en) * 1960-01-11 1964-11-24 Continental Can Co Floating roller seal
US3227132A (en) * 1962-12-31 1966-01-04 Nat Res Corp Apparatus for depositing coatings of tin on a flexible substrate
US3467399A (en) * 1965-01-08 1969-09-16 United States Steel Corp Roll seal for vacuum strip-treating chamber
US3367667A (en) * 1965-07-16 1968-02-06 United States Steel Corp Roll seal for vacuum strip-treating chamber

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4268977A (en) * 1979-12-03 1981-05-26 Exxon Research & Engineering Company Sealing apparatus for ovens
US4466618A (en) * 1981-05-20 1984-08-21 Brevetti Elettrogalvanici Superfiniture S.R.L. Self-adjusting sealing device for chromium plating plants
US4643131A (en) * 1984-09-28 1987-02-17 Nisshin Steel Company, Ltd. Combined continuous plating apparatus for hot-dip plating and vacuum deposition plating
US4763601A (en) * 1987-09-02 1988-08-16 Nippon Steel Corporation Continuous composite coating apparatus for coating strip
US5522955A (en) * 1994-07-07 1996-06-04 Brodd; Ralph J. Process and apparatus for producing thin lithium coatings on electrically conductive foil for use in solid state rechargeable electrochemical cells
EP1004369A1 (fr) * 1998-11-26 2000-05-31 Recherche et Développement GROUPE COCKERILL SAMBRE Sas d'étanchéité pour chambre à vide
US6334751B1 (en) 1998-11-26 2002-01-01 RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPMENT DU GROUPE COCKERILL SAMBRE, EN ABRéGé RD-CS Air lock
US6719848B2 (en) * 2001-08-16 2004-04-13 First Solar, Llc Chemical vapor deposition system
US20030033982A1 (en) * 2001-08-16 2003-02-20 First Solar, Llc Chemical vapor deposition system
US20030079837A1 (en) * 2001-10-29 2003-05-01 Etsuro Hirai Semiconductor processing apparatus for continuously forming semiconductor film on flexible substrate
US20040159285A1 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-08-19 Joachim Doehler Gas gate for isolating regions of differing gaseous pressure
WO2004073893A3 (en) * 2003-02-19 2004-12-16 Energy Conversion Devices Inc Gas gate for isolating regions of differing gaseous pressure
US6878207B2 (en) * 2003-02-19 2005-04-12 Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. Gas gate for isolating regions of differing gaseous pressure
KR101063406B1 (ko) * 2003-02-19 2011-09-07 에너지 컨버젼 디바이시즈, 아이엔씨. 상이한 개스 압력의 영역을 격리시키는 개스 게이트
US20060236942A1 (en) * 2003-05-23 2006-10-26 Usinor S.A. Sealing lock for an in vacuo line for deposition on a flat product
US7931750B2 (en) 2003-05-23 2011-04-26 Arcelor France Sealing lock for a deposition line in vacuum on a flat product

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2260683A1 (de) 1973-06-28
IT974044B (it) 1974-06-20
GB1409576A (en) 1975-10-08
FR2163512B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-03-28
BE792701A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-03-30
FR2163512A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-07-27
LU64454A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-07-16
NL7216991A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-06-18
CA985037A (en) 1976-03-09
JPS4979975A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-08-01

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