Abstract: An apparatus for feeding containers of feed material into a process chamber is disclosed. The apparatus is designed to maintain the atmosphere within the process chamber as separate from the atmosphere surrounding the process chamber. The apparatus has a feeder housing having at least two internal seals, which form an airtight seal about the feeding canisters as the canisters are passed through the seals. The seals are separated by a distance less than the length of the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding electrodes into a process chamber is disclosed. The apparatus is designed to maintain the atmosphere within the process chamber as separate from the atmosphere surrounding the process chamber. The apparatus has an air-tight tube having at least two internal sealing mechanisms, an outer sealing mechanism and an inner sealing mechanism, sealing mechanisms separated by an expandable section of the tube; penetration in the tube for the introduction of a purge gas in between the inner and outer sealing mechanisms; and an electrical contact for transmitting electrical power to the electrode.