Abstract: More than two pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 are located on both the upstream and the downstream of vacuum processing housings 11 and 12. Each of the pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 includes a film conveying means 30, a vacuum exhausting means, and a gate valve 20 provided with a resilient member for closely holding down the running film 1 to seal off the vacuum state of a belt-like passage of the gate valve 20. As the pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 are protected with their specific gate valve belt-like passage arrangement from reduction of the vacuum state and located respectively on the upstream and downstream sides of the vacuum processing units 11 and 12, the vacuum state in the continuous vacuum processing apparatus will be maintained to a desired level. While the running film 1 is being conveyed, the gate valves 20 at the first and second stages are actuated alternately for opening and closing after vacuum evacuation.

Abstract: When forming a conductor film of Ag, Au, Cu, Al on a substrate of ceramics or glass, an adhesive layer of Cr, NiCr is formed on the substrate, a mixed layer of adhesive layer material and conductor film material is formed on the adhesive layer, and a conductor film is formed on the mixed layer. According to this method, even if film forming is conducted below the temperature for inducing diffusion on the interface of the conductor film and adhesive layer, for example, below 100.degree. C., an alloy layer of adhesive layer material and conductor film material is present on the interface of the adhesive layer and conductor film to be closer to bulk state, and the attraction between molecules is increased, so that the bonding strength of the conductor film and adhesive layer is enhanced. Therefore, at 100.degree. C.

Abstract: An ionization deposition apparatus includes an ion source which is located in a vacuum chamber and which is provided with gas introduction ports for supplying a gaseous film material into the vacuum chamber, a filament unit, which is separated into a plurality of independently controllable filaments, for generating thermoelectrons when the filaments are heated by filament currents, and an anode electrode for accelerating and colliding the thermoelectrons against molecules of the gaseous film material to thereby turn the molecules to plasma. A holder for holding a to-be-deposited object, the holder being placed confronting the anode electrode of the ion source in the vacuum chamber, and connected to a bias source to attract ions in the plasma to a surface of the holder.

Abstract: A single automatic part insertion machine which can insert the leads of various electronic components such as resistors, IC chips, IF transformers, variable resistors, connectors and so on, into specified insertion or mounting holes of printed circuit boards. The boards are supported on a common set of conveyor rails in one row, and are displaced in X and Y coordinate directions while they are transferred from a feeding position to an unloading position. Specified lead insertion holes of specified printed circuit boards are thus aligned one at a time with selected units of a number of parts feeding means in a predetermined sequence, so that the leads of corresponding electronic components may be inserted into specified insertion holes of the printed circuit boards and clinched if required. An automatic unfinished printed circuit board loading device is provided, as well as an automatic finished printed circuit board stacking device.