Abstract: A valve achieves a high-vacuum seal and opens and closes with no sliding or otherwise abrading contact between the sealing plate and the valve seat, while maintaining pressure of the plate against the valve seat in the event of a failure in the valve actuation mechanism. These results are attained by use of a composite valve plate that includes a sealing plate joined to a support block through a retractable resilient connector. During retraction, the sealing plate is drawing close to the block by a pneumatic actuator internal to the composite valve plate, the actuator arranged to oppose and overcome a mechanical resilient element also contained within the valve plate that urges the sealing plate outward from the support block to effect the seal when the actuator is not engaged.

Abstract: A valve achieves a high-vacuum seal and opens and closes with no sliding or otherwise abrading contact between the sealing plate and the valve seat, while maintaining pressure of the plate against the valve seat in the event of a failure in the valve actuation mechanism. These results are attained by use of a composite valve plate that includes a sealing plate joined to a support block through a retractable resilient connector. During retraction, the sealing plate is drawing close to the block by a pneumatic actuator internal to the composite valve plate, the actuator arranged to oppose and overcome a mechanical resilient element also contained within the valve plate that urges the sealing plate outward from the support block to effect the seal when the actuator is not engaged.

Abstract: A rotating all metal sealed fluid delivery system for supplying fluid to an apparatus, such as an electron beam source assembly, in an UHV environment includes a housing with fluid inlet and outlet ports therethrough, opposed fluid inlet and outlet lines, an inlet and outlet bellows within the housing, and a turntable mounted in an aperture in the housing for attachment to a rotatable spindle of the apparatus. A ultra high vacuum compression gasket forms an UHV seal between the spindle and the turntable. The bellows are attached at first ends to the inlet and outlet ports, and at opposite ends to the opposed inlet and outlet lines extending to the rotatable apparatus, through the spindle and the turntable into the housing. The bellows are coiled within the housing and separated by a non-abrasive plate. Following attachment to the ports and lines, the entire length of each bellows remains within a single plane during rotation along the same axis as the axis of rotation of the apparatus.

Abstract: A low vibration, high cycle, high vacuum gate valve structure comprises a high vacuum housing defining a passageway, a valve actuator for providing a rectilinear displacement force, a translatable and pivotable gate valve assembly actuated by the valve actuator for translating from a fully retraction position outside of the passageway to an initial closure position adjacent to a fixed seal surface provided within the housing thereby blocking off the passageway. The gate valve assembly defines an angled sealing surface relative to an oppositely facing angled sealing surface of the fixed seal but displaced by a predetermined angular displacement at the initial closure position.

Abstract: A motion transmitting mechanism, for use as a sample manipulating device or wobble stick, is provided for transmitting manual movements through the wall of a vacuum vessel. The mechanism includes a central mounting flange for securing the mechanism in vacuum sealing arrangement with the vacuum vessel through a suitable orifice formed in the wall thereof. A spherical ball joint is moveably journalled within the mounting flange to enable the mechanism to be moved angularly relative to an axis perpendicular to the vacuum vessel wall throughout a predetermined range of limited angular displacement. A coaxial shaft assembly comprises an outer tube and a central shaft, the assembly being axially slideable through a central opening of the ball joint means to provide axial movements within the vacuum vessel throughout a predetermined range of limited axial displacement.

Abstract: A two part high vacuum gate valve construction includes a control mechanism part having a limited displacement stem passing through a first generally rectangular high vacuum flange and a valve body part including a generally rectangular case, a second generally rectangular high vacuum joint providing flange having a mirror image sealing geometry to the first high vacuum flange, two machined fluid flow flanges passing through openings defined through opposite sidewalls of said case and sealed thereto, at least one of the fluid flow flanges having an inside gate sealing surface machined prior to insertion through and sealing of the flange to the sidewall of the case; a two part, levered carriage having a central transverse pivot joint and having an endwall engagement mechanims for causing the pivot joint to pivot toward the inside gate sealing surface of the one flow flange in response to continued actuation force supplied by the control stem shaft after an inside endwall of said case has been contacted; a valv

Abstract: A two part high vacuum gate valve construction includes a control mechanism part having a limited displacement stem passing through a first generally rectangular high vacuum flange and a valve body part including a generally rectangular case, a second generally rectangular high vacuum joint providing flange having a mirror image sealing geometry to the first high vacuum flange, two machined fluid flow flanges passing through openings defined through opposite sidewalls of said case and sealed thereto, at least one of the fluid flow flanges having an inside gate sealing surface machined prior to insertion through and sealing of the flange to the sidewall of the case; a two part, levered carriage having a central transverse pivot joint and having an endwall engagement mechanism for causing the pivot joint to pivot toward the inside gate sealing surface of the one flow flange in response to continued actuation force supplied by the control stem shaft after an inside endwall of said case has been contacted; a valv