Abstract: A steering column (10) includes a mounting bracket (66) connecting the steering column (10) to a vehicle frame. A support (24), through which a steering column member (12) extends, is connected with the mounting bracket (66). The support (24) supports the steering column member (12) for rotation about and is movable relative to the mounting bracket. A locking mechanism (130) locks the support (24) in any one of a plurality of positions relative to the mounting bracket (66). The locking mechanism (130) has a locking lever (132) with first and second ends (171 and 136). A spring (194) applies a force to the first end (171) of the lever (132) to urge the second end (136) of the lever to clamp the support (24) to the mounting bracket (66). The first end (171) of the lever (132) moves against the force applied by the spring (194) to permit movement of the support (24) relative to the mounting bracket (66).

Abstract: An automated diffusion furnace load station has a cassette and wafer transporter which selectively transports, using a support assembly, wafer-filled cassettes from a delivery station to a transfer post over which a loaded cassette is lowered to suspend the set of wafers above the cassette. The transporter causes the support assembly to release the cassette and engage the wafers to transfer them as a set to a carrier of a diffusion furnace tube. The process is reversed for unloading processed wafers from a furnace carrier and loading them into a cassette. The process further may be sequentially performed to exchange sets of processed wafers from a furnace carrier with sets of unprocessed wafers located in cassettes at a delivery station. The support assembly is used to selectively support a cassette or a set of wafers removed from a cassette by selectively positioning a pair of jaws relative to a cassette or to a set of wafers for supporting the same.