Abstract: A loading device, for automatic rear end loading of trucks or trailers by means of a forklifting type of device being movably mounted on a platform that can be lowered and lifted is improved by a docking and loading gate defining a particular position for the rear end of a truck or trailer on one hand and of a direction of loading on the other hand, the position being established with respect to a truck or trailer when positioned in and at the loading dock; a loading bridge is arranged in the loading gate for bridging the space from the loading platform to the truck or trailer when in the loading dock, the bridge is lowered to obtain particular positions in which the bridge exerts a particular load upon the truck or trailer in the loading dock which position is maintained as the load and forklift move across the bridge, onto the truck or trailer.

Abstract: A vacuum processing unit and apparatus comprises a buffer chamber that can be evacuated, a processing chamber that can be communicated with said buffer chamber a first sample carrier installed in said buffer chamber, a vacuum opening/closing device provided in the buffer chamber to correspond to the first sample carrier, a vacuum prechamber provided for the buffer chamber via the vacuum opening/closing device, a second sample carrier which carries the sample between the vacuum prechamber and the first sample carrier via the vacuum opening/closing device, and a third sample carrier which carries the sample between said first sample carrier and the processing chamber. The vacuum processing units can be connected in groups via vacuum opening/closing devices provided for the buffer chambers in locations corresponding to the end of the first sample carriers therein. The number of connected processing chambers can be freely changed to meet a change in the process or the manufacturing line.

Abstract: A document and storage retrieval system including a plurality of containers, each having machine readable identifying indicia thereon. The containers are positioned by automatic palletizing apparatus on each of a plurality of pallets. The identity of the containers on each pallet is correlated with a storage location address assigned by a controller. Additionally identifying indicia for the pallet is preferably correlated to the address. On retrieval of a selected container, the pallet is retrieved, all of the containers are removed from the pallet, the selected container is sorted from the remaining containers, and all of the remaining containers are repalletized and reassigned a new address in the storage volume. The address or location of containers in the storage volume is dynamically changing, but the controller for the system always has a correlation of container identities and storage location addresses.