Abstract: A powder material moved and mixed by the application of a mechanical force. The moving of the bed of powder in a container while the container is in a vacuum under a vapor source produced by magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, or other means of producing a coating vapor such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), provides a means of coating the particles of powder with a material which will impart certain other desirable characteristics to the base material of which the powder is composed. The range of and combinations of coatings include a pure metal, co-deposited metals, and non-metals formed by reactive magnetron sputtering, evaporation or PECVD, or a sequentially deposited coating of both metals and non-metals. The mechanical means may be by striking, stirring or a piezoelectric transducer may be used. The mechanical force may be imposed on an open moving container of the bulk material in a vacuum or an open stationary container of the bulk material in a vacuum.

Abstract: A support device for an earring which includes a back support. A back ear clamping member carried by the back support is adjustable to a forward and rearward position with respect to a front ear clamping member. The back ear clamping member is free to move limitedly in both a horizontal and vertical direction when either in forward or rearward adjusted position, but when in an intermediate position is substantially restrained from movement.