Abstract: An economical and reliable system for the contained transfer of particulates by means of a series of transfer containers facilitates the particulate transfer without either exposure of the operating personnel and the environment to the particulate, or environmental contamination of the particulate itself. The system employs a multiple o-ring canister assembly which can be attached to either the discharging port or charging port of a piece of processing equipment. The canister has a series of circumferential o-ring grooves which allows the attachment of a series of individual transfer containers. In a charging mode, once the particulate is charged to the processing equipment, a first transfer container is collapsed and a second transfer container is placed in the next o-ring groove, thereby containing the remaining contaminated section of the first transfer container. The first transfer container is removed through a bag-out sleeve which is an integral part of the second transfer container.

Abstract: A method and lightweight apparatus (100) that provide linear actuation effected by the controlled inflation of a deployable tube (120) permits the deploying end (125) of the tube (120) to be guided out in a linear motion by a yoke (140) that constrains the inflated portion of the tube (120) immediately behind it A means for imparting resistance to deployment facilitates a smooth actuation by controlling both the rate and the directionality of deployment, and by maintaining a uniform internal pressure in the tube being deployed. A frame assembly (180) at the deploying end (125) of the tube (120) can be configured to interface with a variety of components to be linearly deployed.