Abstract: A vessel has a substantially vertical frame attached to a vessel support structure, an upper clamping element vertically displaceable along the frame via a displacement member, a lower clamping element aligned with the upper clamping element, a loading device for supplying a pipe segment to the upper clamping element, and a control device adapted to control the displacement member and the upper and lower clamping elements for lowering the pipe segment by the displacement member along a pipe trajectory, with the upper clamping element being engaged on the pipe segment, while the lower clamping element is disengaged, with the lower clamping element being situated on the vessel support structure, with a transverse track extending from a side position on the vessel to a position alongside the pipe trajectory, and a support member which is displaceable along the track to be situated in the pipe trajectory.

Abstract: A vessel has a substantially vertical frame attached to a vessel support structure, an upper clamping element vertically displaceable along the frame via a displacement member, a lower clamping element aligned with the upper clamping element, a loading device for supplying a pipe segment to the upper clamping element, and a control device adapted to control the displacement member and the upper and lower clamping elements for lowering the pipe segment by the displacement member along a pipe trajectory, with the upper clamping element being engaged on the pipe segment, while the lower clamping element is disengaged, with the lower clamping element being situated on the vessel support structure, with a transverse track extending from a side position on the vessel to a position alongside the pipe trajectory, and a support member which is displaceable along the track to be situated in the pipe trajectory.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus in which a vacuum chamber provided with a vacuum generator constructed and arranged to generate a vacuum beam path for the projection beam, wherein the apparatus is provided with a collision protection apparatus for reducing the effects of a collision of an object table with the wall of the vacuum chamber or with another object table. These collisions may occur during a power failure or an error in a programmed control logic in a controller of the apparatus.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus in which a vacuum chamber provided with a vacuum generator constructed and arranged to generate a vacuum beam path for the projection beam, wherein the apparatus is provided with a collision protection apparatus for reducing the effects of a collision of an object table with the wall of the vacuum chamber or with another object table. These collisions may occur during a power failure or an error in a programmed control logic in a controller of the apparatus.