Abstract: In a material transfer device, an articulated arm assembly extends and retracts in a "froglike" motion to transfer an object between a plurality of locations. The articulated arm assembly is rotatable about a pivot point in a radial plane and can be raised or lowered in an axial direction.

Abstract: Compact, lightweight transport apparatus for use particularly in hostile environments employs a plurality of groups of rails flexurally mounted to a base and corresponding groups of slats flexurally mounted to the rails and forming a slat array. Corresponding groups of slats and rails are reciprocated out of phase so that the slat group orbits relative to the base along an orbital path. The different slat-rail groups are also reciprocated out of phase with one another so that an object placed on the slat array is advanced incrementally along the slat array in a very gentle fashion.

Abstract: An article handling system especially adapted for transporting thin, fragile articles such as silicon wafers into and out of a sealed environment such as a vacuum chamber comprises a vibratory track for transporting articles to be processed, an article handler associated with the track for removing articles from the track for processing and returning them to the track thereafter, and a pair of loader/unloaders at opposite ends of the track for intermittently supplying articles to be processed to the track and removing them therefrom after processing.

Abstract: An article handling system especially adapted for transporting thin, fragile articles such as silicon wafers into and out of a sealed environment such as a vacuum chamber comprises a vibratory track for transporting articles to be processed, an article handler associated with the track for removing articles from the track for processing and returning them to the track thereafter, and a pair of loader/unloaders at opposite ends of the track for intermittently supplying articles to be processed to the track and removing them therefrom after processing.