Abstract: Apparatus for inserting a semiconductor wafer in a slot of a holding post including a wafer support member or paddle for supporting the wafer and inserting it into a slot and rotation device for rotating the support member by the angle necessary to cause edges of the wafer to be received at the centers of the slots.

Abstract: Wafer transfer apparatus including a wafer-pickup element having suction openings closer to the edge of wafer than the wafer's center so that the wafer can be picked up with greater certainty as to the locations of the wafer edges, the openings being surrounded by raised portions so that the region of the wafer-pickup element between the opening is at a lower elevation than the raised portions so as to facilitate picking up warped wafers.

Abstract: Wafer transfer apparatus including a wafer-pickup element having suction openings closer to the edge of wafer than the wafer's center so that the wafer can be picked up with greater certainty as to the locations of the wafer edges, the pickup element being thin and made of a structural layer of rigid structural material having grooves and a TEFLON layer laminated to the structural layer and having suction openings, the grooves and covering portions of TEFLON defining vacuum passages.

Abstract: Apparatus for placing a first element at a receptacle location on a second element, there being associated with the precise receptacle location some known variation in the shape of the second element, the apparatus comprising a support member for supporting the first element while the member is translated toward the second element along a placement direction, a first transport device for moving the support member or the second element along a direction transverse to the placement direction, and a sensing device located on the support member for sensing the relative alignment along the transverse direction of the support member and the variation in shape, the sensing device comprising an energy-beam source adapted and positioned to direct an energy beam along a path that interacts with the variation in shape at least when the support member and receptacle location are aligned so that more of the beam is transmitted along the path when the member and receptacle location are aligned than when the member and rece

Abstract: The disclosed method for increasing the maneuverability of a ship in ice-covered waters is comprised of bringing generally vertical ice-crushing surfaces on one side of a ship into contact with an ice covering in order to create an imbalance of forces between that side of the ship and the ice covering in comparison with the forces between the other side of the ship and the ice covering in order to assist in turning the ship. The generally vertical ice-crushing surfaces are positioned on both a starboard and port side of the hull of the ship in such a manner that they remain out of contact with the ice covering normal straight forward travel. A particular positioning mechanism is utilized in order to bring a generally vertically oriented ice-crushing wall portion into contact with the ice covering.