Abstract: A cage-type wafer carrier is provided which can be loaded and unloaded with semiconductor wafers by means of an automatic wafer transfer machine. No large slots are required in the bottom section of the cage-type carrier for allowing elevator lifts to pass therethrough to engage the wafers.

Abstract: A heat treating basket which comprises a bottom section having upwardly extending post members provided with first connecting means, upper frame members having second connecting means associated therewith, said bottom section being connected to said upper frame members through the slidable engagement of said first and second connecting means, and lugs provided at the first and second connecting means to prevent the disengagement of the upper frame members from the bottom section.

Abstract: Wafers are unloaded from a hot wafer processing boat of the type having a plurality of elongated parallel electrodes defining elongated processing gaps therebetween with the wafers being serially spaced apart lengthwise of the gap. A wafer carrier, into which the wafers are to be unloaded from the hot boat, has elongated receiving means, preferably formed by folds of the wafer carrier, extending lengthwise of the elongated electrodes of the boat. The wafer carrier is positioned over the boat and the boat and the carrier are inverted so that the wafers drop from the hot boat into the receiving means of the wafer carrier. In a preferred embodiment, once the wafers have been unloaded onto the folded wafer carrier, the wafer carrier is unfolded to facilitate access to the wafers.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for forming depletion-free uniform thickness CVD thin-film on semiconductor wafers includes a diffusion furnace, a boat loader coupled to the furnace for loading and removing a batch of semiconductor wafers into and out of the furnace, and a semiconductor wafer support boat for removably retaining a plurality of vertically oriented semiconductor wafers on the boat. The boat includes supporting surfaces so arranged that depletion-free uniform thickness thin-film is provided on both sides of each of the vertically oriented wafers. The semiconductor wafer support boat preferably includes two laterally spaced elongated rails each having an undulatory longitudinal section defining plural ridge portions spaced apart by plural valley portions. The ridges on one of the rails are provided with transverse slots that cooperate with confronting transverse slots provided on the confronting ridge portions on the other one of the rails to define a plurality of wafer edge receiving channels.

Abstract: An improved heat treating basket is disclosed for retaining parts on a heat treating tray as the parts are conveyed through a heat treatment process. The basket includes a plurality of side members attached together by connecting pins. Each side member has a thickness which tapers along the length thereof, on both an inner and an outer surface, to a narrow dimension located approximately halfway therebetween. The tapers equalizes the thermal gradient of the side member thereby prolonging the useful life of the heat treatment basket.

Abstract: A high-temperature furnace basket 10 is disclosed for carrying work pieces during heat treatment. The basket includes a top rim A and a bottom rim B interconnected by frame sides 20a, 20c and ends 20b, 20d. Rim A includes a closed loop 12 having an uninterrupted load bearing surface 16 around the entire perimeter of the basket. Rim B includes closed loop 14 having an uninterrupted contacting rim surface 18. When stacked, contact around the total perimeter of the basket is provided between rim surfaces 16 and 18 to evenly distribute the load of stacked baskets under high temperature loads and stresses. Staggered retaining devices 54, 56 and 58,60 provide inverted stacking as well as normal stacking.

Abstract: An improved heat treatment fixture is disclosed formed in a tubular frame network structure composed of mating plural cylindrical tubings segments and cast couplings which are interconnected by pins to permit moderate movement within the frame network structure during the heat treatment process, and thereby. relieve thermal stresses developed within a fixture. The tubing frame network structure renders the fixture lightweight and is adapted to permit multiple fixtures to be rapidly linked together in an end to end orientation to vary the size and capacity of the fixture. The fixture is further constructed to allow rapid repair by the end user to prolong the useful life of the fixture and includes a part tray which is replaceable directly within the field.

Abstract: A wafer processing boat is provided with parallel slots that support each wafer at a slight angle with respect to vertical so that the wafers lean by gravity in a uniform manner and are thereby arranged in spaced parallel relationship. This enables the tolerances within the slots to be quite large with respect to the width of the wafer edges thus facilitating insertion and removal of the wafers while minimizing wafer damage and increasing wafer processing uniformity.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting an insulator or a plurality of insulators having a support means for supporting the insulators at a predetermined position and an integral spacing means integrally connected to the support means for supporting another support means to provide for stacking of a plurality of apparatus. The support means includes a base having a plurality of recesses therein for receiving a mounting portion of a typical insulator and supporting it in a predetermined position. The spacing means includes integral supports projecting upward a predetermined distance from the periphery of the base and an external peripheral wall enclosed upon itself extending upward a second predetermined distance from the periphery of the base, the first and second predetermined distances being selected to provide for adequate ventilation of the insulators. Being self-supporting the apparatus eliminates secondary support materials that are normally required.

Abstract: An automatic apparatus for soldering jump rings conventionally used in chain jewelry. The apparatus includes a fixture in which at least one and preferably a plurality of laterally oriented grooves are disposed in the upper face of a heat resistant fixture which in turn is adapted to move longitudinally with respect to a frame which supports the fixture. In addition to the laterally oriented grooves, at least one and preferably a pair of longitudinally oriented grooves are disposed in the face of the fixture in intersecting relation to said lateral grooves.

Abstract: A heat treating basket for receiving objects that are subjected to a heat treatment which comprises a bottom grating (10) the rim of which carries vertical struts (15) projecting in the upwardly direction. The upper ends of the struts are connected by a frame (16). In order to avoid breaks due to different thermal expansions of the bottom grating (10) and the frame (16) the horizontal struts (11,12) of the bottom grating (10) that are positioned in the vicinity of the corners of the heat treating basket are connected with the lower rim (14) of the bottom grating (10) by coupling members (21) which permit a lateral clearance.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US79/00792 Sec. 371 Date Sept. 27, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Sept. 27, 1979 PCT Filed Sept. 27, 1979Parts (12) to be treated are placed in grid bottomed tubs (14a,14b,14c) and the tubs (14a,14b,14c) are stacked one upon the other. A flow of treating gas is directed exteriorly about and internally through the tubs (14a,14b,14c) from an entrance end (26) to an exit end (28). If the parts (12) in the entrance tub or tubs (14a,14b) are sufficiently but not overly treated, it has been found that the parts (12) near the exit end (28) of tub or tubs (14b,14c) are not sufficiently treated. If the parts (12) near the exit end (28) tub or tubs (14b,14c) are sufficiently treated, then the parts (12) in the entrance end (26) of tub or tubs (14a,14b) are over treated.

Abstract: A heat resistant, structurally stable member is provided for in high temperature, heat treatment processing. It includes a core which has a high melting point higher than the processing temperature but which crystallizes, and so becomes frangible, at temperatures lower than the processing temperature. It is encased in a covering of a weldable, non-crystallizing alloy which may begin to soften at lower than processing temperatures, but is thick enough to be welded and to prevent loss of strength of the core due to crystalline shattering. Consequently, this structural member retains rigidity during high temperature usage.A plurality of structural members are welded together to form racks or baskets for holding parts during heat treatment in high temperature processing.

Abstract: A furnace paddle adapted to hold semiconductor wafers therein and having means attached thereto for supporting the paddle for movement along the inside of a cylindrically-shaped tube of a semiconductor processing furnace has means attached to the paddle adjacent the supporting means for limiting the lateral movement of the supporting means up the inside wall of the tube. The means includes a guide wing having two ends for contacting respectively the inside wall of the tube at intersecting points of a chord thereof and having a stem attached to the paddle adjacent the supporting means for maintaining the ends proximate the inside wall of the tube.

Abstract: A gas permeable structural part, particularly for use in burning and sintering devices, for withdrawal preferably of hot gases from a layer of granular material with a group of rods arranged parallel to one another and spaced from one another, which rods form a gap respectively therebetween, the gap width being smaller than the diameter of the smallest material granule. The grid rods have the smallest possible cross-section, and extend as short as possible in a direction perpendicularly to the surface of the structural part, solely assuming the mechanical pressure of the material loading the grid rods without deformation.

Abstract: Gases are removed from particles, such as ferrochrome, by providing a container having an open top and a vertical wall having closely spaced opening therein so constructed that the particles will not plug or pass therethrough. Preferably a central vertical tubular member is provided in the container with similar holes. The particles are placed in the container between its wall and the vertical member and heated in a furnace to a temperature at which the gases will evolve. The gases may be removed by having the furnace under vacuum or by the atmosphere in the furnace.

Abstract: Disclosed is a preformed ceramic base useful in firing an open-ended ceramic shell mold having a mold base prior to metal casting. The ceramic firing base includes a working surface having a majority of flat surface portions for supporting the mold base during firing and one or more groove-like surface portions which define gas circulation passages from the outside atmosphere into the open mold bottom when the mold base is placed in supported relation on the flat surface portions. The ceramic firing base thereby enables firing of a green shell mold while maintaining mold base flatness and circulation of furnace gas into the mold cavity to minimize mold hot spots. Also disclosed is a preformed ceramic firing cap to be used in conjunction with the ceramic firing base, the firing cap being adapted to cover the open top end of the shell mold to prevent foreign particulate from entering the mold.

Abstract: A hearth construction having a plurality of sections each of which has a first plurality of parallel, stainless steel I-beams connected in spaced relation by a plurality of transverse stainless steel I-beams. The top surfaces of the longitudinal and transverse I-beams are co-planar to provide a furnace floor for supporting work loads to be heat treated. In each section there are three elongated beams with the outer beams in each section having extensions at one end thereof. The ends of the extensions are situated in the furnace vestibule and have chamfered ends to facilitate loading and unloading of the work loads. Each section has a plurality of pairs of pier plates. The pairs are longitudinally spaced along the elongated beams at a distance corresponding to pier blocks which are situated on and extend from the furnace subfloor. The spacing between the plates in each pair dimensionally conforms to the pier blocks.

Abstract: A boat for carrying a load of stacked layers of interspaced pellets through a high-temperature continuous furnace, has a base for carrying the load through the furnace and having upstanding posts, each of the layers being carried by a sheet having holes through which the posts are inserted to prevent lateral shifting of the sheets.

Abstract: A support assembly unit and a support assembly formed from such units which can be mounted on a kiln car to support pottery being fired. The unit comprises upper and lower shelves having through holes which receive upper and lower spigots of a plurality of uprights. Each upright is a unitary structure with one or more spigots at the upper and lower ends and may have an intermediate shelf support upon which an intermediate shelf can be rested.

Abstract: A distortion-resistant wafer basket with an open top for insertion and removal of wafers and opposed side and end walls with the side walls having lower portions offset inwardly. An end wall is provided with a transverse indexing bar across its width and gussets joining opposing side walls with the indexing bar and spaced axially inwardly of the outer surface of the end wall. The gussets strengthen the end wall against distortion, and co-act with the offset side walls to stiffen the basket and to restrain twisting or bowing of the side walls.