Importance

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Abstract

A rapid-load system for loading a series of pallets into a sputtering apparatus. The system comprises a magazine having a plurality of vertically spaced pallet supports whose spacing is sufficient to allow insertion of a pallet into the magazine directly without contact between the pallet and magazine. The magazine is removably supported in a load-in chamber of the sputtering apparatus by a chamber track assembly. A movable loading cart in the system includes a shiftable carriage for moving a pallet supported on the carriage between loading and stacking positions, and a magazine track assembly on which the magazine can be vertically shifted to each of a series of insertion positions, at which a pallet can be moved on the carriage into a position between vertically adjacent magazine supports, without contact between the pallet and supports, and corresponding release positions, at which weight support for the pallet is transferred from the carriage to the magazine transfer track assembly for transferring the magazine from the support track assembly on the cart to the chamber track assembly within the load-in chamber with the cart position adjacent the load-in chamber.

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First Claim