Vacuum oven

Claim 1

IN A CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE ENCLOSURE FOR PROCESSING AND ASSEMBLING MATERIAL SUCH AS SEMI-CONDUCTORS AND THE LIKE, THE COMBINATION OF AN AIR-TIGHT ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A DECONTAMINATING GAS TO THE ENCLOSURE INTERIOR AND DISCHARGING THE SAME THEREFROM, THE FRONT OF SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING AN OBSERVATION WINDOW THEREIN, AND A PLURALITY OF ACCESS OPENINGS THEREIN CONSTRUCTED FOR CLOSURE BY RUBBER GLOVES, SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING A WINDOW IN THE TOP THEREOF, LIGHTING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE EXTERIOR OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED WINDOW, A VACUUM OVEN DISPOSED AT THE REAR OF SAID ENCLOSURE AND INCLUDING A REAR DOOR OPERATIVELY MOUNTED FOR OPENING TO THE EXTERIOR, AND INNER DOOR OPERATIVELY MOUNTED FOR OPENING WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID INNER DOOR FOR VERTICAL OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT, SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO IMPART A FINAL CLOSING MOVEMENT TO SAID DOOR IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE ADJACENT END AND FACE OF THE OVEN TO SEAT SAID DOOR IN GAS-TIGHT RELATION AND AN INITIAL OPENING MOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID END FACE, MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR CULINDER HAVING AN ACTUATING MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR FOR ACTUATING THE SAME, AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING A SEAL BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING MEMBER AND THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE ENCLOSURE, SAID VACUUM OVEN PROVIDED WITH A GAS INLET ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND A GAS OUTLET ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF, MEANS ADJACENT THE OVEN BOTTOM FOR DISTRIBUTING INCOMING GAS THEREACROSS, SAID VACUUM OVEN HAVING AN AIR EXHAUST PORT THEREIN, AIR EXHAUST MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VALVES FOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID AIR EXHAUST MEANS TO THE EXHAUST PORT OF SAID VACUUM OVEN AND CONTROLLING SAID GAS INLET AND OUTLET, ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HEATING UNITS DISPOSED TO APPLY HEAT TO ALL SIDES AND THE DOORS OF SAID VACUUM OVEN, AUTOMATIC TIMER CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY RELATED TO SAID ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HEATING UNITS FOR SAID VACUUM OVEN, AIR EXHAUST MEANS, AND THE RESPECTIVE VALVES TO OPERATE THE SAME IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE FOR CONTROLLING THE PASSAGE OF GAS THROUGH SAID VACUUM OVEN, THE TEMPERATURE OF THE VACUUM OVEN AND THE EVACUATION OF SAID VACUUM OVEN OVER A PREDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME