Apparatus for preparing semiconductor rods

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SEMICONDUCTOR RODS BY CAUSING MOLTEN SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL TO GROW IN PREFERRED CRYSTALLINE ORIENTATION ON A SEED AT A LOCALITY OF HIGH TEMPERATURE AND REMOVING THE RESULTING SOLIDIFIED ROD TO A LOCALITY LOWER TEMPERATURE, COMPRISING A PROCESSING VESSEL, HEATABLE CRYSAL-FORMING MEANS IN SAID VESSEL, A GUIDE MOUNTED IN SAID VESSEL IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID CRYSTAL-FORMING MEANS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SOLIDIFIED CRYSTAL ROD BEING PRODUCED TO GUIDE THE ROD FOR DISPLACEMENT IN THE AXIAL DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID CRYSTAL-FORMING MEANS, A SEALING DEVICE MOUNTED ON THE VESSEL WALL IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GUIDE AND SPACED THEREFROM IN SAID DIRECTION, SAID SEALING DEVICE HAVING COOLING MEANS AND A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED ELASTIC SEALING MEMBERS COAXIALLY SURROUNDING THE ROD-DISPLACEMENT AXIS, SAID SEALING MEMBERS BEING SEALINGLY CONTACTABLE WITH THE ROD PASSING THROUGH SAID DEVICE TO THE OUTSIDE OF SAID VESSEL, AND ROD DRIVE MEANS MOUNTED OUTSIDE SIAD VESSEL AND DRIVINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ROD FOR PULLING THE LONGITUDINALLY GROWING CRYSTAL ROD THROUGH SAID GUIDE AND SAID SEALING DEVICE.