Method and apparatus for cathode sputtering using a cylindrical cathode

Claim 3

IN A SPUTTERING MACHINE FOR COATING ARTICLES WITH MATERIAL, (A) A SPUTTRING CHAMBER OPEN ON AT LEAST ONE END, (B) A TUBULAR CATHODE OF SAID MATERIAL TO BE SPUTTERED WITHIN SAID CHAMBR, THE CATHODE HAVING A CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION AND A MAJOR AXIS, (C) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING ARTICLES TO BE COATED WITHIN SAID CATHODE AND FOR SEALING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID SUPPORTING AND SEALING MEANS INCLUDING, (1) A CONVEYOR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CATHODE FOR TRANSPORTING A PLURALITYOF SAID ARTICLES ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH IN A UNIFORMLY ORIENTED CONFIGURATION SPACED ALONG SAID PATH, THE PATH BEING LONGITUDINAL AND PARALLEL TO AND REMOVED FROM BOTH SAID MAJOR AXIS AND THE WALLS OF SAID CATHODE SO THAT NO PART OF SAID ARTICLES OR OF SAID SUPPORTING MENS IMPINGES UPON SAID MAJOR AXIS, AND (2) A TUBE OF LENGTH GREATER THAN THE ARTICLE SPACING MAINTAINABLE BY SAID CONVEYOR, SAID TUBE DEFINING A PASSAGE WHICH SURROUNDS SAID CONVEYOR AND HAS A CROSS SECTION CORRESPONDING TO THE CROSS SECTION TAKEN THROUGH BOTH THE CONVEYOR AND AN ARTICLE LOADED THEREIN, AND (D) ELECTRIC POTENTIAL-PRODUCING MEANS, INCLUDING SAID CATHODE AND SAID CONVEYOR, FOR IMPRESSING A NEGATIVE POTENTIAL ON SAID CATHODE AND A POSITIVE POTENTIAL ON SAID CONVEYOR TO CATHODICALLY SPUTTER SAID MATERIAL AND COAT SAID SUPPORTED ARTICLES.

Claim 4

IN A SPUTTERING MACHINE FOR COATING ARTICLES WITH MATERIAL, (A) A SPUTTRING CHAMBER OPEN ON AT LEAST ONE END, (B) A TUBULAR CATHODE OF SAID MATERIAL TO BE SPUTTERED WITHIN SAID CHAMBR, THE CATHODE HAVING A CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION AND A MAJOR AXIS, (C) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING ARTICLES TO BE COATED WITHIN SAID CATHODE AND FOR SEALING SAID OPEN END OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID SUPPORTING AND SEALING MEANS INCLUDING, (1) A CONVEYOR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CATHODE FOR TRANSPORTING A PLURALITYOF SAID ARTICLES ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH IN A UNIFORMLY ORIENTED CONFIGURATION SPACED ALONG SAID PATH, THE PATH BEING LONGITUDINAL AND PARALLEL TO AND REMOVED FROM BOTH SAID MAJOR AXIS AND THE WALLS OF SAID CATHODE SO THAT NO PART OF SAID ARTICLES OR OF SAID SUPPORTING MENS IMPINGES UPON SAID MAJOR AXIS, AND (2) A TUBE OF LENGTH GREATER THAN THE ARTICLE SPACING MAINTAINABLE BY SAID CONVEYOR, SAID TUBE DEFINING A PASSAGE WHICH SURROUNDS SAID CONVEYOR AND HAS A CROSS SECTION CORRESPONDING TO THE CROSS SECTION TAKEN THROUGH BOTH THE CONVEYOR AND AN ARTICLE LOADED THEREIN, AND (D) ELECTRIC POTENTIAL-PRODUCING MEANS, INCLUDING SAID CATHODE AND SAID CONVEYOR, FOR IMPRESSING A NEGATIVE POTENTIAL ON SAID CATHODE AND A POSITIVE POTENTIAL ON SAID CONVEYOR TO CATHODICALLY SPUTTER SAID MATERIAL AND COAT SAID SUPPORTED ARTICLES.