Enclosures for vacuum coating

Claim 1

A cylindrical vacuum enclosure for vacuum coating processes comprising a main body portion of part-cylindrical form including part of the side wall of the cylindrical enclosure which is shaped to define a lateral opening extending around substantially 180* of the periphery of the cylindrical enclosure, said enclosure including top and bottom circular plates, said bottom plate defining apertures to accommodate electrical, mechanical or other inputs to the enclosure, said top and bottom plates connected to said main body portion with an air-tight seal, a workholder within said enclosure arranged to support devices for coating, and means for supporting and rotating said workholder, a movable access closure member of approximately semi-cylindrical shape arranged to form a seal with the body portion around said lateral opening, mutually cooperating vertical flanges being provided between said body portion at the two sides of the lateral opening and at the two sides of the closure member, the mutually cooperating flanges being provided at an angle of from 15* to 60* from the tangent to the side wall of the cylindrical enclosure and to the closure member respectively, a hinge for the closure member provided between one pair of said mutually cooperating flanges on one said side, and a locking flange on the other pair of flanges for retaining the closure member in sealing relationship to the peripheral walls of the opening in the body portion, and a sealing ring between the cooperating surfaces of the closure member and the peripheral walls of the opening in the main body.