Antechamber facilitates the use of a furnace in which materials are heat treated in a high vacuum or a gas atmosphere. It has a high vacuum pumping system, a means for backfilling with a selected gas, an access door, glove ports, and a motor driven platform

Kramer, P. J.

Mills, J. A.

Orth, N. W.

Quatinetz, M.

Wagner, J. G.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

April 1968
	 Brief 68-10135 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech,
 Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Antechamber Facilitates Loading and Unloading of Vacuum Furnace 
An antechamber has been designed to facilitate the 
use of a furnace in which materials are heat treated 
in a high vacuum (10-6 torr) or in a gas atmosphere.
This antechamber offers the following advantages: 
(I) The furnace can be loaded and unloaded in a
vacuum or gas atmosphere without exposing 
the materials or the furnace interior to air. 
(2) Sensitive materials are protected from air con-
tamination during transfer to the furnace from 
a preceding operation. 
(3) Toxic materials can be transferred into or out 
of the furnace without exposing operators to 
contamination hazards. 
(4) The operating time of the furnace is increased 
because it can remain in use while the next 
specimen is prepared in the antechamber. 
The antechamber is provided with a high vacuum 
pumping system, a means for backfilling with a se-
lected gas, an access door, glove ports to permit 
handling of specimens and opening of protective con-
tainers, and a motor driven platform equipped with 
a sealing device to isolate the furnace from the ante-
chamber. This platform is used to transfer materials 
between the antechamber and furnace. 
The material to be treated in the furnace is placed 
on the motor driven platform, which is located in the 
antechamber. Following this step, the antechamber 
ports are closed and the desired vacuum is drawn.
Then the antechamber is backfilled with an inert gas 
and the material can be prepared as required by 
manipulation through the glove ports. The material 
on the platform is then raised from the antechamber 
into the furnace, which contains the same gas at-
mosphere (or vacuum) as the antechamber. When the 
platform is raised, it forms part of the furnace en-
closure. An 0-ring is utilized to seal the furnace and 
the antechamber from each other. The essential steps 
are reversed to transfer the material from the furnace 
to the antechamber. 
Notes: 
I. The antechamber may also be used with other 
types of chambers, such as hot presses, freeze 
driers, and chemical reactors, in which materials 
must be processed in different atmospheres. 
2. Technical details may be obtained from: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B68-10135 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: P. J. Kramer, M. Quatinetz 
N. W. Orth, J. G. Wagner, 
and J. A. Mills 
(LEW- 10265) 
Category 02 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
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Antechamber facilitates loading and unloading of vacuum furnace

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