CARL P CHARTIER
Engineering in Danvers, MA

4406731, Sep 27, 1983

Jun 9, 1981

6/271980

Carl P. Chartier - Danvers MA

Ferrofluidics Corporation - Nashua NH

C30B 1530

156617SP

An apparatus for and a method of sealing a rotating shaft in a crystal-growing furnace, wherein the crystal-growing furnace includes a chamber adapted to be maintained at a contaminant-free inert atmosphere, with an inert gas at a low pressure, a rotatable shaft element which extends into the chamber, and a seal surrounding the shaft element, to separate the atmospheric pressure outside of the chamber from the low-pressure, contaminant-free atmosphere within the chamber, the seal having a plurality of sealing elements spaced apart along the shaft and defining an annular cavity between the sealing elements, the improvement which comprises means to and a method of maintaining an inert-gas atmosphere within the sealed cavity at a pressure slightly higher than the outside atmospheric pressure or the low pressure of the chamber, whereby, on failure of the sealing elements, inert gas passes from the cavity to the atmosphere or to the low-pressure chamber, thereby preventing the contamination of the chamber with atmospheric air.

4350560, Sep 21, 1982

Aug 7, 1981

6/298242

Walter Helgeland - Lexington MA
Alex Teverovsky - Concord MA
Kenneth H. Kerwin - Londonderry NH
Carl P. Chartier - Danvers MA

Ferrofluidics Corporation - Nashua NH

C30B 1532

156617SP

An apparatus for and a method of handling grown crystal ingots from a crystal-growing furnace, which apparatus and method include: lifting and moving an upper crystal chamber with the crystal supported therein to one side of the furnace; and gently lowering the crystal into a lower crystal chamber positioned beneath the upper crystal chamber and on a wheeled vehicle, which permits ease in removal and transport of hot heavy crystals with minimum damage or fracture.