A storage compartment comprising: an external enclosure having an opening by means of which access may be had to the interior of the enclosure; a holding compartment capable of being inserted into the interior of the external enclosure through the opening in the external enclosure, for storing articles contained within the holding compartment, and capable of being withdrawn from the interior of the external enclosure, when access is to be had to the interior of the holding compartment, each of the external enclosure and the holding compartment having a coacting surface (33; 40) that comes closer to the other coacting surface as the holding compartment is inserted further into the interior of the external enclosure, and the holding compartment being adapted to be in gas flow communication with a gas evacuation system for removing gases from the interior of the holding compartment; a seal interposed between the coacting surfaces of the external enclosure and the holding compartment for sealing off the interior of the holding compartment to the entry of gases from outside the holding compartment when the holding compartment is inserted into the external enclosure and the coacting surfaces of the external enclosure and the holding compartment are brought together in a sealing relationship with the seal; and characterized by: complementary surfaces at the holding compartment and at the exterior of the external enclosure that are in engagement with one another and along which the holding compartment travels when it is inserted into and when it is withdrawn from the interior of the external enclosure. an external enclosure having an opening by means of which access may be had to the interior of the enclosure; a holding compartment capable of being inserted into the interior of the external enclosure through the opening in the external enclosure, for storing articles contained within the holding compartment, and capable of being withdrawn from the interior of the external enclosure, when access is to be had to the interior of the holding compartment, each of the external enclosure and the holding compartment having a coacting surface (33; 40) that comes closer to the other coacting surface as the holding compartment is inserted further into the interior of the external enclosure, and the holding compartment being adapted to be in gas flow communication with a gas evacuation system for removing gases from the interior of the holding compartment; a seal interposed between the coacting surfaces of the external enclosure and the holding compartment for sealing off the interior of the holding compartment to the entry of gases from outside the holding compartment when the holding compartment is inserted into the external enclosure and the coacting surfaces of the external enclosure and the holding compartment are brought together in a sealing relationship with the seal; and characterized by: complementary surfaces at the holding compartment and at the exterior of the external enclosure that are in engagement with one another and along which the holding compartment travels when it is inserted into and when it is withdrawn from the interior of the external enclosure.