Patent ID: 8028853

Claim:
A cryostat comprising a cryogen vessel suspended within an outer vacuum container by an arrangement comprising: at least one housing mounted on an exterior surface of the outer vacuum container and arranged to function as a floor mounting foot, for supporting weight of the cryogen vessel and the outer vacuum container; at least two mounting points formed within each of the at least one housing; and at least an upper suspension element and a lower suspension element; wherein, the lower suspension element is mounted on the cryogen vessel at a point that is above a point at which the upper suspension element is mounted on the cryogen vessel; and the upper suspension element is mounted within the at least one housing on a mounting point that is positioned above a mounting point on which the lower suspension element is mounted within the at least one housing; each of the at least two suspension elements extends through a hole in the surface of the outer vacuum container between the respective mounting point and a respective point on the cryogen vessel, such that each suspension element is held in compression or tension, thereby bearing at least part of the weight of the cryogen vessel; and the outer vacuum container is evacuated, and the at least one housing is constructed and sealed to the outer vacuum container over the, or each respective, hole in a sufficiently airtight manner to maintain the vacuum within the outer vacuum container.