Patent ID: 7743790

Claim:
Vacuum apparatus comprising: a high vacuum chamber; a low vacuum chamber; and a shutter and gate valve assembly disposed between the high vacuum chamber and the low vacuum chamber, the shutter and gate valve assembly including: a valve housing that defines a passage between the high vacuum chamber and the low vacuum chamber, a valve member having a valve aperture, the valve member movable between a non-operating position that seals the passage and an operating position that aligns the valve aperture with the passage, and a shutter member having a shutter aperture, the shutter member attached to the valve member and movable therewith between a closed position that blocks the valve aperture and an open position that unblocks the valve aperture; a gate valve actuator mechanically coupled to the valve member, moving the valve member between a non-operating position to an operating position upon activation; and a shutter valve actuator mechanically coupled to the shutter member, moving the shutter member between a closed position and an open position upon activation.