Patent ID: 8257507

Claim:
A method for drying a workpiece ( 14 ), said workpiece having a substantially flat disc shape defining an outer diameter ( 16 ) of said workpiece, and a substantially circumferential opening at a center location defining an inner diameter ( 18 ) of said workpiece, comprising the acts of: immersing said workpiece ( 14 ) in an unheated liquid bath ( 60 ) by placing said workpiece ( 14 ) on a first holder ( 20 ), said first holder ( 20 ) being able to move in such a fashion as to cause a substantially vertical movement of said workpiece ( 14 ) between a highest position and a lowest position, wherein at said highest position said workpiece ( 14 ) is located entirely above a surface of said liquid bath ( 60 ) and at said lowest position said workpiece ( 14 ) is immersed entirely in the liquid bath ( 60 ), and said first holder ( 20 ) then lowering said workpiece ( 14 ) to said lowest position; raising said workpiece ( 14 ) out of said liquid bath ( 60 ) into a substantially enclosed volume of heated inert gas ( 52 ), raising of said workpiece ( 14 ) being by moving said first holder ( 20 ) to an intermediate position between said lowest and said highest position with the circumferential opening being partially or completely above the surface of the liquid bath ( 60 ), a second holder ( 30 ) attaching to said inner diameter ( 18 ) of said workpiece ( 14 ), and said second holder ( 30 ) raising said workpiece ( 14 ) so that said workpiece is entirely above the surface of said liquid bath ( 60 ); and wherein said second holder ( 30 ) further comprises a horizontal rod ( 30 ), said rod ( 30 ) having regularly spaced notches ( 32 ), each of said notches ( 32 ) being structured to hold one workpiece ( 14 ) in such a way as to substantially prevent the workpiece ( 14 ) from sliding along the rod ( 30 ), and said rod ( 30 ) being slidable along its axis, such that said rod is able to penetrate through the circumferential opening of at least one of the workpieces ( 14 ), and when the rod ( 30 ) moves laterally and in an upwards direction, it contacts an upper part of said inner diameter ( 18 ) formed by the circumferential opening and transfers motion to the workpiece ( 14 ), thus lifting the workpiece.