LOCK ENABLING MATERIALS TO BE FED FROM AND TO A CLOSED SPACE IN WHICH A DEFINED GAS ATMOSPHERE IS PRESENT, AND A METHOD FOR MOVING MATERIALS TO A CLOSED SPACE WITH THE AID OF THE LOCK

摘要

Lock (1) allowing materials to be moved between two spaces (5, 6), with a different gas atmosphere prevailing in the two spaces. The lock (1) comprises two hollow cylinders (2, 11), each with an opening (14, 15) in the curved cylinder wall. One hollow cylinder (11) is positioned concentrically inside the first hollow cylinder (2), and the two cylinders can rotate independently of one another about the same axis of symmetry (3). The outer hollow cylinder is connected in an airtight manner to the partition (4) in which the lock is positioned, with the aid of sealing means (16). A small intermediate space (20) is present between the inner wall of the outer cylinder (2) and the outer wall of the inner cylinder (11). The invention also relates to a method for feeding materials from a dust-free space or clean room (6) to a closed space (5), via a lock.