A single slot valve shaft is in a vacuum body between adjacent vacuum
chambers, such as a process module and a transport module. Separate valves
are provided on the single shaft actuator for each of two valve body
slots, each body slot being closed or opened according to the position of
the single shaft. The separate valves allow a vacuum condition to be
maintained in the transport module while an adjacent process module is
open to the atmosphere for servicing. The single shaft allows access to an
open valve for servicing the open valve by way of stops that limit drive
travel and hold the valve in an open, but not vertically-spaced, position
relative to a respective slot. The open valve is easily reached by a
gloved hand of a service worker. The single shaft is mounted on a first
cradle, and the first cradle is mounted on a second cradle. Two separate
shaft drives move the two cradles to position the single shaft to locate
the valves between the slots to open one slot and close the other slot.
Another separate shaft drive moves the single shaft vertically down from
the open position and away from the slots to expose seal surfaces around
the slots for cleaning.