Method and apparatus for producing laminated capacitors

Method for producing laminated capacitors, including a rotatable drum having a periphery and recesses formed therein, ribs disposed on the drum between the recesses having leading and trailing edges relative to the direction of rotation of the drum, carriers disposed on the drum in the recesses, defining a setting range for laminations on the periphery of the drum equal to the width of a recess, a first vacuum chamber for metal layer deposition, a second vacuum chamber for insulating material layer deposition, a metal evaporator supplying a vapor jet through a path in the first vacuum chamber, a fixed mask spaced apart from the drum between the metal evaporator and the drum and having an opening formed therein defining first and second opening edges respectively disposed toward the leading and trailing edges of any given rib, in vicinity of the fixed mask during rotation of the drum, and a shielding mask spaced apart from the drum between the fixed mask and the metal evaporator for shielding the carriers from the vapor jet and allowing the vapor jet to reach the carriers in the setting range, which comprises shielding off the carriers from the vapor jet with the shielding mask before vapor deposition, alternatingly conducting the carriers on the drum through the first and second vacuum chambers for producing alternating metal and insulating layers on the carriers, rotating the drum for a given number of revolutions while the setting range on the periphery of the drum rotates through the first zone, subsequently initiating removal of the shielding mask from the vapor jet path when the leading edge of a given rib passes the second opening edge of the fixed mask, fully removing the shielding mask when the trailing edge of the next rib following the given rib in direction of rotation of the drum passes the first opening edge of the fixed mask, initiating reintroduction of the shielding mask in the vapor jet path after one complete revolution of the drum when the leading edge of the given rib again passes the opening in the fixed mask and closing the shielding mask when the trailing edge of the following rib passes the first opening edge of the fixed mask.