Method and apparatus for making brazed honeycomb

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A COMPOSITE THIN METAL HONEYCOMB SANDWICH STRUCTURE HAVING A STRONG COHESIVE SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CONTINUOUS BOND BETWEEN THE EDGES OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE CELLS AND THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE SANDWICH SKIN COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREFORMING THE HONEYCOMB CORE AND THIN SKINS FOR EACH SIDE OF THE CORE, PLACING THE APPROPRIATE SKINS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE WITH A PROPER AMOUNT OF SUITABLE COHESIVE FUSIBLE BONDING MATERIAL, ENCLOSING THE UNBONDED SANDWICH STRUCTURE WITH A SEALED ENVELOPE, PARTIALLY EVACUATING THE SEALED ENVELOPE, PLACING THE SEALED ENVELOPE AND SANDWICH STRUCTURE BETWEEN TWO TENSION MEMBERS TO EXERT TENSION FORCES ON THE ENVELOPE TENDING TO FORCE THE ENVELOPE WALLS WHICH ARE ADJACENT THE SANDWICH SKINS TOWARD EACH OTHER, WHEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE CONTACT BETWEEN THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF THE CELL EDGES OF THE TWO FACES OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE AND THE ENTIRE RESPECTIVE ADJACENT SURFACES OF THE THIN METAL SKINS IS OBTAINED, POSITIONING SAID ASSEMBLY OF TENSION MEMBERS, SEALED ENVELOPE AND SANDWICH STRUCTURE THROUGH A TUNNEL FURNACE AND CAUSING RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN FURNACE AND SAID ASSEMBLY WHEREBY COHESIVE BONDING OF SAID SANDWICH STRUCTURE IS PROGRESSIVELY OBTAINED.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A COMPOSITE THIN METAL HONEYCOMB SANDWICH STRUCTURE HAVING A STRONG COHESIVE SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CONTINUOUS BOND BETWEEN THE EDGES OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE CELLS AND THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE SANDWICH SKIN COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PREFORMING THE HONEYCOMB CORE AND THIN SKINS FOR EACH SIDE OF THE CORE, PLACING THE APPROPRIATE SKINS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE WITH A PROPER AMOUNT OF SUITABLE COHESIVE FUSIBLE BONDING MATERIAL, ENCLOSING THE UNBONDED SANDWICH STRUCTURE WITH A SEALED ENVELOPE, PARTIALLY EVACUATING THE SEALED ENVELOPE, PLACING THE SEALED ENVELOPE AND SANDWICH STRUCTURE BETWEEN TWO TENSION MEMBERS TO EXERT TENSION FORCES ON THE ENVELOPE TENDING TO FORCE THE ENVELOPE WALLS WHICH ARE ADJACENT THE SANDWICH SKINS TOWARD EACH OTHER, WHEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE CONTACT BETWEEN THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF THE CELL EDGES OF THE TWO FACES OF THE HONEYCOMB CORE AND THE ENTIRE RESPECTIVE ADJACENT SURFACES OF THE THIN METAL SKINS IS OBTAINED, POSITIONING SAID ASSEMBLY OF TENSION MEMBERS, SEALED ENVELOPE AND SANDWICH STRUCTURE THROUGH A TUNNEL FURNACE AND CAUSING RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN FURNACE AND SAID ASSEMBLY WHEREBY COHESIVE BONDING OF SAID SANDWICH STRUCTURE IS PROGRESSIVELY OBTAINED.