Method and equipment for bonding metal

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF BRAZING IN OPEN AIR A HONEYCOMB CORE PANEL OR LIKE STRUCTURE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) ASSEMBLING A SANDWICH ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDES A CORE OF METAL HONEYCOMB WITH A METAL PANEL ON EACH SIDE THEREOF WITH THE EDGES OF THE HONEYCOMB CELLS ABUTTING THE SURFACES OF SAID PANELS AND A BRAZING MATERIAL THEREBETWEEN; (B) PLACING SAID PANEL AND CORE ASSEMBLY IN A FLEXIBLE METALLIC ENVELOPE THAT INTIMATELY CONTACTS AND CONFORMS TO THE SHAPE OF SAID PANEL AND CORE ASSEMBLY; (C) SEALING SAID ENVELOPE TO RENDER THE INTERIOR THEREOF GAS-TIGHT EXCEPT FOR CONTROLLED INGRESS AND EGRESS OF GAS; (D) SUSPENDING SAID ENVELOPE INA VERTICAL POSITION; (E) REPLACING THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID ENVELOPE WITH NON-OXIDIZING GAS WHILE SAID ENVELOPE IS IN SAID VERTICAL POSITION; (F) ADJUSTING THE INTERIOR PRESSURE OF SAID ENVELOPE TO LESS THAN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; (G) PLACING SAID VERTICAL SUSPENDED ENVELOPE BETWEEN SPACED APART RADIANT LAMPS TO SUBJECT THE SIDES OF SAID ENVELOPE ADJACENT THERETO SOLELY TO THE HEAT EMITTED BY SAID LAMPS FOR A SUFFICIENT PERIOD OF TIME TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID ENVELOPE TO THE MELTING POINT OF SAID BRAZING MATERIAL BETWEEN CELL EDGES AND PANEL SURFACES OF THE SANDWICH ASSEMBLY IN SAID ENVELOPE; (H) REMOVING SAID ENVELOPE FROM BETWEEN SAID LAMPS AND CLAMPING SAID ENVELOPE BETWEEN A PAIR OF CHILLED, PRESSURE-EXERTING SURFACES WHILE SAID BRAZING MATERIAL IS STILL MOLTEN TO SOLIDIFY SAID BRAZING MATERIAL WHILE SUFFICIENT PRESSURE IS EXERTED AGAINST THE SIDES OF SAID ENVELOPE TO PREVENT WARPING THEREOF; (I) REMOVING SAID CLAMPING PRESSURE FROM SAID ENVELOPE WHEN SAID ENVELOPE HAS COOLED SUFFICIENTLY; (J) AND REMOVING THE BRAZED SANDWICH PANEL ASSEMBLY FROM SAID ENVELOPE.