Method for sealing thermal processing apparatus
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorRonald D. Brunken
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A novel method for sealing the end of tubing connected to and extending from a container housing workpieces to be thermally processed using mechanical as well as thermal means. The invention also contemplates a novel tubing member for connection to such a container, where the sealing material is disposed within the tubing member prior to insertion of the tubing into the container. After fixing the tubing in the container, a plurality of locations along the length of the tubing are identified where mechanical closure of the tubing is effected. Then, the tubing is heated to a temperature sufficiently high to melt the contained sealing material at the crushed locations, such that a metallurgical seal is formed inside the tubing at the crushed locations.
Claims6
A method for sealing the interior of a container from the environment, comprising the steps of:
- (1) coupling tubing to said container;
- (2) providing a predetermined amount of brazing material inside a length of said tubing;
- (3) forming a plurality of crimps in a region of the tubing, said region encompassing said length;
- and
- (4) heating said region of said tubing to a brazing material melting point, whereby said brazing material melts and flows to form a metallurgical weld at each said crimp.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.