Methods of brazing and preparing articles for brazing, and coating composition for use in such methods

Abstract

Methods of brazing and coating and preparing articles for brazing and coating are disclosed. Prior to assembly and brazing, the articles are coated with a coating composition including a hot melt adhesive medium and brazing materials. To coat the articles, the hot melt adhesive medium and brazing materials are first mixed at elevated temperatures to form a liquid coating material, the material is allowed to harden, and the hardened material is then melted onto the articles to form a hard coating. The coated articles are then assembled for brazing. During the brazing process, the articles are first preheated to a sufficient temperature to substantially gasify and remove the hot melt adhesive medium from the articles. This leaves only the brazing materials on the articles for clean and efficient brazing of the articles in a conventional brazing oven. In one embodiment, the hot melt adhesive medium takes the form of a hot melt glue from the chemical family of ethylene-vinyl acetate bases.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.