Patent ID: 6871771

Claim:
An automatic brazing machine for joining a plurality of junction tubes to a header, wherein said header is a cylindrical tube having a central axis and said junction tubes lie in an orientation which is approximately perpendicular to said central axis and intersect said header at a series of joints, comprising: a. fixturing means for holding said plurality of junction tubes in a fixed position relative to said header; b. a carriage; c. translation means for creating relative motion between said carriage and said header along an axis lying parallel to said central axis of said header; d. wherein said carriage comprises: i. sensing means, capable of detecting the presence of each of said joints and determining the position of each of said joints as said carriage moves relative to said header along said central axis; ii. heating means; and iii. brazing material supply means; and e. control means, capable of: i. controlling said relative motion between said carriage and said fixturing means so as to bring said heating means in close proximity to each of said joints; ii. controlling said heating means so as to heat each of said joints to an appropriate temperature for brazing; and iii. controlling said brazing material supply means so as to feed brazing material to each of said joints once said appropriate brazing temperature has been achieved.