Patent ID: 8220698

Claim:
A method of brazing two materials together using a filler metal, comprising: placing the filler metal between a first contacting material and a second contacting material in a brazing zone in which said first contacting material and said second contacting material are to be joined, said first contacting material and said second contacting material being mounted so as to be movable on a support; positioning the filler metal between said first contacting material and said second contacting material, such that a substantial entirety of a first surface of the filler material contacts said first contacting material and a substantial entirety of a second surface of the filler material contacts said second contacting material, said first surface of the filler material being opposite said second surface of the filler material; applying a stressing force to said second contacting material via a stressing means, said stressing means moving said second contacting material in at least one direction of expansion of said first contacting material due to eventual heating of said first contacting material, wherein said first contacting material, the filler material, and said second contacting material each move in said at least one direction of expansion; maintaining contact between said substantial entirety of said first surface of the filler material and said first contacting material and contact between said substantial entirety of said second surface of the filler material and said second contacting material at the brazing zone via said stressing force, said applying and maintaining occurring prior to exposure of said first contacting material and said second contacting material to a brazing temperature; exposing said first contacting material and said second contacting material to said brazing temperature in said brazing zone, said brazing temperature being both above a melting point of the filler metal and below a melting point of each of said first contacting material and said second contacting material; gradually reducing said stressing force exerted on said first contacting material and said second contacting material as said first contacting material and said second contacting material expand during said exposing, exertion of said stressing force having substantially ceased on said first contacting material and said second contacting material when said brazing temperature is achieved; and cooling said first contacting material and said second contacting material once the filler metal has melted and wetted each of said first contacting material and said second contacting material, said cooling solidifying the filler metal, providing a bond between said first contacting material and said second contacting material, wherein said movement in at least one direction of expansion is vectorial and includes a substantially horizontal component and a substantially vertical component.