Abstract: A connector having a spring inserted internally in a compression or crimp connector, or in a bolted compression connector, in contact with the electrical conductors to be connected electrically wherein the spring is capable of being mechanically deformed during compression of the connector and wherein the spring is capable of maintaining its elastic resilience and elastic springback properties to generate and maintain the required compression force on the conductor. The spring may be a metal mechanical spring or formed of a resiliently flexible material, particularly a polymeric material.

Abstract: A connector having a spring inserted internally in a compression or crimp connector, or in a bolted compression connector, in contact with the electrical conductors to be connected electrically wherein the spring is capable of being mechanically deformed during compression of the connector and wherein the spring is capable of maintaining its elastic resilience and elastic springback properties to generate and maintain the required compression force on the conductor. The spring may be a metal mechanical spring or formed of a resiliently flexible material, particularly a polymeric material.

Abstract: A high speed twin roll casting process is described in which molten metal is fed through a feeding nose into a convergent cavity formed between the walls of two rotating rolls with a meniscus of hot metal extending from the feeding nose tip in a casting zone and the metal strip formed in the casting zone is reduced in a rolling zone. According to the novel feature, the tendency of the metal strip to stick to the rolls is significantly inhibited by shrouding the hot metal meniscus with an oxygen enriched atmosphere. Also when the metal is an Al--Mg alloy, the sticking is greatly inhibited by adding to the alloy a small amount of at least one alloying element selected from nickel, lead, indium and bismuth.

Abstract: A consumable brazing encapsulate is used for joining aluminum to metal surfaces, e.g. aluminum, copper, brass or steel surfaces, by brazing. The encapsulate comprises a mixture of particles of an eutectic forming metal selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, copper and zinc and particles of a brazing flux encapsulated in a layer or layers of aluminum or its alloys, said eutectic forming metal and flux being present in the following parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the total aluminum in the encapsulate: (a) 7 to 15 parts of silicon and 7 to 45 parts of flux; (b) 25 to 120 parts of germanium and 100 to 250 parts of flux; (c) 40 to 70 parts of copper and 20 to 100 parts of flux; (d) 1300 to 2400 parts of zinc and 1000 to 2000 parts of flux; such that when the encapsulate is placed between aluminum surfaces to be joined and is heated, the eutectic forming metal and the encapsulating aluminum are totally converted in situ into an eutectic filler metal for joining the aluminum surfaces.

Abstract: A novel self-brazing aluminum laminated structure is described, as well as a method of making the laminated structure and a brazed product produced therefrom. The laminated structure consists of a thin layer of a powder mixture consisting of eutectic-forming metal powder and a flux powder sandwiched between an aluminum alloy sheet and an aluminum foil. The laminate is fabricated by roll bonding to provide adequate adhesion of the foil to the underlying sheet through and around the powder layer. This can be done by arranging the powder layer into clusters of powder with spaces therebetween so that roll bonding between the foil and the aluminum alloy substrate takes place by way of direct metal contact between the clusters. These clusters may be created by the method of applying the powder, e.g. silk screen, or by providing depressions in the surface of the substrate by a process of roughening or of embossing within which clusters of the powder are located.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy composite sheet is described for use in brazing. It includes an aluminum alloy core sheet clad on at least one face thereof with a sheet of aluminum or aluminum alloys including those containing magnesium. The composite sheet is useful for brazing when the cladding is coated with a mixture of (i) metal particles, e.g. silicon, capable of forming a eutectic alloy with aluminum and (ii) brazing flux, e.g. a potassium fluoro-aluminate. To be effective for brazing, the magnesium must be present in such quantity that at the time of brazing, the surface being brazed contains less than 0.1% by weight magnesium.

Abstract: A novel method is described for joining aluminum to metal surfaces by brazing. The method comprises (a) applying as a coating to at least one of the metal surfaces to be joined a mixture of a metal (e.g. Si, Cu or Ge) and a brazing flux, the metal of the mixture being adapted to form a brazable eutectic with one or both of the surface metals, (b) heating the surfaces and the coating in juxtaposed relation to a temperature above the brazing alloy melting point to thereby dissolve oxide film on the surfaces to be joined, cause the metal of the coating to dissolve into the oxide-free aluminum surface and form therewith a brazing alloy layer and form a brazed assembly and (c) cooling the brazed assembly to form a solidified joint between the surfaces. This has the advantage of providing for the joining of metal surfaces, such as aluminum, to aluminium, cooper, brass or steel surfaces, by brazing without the prior formation of a brazing alloy cladding on the surfaces to be brazed.

Abstract: A novel method is described for joining aluminum surfaces by brazing. The method comprises (a) applying as a coating to at least one of the aluminum surfaces to be joined a mixture of a metal and a brazing flux, the metal of the mixture being adapted to form a brazable eutectic with the aluminum, (b) heating the surfaces and the coating in juxtaposed relation to a temperature above the brazing alloy melting point to thereby dissolve oxide film on the surface to be joined, cause the metal of the coating to dissolve into the oxide-free aluminum surface and form therewith a brazing alloy layer and form a brazed assembly and (c) cooling the brazed assembly to form a solidified joint between the surfaces. This has the advantage of providing for the joining of aluminum surfaces by brazing without the prior formation of a brazing alloy cladding on the surfaces to be brazed.

Abstract: A gas distributing device is provided for a Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) reactor. The gas distributing device comprises a packed bed of discrete particles located in the inlet of the reactor to provide a vortex-free flow of reactant gas mixture towards the susceptor within the reactor chamber. The packed bed of discrete particles is of sufficient depth to provide a series of tortuous interconnecting channels around and between the particles and through the bed. A porous support is provided for the packed bed in the inlet of the reactor chamber. The porous support device adjacent the reactor chamber permits a reactant gas mixture after having passed through the packed bed to enter the reactor chamber.