Abstract: A method for cold welding metal joints. In order to remove the contamination layer on the surface of the metal, an ion beam generator is used in a vacuum environment. A gas, such as xenon or argon, is ionized and accelerated toward the metal surface. The beam of gas effectively sputters away the surface oxides and contamination layer so that clean underlying metal is exposed in the area to be welded. The use of this method allows cold welding with minimal deformation. Both similar and dissimilar metals can be cold welded with this method.

Abstract: A method of closing an end portion of a metallic capillary tube. In this method, the tube is crimped to form at least a temporary seal adjacent the end portion thereof, and the tube is then fused at the end portion thereof at least adjacent the at least temporary seal so as to perfect the closure of the end portion.

Abstract: A method of indirectly connecting two parts, such as an acousto-optical building component composed of lead glass and a piezo electric transducer composed of lead-zirconium titanate, whereby at least one mono-molecular layer (having a maximum thickness of 100 nm) composed of a lead-free glass is directly applied under vacuum onto the surfaces of the parts to be joined and metal layers are then applied under vacuuum onto such glass layer and/or the surfaces to be joined so that when the free surfaces of such free metal layers are brought into contact with one another under vacuum, a bond forms therebetween and such bonds indirectly connect the parts with one another. The glass layer prevents diffusion of atoms or ions from the materials (such as lead) on either side of such layer so that the parts so-joined and/or the bonds so-formed are not impaired in any way.

Abstract: A method for providing at room temperature a hermetic bonded seal between the surfaces of glass, ceramics, metals or any combination of these. The method comprises the steps of polishing the surfaces to be bonded and then plasma cleaning the surfaces. Next, a chemically cleaned bonding material such as indium is applied to the surfaces and a force is applied to the surfaces to be sealed at room temperature for a limited period of time to affect the bonded seal.

Abstract: A double-contact rivet is formed from wire portions cut from wire supplies. The wire portions are aligned so that outer portions of electric contact material are located on either side of a central portion of support material, and the two outer portions are cold-welded to the central portion. One end of the body so formed is punched to provide a contact head while the bead formed by the cold-welding at the other end is pressed to a substantially flat ring form and hardened by rapid cooling. The hardened ring bead is cleanly cut from the remainder of the rivet.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a copper-aluminum transition joint characterized by utilizing a combination die and metal shears mounted between a pair of abrading brushes and wire feeding devices that are operable, respectively, to feed a copper wire and an aluminum wire into overlapping relationship between relatively movable die surfaces, after the wires have been abraded to remove oxidized portions thereof and to remove contaminants from the wires. The respective wire feeding devices cooperate with limit stops formed in the relatively movable dies to assure rapid, accurate positioning of the two wires over a punch in a double-action die that operates to form a cold welded transition joint between the wires when the dies are closed. The wire feed devices also selectively retract the sheared ends of the wires from the transition joint to facilitate rapid ejection of the joint from the die.

Abstract: Method for forming a bond (hermetic seal) between sapphire and glass. In the preferred form of the invention, the sapphire and glass surfaces to be bonded each have applied to them thin films of chromium, copper, nickel and gold. The inner chromium film is several hundred angstroms thick, the copper and nickel films have a total thickness of about 10,000 angstroms and together comprise an intermediate film, and the outer gold film is about 20,000 angstroms thick. The thin films are applied in a vacuum by direct evaporation or vapor plating or by sputtering. A bond or hermetic seal is effected between the gold films on the respective sapphire and glass materials. An indium wire is inserted between the gold films and a clamping force is applied to the sapphire and glass materials to cause the indium wire to deform to increase substantially the indium surface area. In a vacuum, heat is applied to the sapphire, glass and indium materials sufficient to cause the indium to liquify.