A release or other conveyance by all but one joint tenant to the one remaining joint tenant merges the entire estate in the releasee or grantee. When there is more than one such remaining joint tenant, a release or other conveyance by one or more joint tenants to all the remaining joint tenants makes the releasees or grantees joint tenants not only as to their former interests but also as to the interest or interests so released or conveyed, unless otherwise expressly provided in the release or conveyance. A release or other conveyance by one or more joint tenants to less than all the remaining joint tenants, or to some or all of the remaining joint tenants and a person or persons other than one of them, has the same effect as if the interest or interests so released or conveyed had been first conveyed to a stranger and by him conveyed to the releasees or grantees.