Device for catalytically purifying exhaust gases

Claim 1

CATALYTIC APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE EXHAUST OUTLET OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR OXIDIZING TOXIC AND OBNOXIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE EXHAUST GASES THEREFROM COMPRISING A HOUSING, TWO PAIRS OF GUIDEWAYS ARRANGED OPPOSITE ONE ANOTHER ON THE LATERAL INTERNAL WALLS OF SAID HOUSING, THE GUIDEWAYS OF EACH PAIR BEING SPACED VERTICALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND EACH EXTENDING ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF FLAT FORAMINOUS TRAYS CARRIED BY SAID GUIDEWAYS, EACH GUIDEWAY PROVIDING A NARROW U-SHAPED SLOT TO SLIDABLY RECEIVE AN EDGE OF ONE OF SAID TRAYS, SAID PAIR OF TRAYS EXTENDING ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID HOUSING AND BEING SUPPORTED IN PARALLEL SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP IN SAID U-SHAPED SLOTS, THE SPACE ENCLOSED BETWEEN SAID TRAYS AND THE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING PROVIDING A CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING A LAYER OF CATALYST PARTICLES, THE WIDTH OF EACH TRAY BEING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE LATERAL DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BASES OF THE U-SHAPED SLOTS PROVIDED BY OPPOSITELY ARRANGED GUIDEWAYS SUPPORTING SAID TRAY, WHEREBY SAID TRAYS ARE FREE TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID HOUSING AND SAID GUIDEWAYS IN RESPONSE TO THE HIGH AND VARIABLE TEMPERATURE EXISTING IN THE BED OF CATALYST PARTICLES DURING OPERATION OF SAID PURIFIER.