Apparatus for the catalytic conversion of vehicular exhaust gases

Claim 1

A MUFFLER COMPRISING A LONGITUDINAL WALL AND SPACED END CLOSURE MEMBERS FORMING A CLOSED CHAMBER WHOSE TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION IN SUBSTANTIALLY SYMMETRICAL WITH RESPECT TO ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL PERFORATED BAFFLES CONNECTED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL WALL AND SPACEED FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM SAID END CLOSURE MEMBERS TO FROM WITHIN SAID CHAMBER A FIRST MANIFOLD COMPARTMENT BETWEEN ONE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBERS AND OF SAID BAFFLES, A SECOND MANIFOLD COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE OTHER CLOSURE MAMBER AND THE OTHER BAFFLE AND AN INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENT ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A MESS OF SOLID MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND COMPARTMENT, AN IMPERFORATE INLET CONDUIT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LONGITUDINAL WALL INTO SAID INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENT TERMINATING IN A 90* BEND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST MANIFOLD COMPARTMENT NEAR THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER, AND IMPERFORATE OUTLET EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LONGITUDINAL WALL INTO SAID INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENT IN SPACED RELATION TO THE INLET CONDUIT AND TERMINATING IN AN OPPOSITELY DIRECTED 90* BEND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SECOND MANIFOLDER COMPARTMENT NEAR THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND SAID CHAMBER.