Apparatus for treatment of exhaust gases

Claim 1

IN A CONVERTER FOR CATALYTIC TREATMENT OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EXHAUST GAS COMPRISING AN INLET CONDUIT, A CATALYST CHAMBER, AND AN OUTLET CONDUIT WHEREIN SAID EXHAUST GAS PASSES THROUGH SAID INLET CONDUIT TO SAID CATALYST CHAMBER, UNDERGOES OXIDATION THEREIN IN CONTACT CATALYST CHAMBER, UNDERGOES OXIDATION THEREIN IN CONTACT WITH SAID CATALYST AND PASSES FROM SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID OUTLET CONDUIT AND WHERE SAID CONVERTER AND CATALYST ARE SUSCEPTIBLE UNDER ABNORMAL CONDITIONS OF OPERATION TO ADVERSE EFFECTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO EXCESSIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE, THE PROVISION OF A BY-PASS CONDUIT FOR CIRVENTING SAID CATALYST CHAMBER AND DISCHARGING SAID EXHAUST GAS TO THE ATMOSPHERE EQUIPPED WITH A TEMPERATURRE RESPONSIVE DEVICE SERVING TO EFFECT CLOSURE OF SAID BY-PASS CONDUIT UNDER CONVENTIONAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS EXISTENT WITHIN SAID CONVERTER AND COMPRISING A FUSIBLE MATERIAL NORMALLY SOLID UNDER SAID CONDITIONS BUT FUSIBLE BELOW A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ENCOUNTERED DURING SAID ABNORMAL CONDITIONS OF OPRATION AND ABOVE WHICH SAID ADVERSE EFFECTS ARE PREVALENT.