Catalytic converter

Claim 1

A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH COMPRISES A CASE HAVING AN INLET OPENING TO ADMIT EXHAUST INGREDIENTS INTO THE CASE AND AN OUTLET OPENING TO PERMIT EXHAUST INGREDIENTS TO FLOW OUT OF THE CASE, THE CASE INCLUDING WALL MEANS DEFINING A FLOW CHANNEL IN THE CASE THROUGH WHICH THE EXHAUST GASES FLOW FROM SAID INLET OPENING TO SAID OUTLET OPENING, AND A CATALYST BED IN SAID CASE DISPOSED IN SAID FLOW CHANNEL SO THAT THE EXHAUST GASES FLOWING THROUGH SAID FLOW CHANNEL FROM SAID INLET OPENING TO SAID OUTLET OPENING, PASS THROUGH THE CATALYST BED, THE CATALYST BED HAVING AN UPSTREAM SURFACE THROUGH WHICH THE EXHAUST GASES ENTER THE CATALYST BED AND A DOWNSTREAM SURFACE THROUGH WHICH THE EXHAUST GASES LEAVE THE CATALYST BED, SAID FLOW CHANNEL INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID INLET OPENING AND SAID UPSTREAM SURFACE OF THE CATALYST BED, A PORTION OF THE CATALYST BED AT SAID UPSTREAM SURFACE PROJECTING UPSTREAM FROM THE MAIN BODY OF THE CATALYST BED INTO SAID CLEARANCE SO AS TO EXPOSE A SMALL VOLUME OF THE CATALYST TO THE INCOMING EXHAUST GASES BEFORE THE EXHAUST GASES PASS THROUGH THE MAIN BODY OF THE CATALYST WHEREBY UNDER COLD ENGINE STARTING CONDITIONS SAID PROJECTING PORTION OF THE CATALYST BED WILL BE MORE QUICKLY HEATED BY THE EXHAUST GASES THAN THE MAIN BODY OF THE CATALYST SO AS TO ACCELERATE INITIATION OF CATALYTIC ACTIVITY IN THE BED.