Method and apparatus for improving the purification of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH AN ENGINE HAVING AN EXHAUST SYSTEM PROVIDED WITH AN EXHAUST PIPE FOR CONVEYING EXHAUST GAGES FROM THE ENGINE AND AN EXHAUST PURIFIER CONTAINING AN OXIDATION CATALYST FOR THE OXIDATION OF THE OXIDIZABLE CONSTITUENTS OF THE EXHAUST GASES INTO WHICH THE EXHAUST PIPE DISCHARGES, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A CASING HAVING AN OPEN END AND FORMING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER SECURED WITH SAID EXHAUST PIPE WITH THE OPEN END AT THE DOWNSTREAM END OF THE CASING, A CARBURETOR, A FUEL LINE CONNECTED TO SAID CARBURETOR, AIR SUPPLY MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARBURETOR, MEANS TO CONVEY AN AIR FUEL MIXTURE FROM THE CARBURETOR TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS TO IGNITE SAID AIR FUEL MIXTURE IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A LINE CONNECTED TO SAID AIR SUPPLY MEANS AND CONNECTED TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER DOWNSTREAM OF THE CONNECTION OF THE AIR FUEL MIXTURE CONVEYING MEANS TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER TO SUPPLY SECONDARY AIR TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND AIR FOR OXIDATION OF OXIDIZABLE CONSTITUENTS IN THE EXHAUST GASES BY THE OXIDATION CATALYST, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF THE OXIDATION CATALYST TO STOP THE FLOW OF FUEL THROUGH THE FUEL LINE TO THE CARBURETOR AND TO STOP THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID LINE CONNECTED TO SAID AIR SUPPLY MEANS.