Overheat protection for catalyst converter

Claim 1

In an engine having an exhaust gas discharging system including an exhaust pipe, the invention comprising a catalyst converter located in said exhaust pipe, means forming a byPass conduit connected to said exhaust pipe upstream and downstream of said catalyst converter, a selector valve located at one of the junctions of said exhaust pipe and said bypass conduit for selectively controlling the flow of exhaust gases through said converter and said bypass conduit, thermo-sensing means for detecting the temperature of the engine, means associated with said thermo-sensing means for operating said selector valve so that when the engine is warming up said selector valve directs the exhaust gases for flow through the bypass conduit, the engine includes a carburetor with an automatic choke, and means for coordinating the operation of said automatic choke and said selector valve, said coordinating means comprises a casing connected to the engine for maintaining it at substantially the same temperature as the engine, a bimetallic element positioned within said casing, a link connected to said bimetallic element and to said automatic choke for opening said automatic choke as the temperature rises, and said thermo-sensing means being mounted in said casing and exposed to the temperature conditions therein.