Method of and apparatus for reducing pollution caused by exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

A method of treating the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine to lessen the pollution caused by the discharge of dangerous components thereof into the atmosphere comprising the steps of passing the entire engine exhaust through a cooling chamber to lower the temperature thereof, contract the over-all volume and condense at least some of the gases to liquid form and subsequently draining off the liquid, including circulating a coolant from an independent radiator system about said chamber in heat exchange relation with said engine exhaust, wherein the cooled and contracted engine exhaust emerging from said chamber is passed through a filter element where the liquid is separated and solids are removed, and finally separating the gaseous output of the filter by stratification in a bifurcated conduit that feeds the lighter more volatile gases to the air intake of the engine and discharges only the residual fractional part not drawn into the engine''s air intake to the atmosphere.

Claim 2

A method of treating the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine to lessen the pollution caused by the discharge of dangerous components thereof into the atmosphere comprising the steps of passing the entire engine exhaust through a cooling chamber to lower the temperature thereof, contract the over-all volume and condense at least some of the gases to liquid form and subsequently draining off the liquid, including circulating a coolant from an independent radiator system about said chamber in heat exchange relation with said engine exhaust, wherein the cooled and contracted engine exhaust emerging from said chamber is passed through a filter element where the liquid is separated and solids are removed, and finally separating the gaseous output of the filter by stratification in a bifurcated conduit that feeds the lighter more volatile gases to the air intake of the engine and discharges only the residual fractional part not drawn into the engine''s air intake to the atmosphere.

Claim 3

An apparatus for reducing pollution caused by the discharge into the atmosphere of the exhAust gases of an internal combustion engine comprising in combination a cooling chamber connectible with the exhaust manifold of the engine and into which the entire exhaust discharge of the engine may be passed; means for circulating a coolant about said chamber in heat exchange relation with the engine exhaust therein to reduce the temperature thereof, contract the over-all thereof, contract the over-all volume and condense to liquid form at least some of the components of the engine exhaust discharge; a drain for the release of liquids emerging from said cooling chamber, a filter in communication with said cooling chamber through which the remaining gases flow for the separation of solids therefrom, a gas outlet conduit running from said filter that is bifurcated with an upper connection running to the air intake of the engine and the lower connection discharging to the atmosphere, and said lower connection having a liquid trap near its outlet end, and a liquid receiving tank, an air intake vent therein, tubes to said tank for carrying liquids released from said cooling chamber and the liquid trap in said lower connection respectively, and a feed pipe from the top of said tank to the connection running to the engine''s air intake.

Claim 4

An apparatus for reducing pollution caused by the discharge into the atmosphere of the exhAust gases of an internal combustion engine comprising in combination a cooling chamber connectible with the exhaust manifold of the engine and into which the entire exhaust discharge of the engine may be passed; means for circulating a coolant about said chamber in heat exchange relation with the engine exhaust therein to reduce the temperature thereof, contract the over-all thereof, contract the over-all volume and condense to liquid form at least some of the components of the engine exhaust discharge; a drain for the release of liquids emerging from said cooling chamber, a filter in communication with said cooling chamber through which the remaining gases flow for the separation of solids therefrom, a gas outlet conduit running from said filter that is bifurcated with an upper connection running to the air intake of the engine and the lower connection discharging to the atmosphere, and said lower connection having a liquid trap near its outlet end, and a liquid receiving tank, an air intake vent therein, tubes to said tank for carrying liquids released from said cooling chamber and the liquid trap in said lower connection respectively, and a feed pipe from the top of said tank to the connection running to the engine''s air intake.