US3841842A — Catalytic converter

Claim 1

Independent Claim 325 words

A CATALYST CONVERTER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION; A CYLINDRICAL CORE MEMBER OF A REFRACTORY CERAMIC MATERIAL, A CYLINDRICAL METALLIC CASTING SURROUNDING THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CORE MEMBER AND GREATER IN LENGTH THAN SUCH MEMBER WITH AN ANNULAR SPACE PROVIDED BETWEEN THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE CASING AND SAID OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE CORE MEMBER, AND FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED AND GENERALLY FUNNEL SHAPED METALLIC CASINGS, SUCH CASING HAVING LARGE OPEN ENDS ATTACHED TO THE ENDS OF SUCH CYLINDRICAL CASING AND SMALLER OPEN ENDS FORMING INLET AND OUTLET CONDUITS FOR THE EXHAUST GASES FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CORE MEMBER WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL CASING TO COMPENSATE FOR DIFFERENCES IN THERMAL EXPANSION OF THE CORE MEMBER AND SAID CASINGS WHEN EXHAUST GASES FLOW FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE THROUGH THE CONVERTER FROM SAID INLET CONDUIT TO SAID OUTLET CONDUIT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING; A. A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND FLAT METALLIC RINGS CORRESPONDING IN OUTER PERIPHERY TO SAID INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL CASING AND SNUGLY AND SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN FIRST AND SECOND ENDS THEREOF WITH A FIRST FLAT SURFACE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RINGS IN CONTACT WITH OUTER ANNULAR PORTIONS OF FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID CORE MEMBER; B. A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND BIMETAL ANNULUSES EACH COMPRISING A PAIR OF JOINED INNER AND OUTER METAL PARTS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY DISSIMILAR TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENTS OF THERMAL EXPANSION AND EACH ANNULUS INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL CASNG ADJACENT FIRST AND SECOND ENDS THEREOF, RESPECTIVELY, AND PORTIONS WHICH EXTEND RADIALLY INWARDLY TOWARDS THE CENTERS OF EACH RESPECTIVE ANNULUS TO FIRMLY CONTACT THE SECOND SURFACE OF SAID FLAT RING IN THE RESPECTIVELY ASSOCIATED END TO THE CYLINDRICAL CASING, SAID METAL PART WHICH IS SAID OUTER METAL PORT OF EACH SAID ANNULUS HAVING A LOWER TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT TO THERMAL EXPANSION THAN SAID METAL WHICH IS SAID INNER METAL PART OF EACH SAID ANNULUS.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 325 words

A CATALYST CONVERTER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION; A CYLINDRICAL CORE MEMBER OF A REFRACTORY CERAMIC MATERIAL, A CYLINDRICAL METALLIC CASTING SURROUNDING THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CORE MEMBER AND GREATER IN LENGTH THAN SUCH MEMBER WITH AN ANNULAR SPACE PROVIDED BETWEEN THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE CASING AND SAID OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE CORE MEMBER, AND FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED AND GENERALLY FUNNEL SHAPED METALLIC CASINGS, SUCH CASING HAVING LARGE OPEN ENDS ATTACHED TO THE ENDS OF SUCH CYLINDRICAL CASING AND SMALLER OPEN ENDS FORMING INLET AND OUTLET CONDUITS FOR THE EXHAUST GASES FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CORE MEMBER WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL CASING TO COMPENSATE FOR DIFFERENCES IN THERMAL EXPANSION OF THE CORE MEMBER AND SAID CASINGS WHEN EXHAUST GASES FLOW FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE THROUGH THE CONVERTER FROM SAID INLET CONDUIT TO SAID OUTLET CONDUIT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING; A. A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND FLAT METALLIC RINGS CORRESPONDING IN OUTER PERIPHERY TO SAID INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL CASING AND SNUGLY AND SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN FIRST AND SECOND ENDS THEREOF WITH A FIRST FLAT SURFACE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RINGS IN CONTACT WITH OUTER ANNULAR PORTIONS OF FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID CORE MEMBER; B. A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND BIMETAL ANNULUSES EACH COMPRISING A PAIR OF JOINED INNER AND OUTER METAL PARTS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY DISSIMILAR TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENTS OF THERMAL EXPANSION AND EACH ANNULUS INCLUDING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL CASNG ADJACENT FIRST AND SECOND ENDS THEREOF, RESPECTIVELY, AND PORTIONS WHICH EXTEND RADIALLY INWARDLY TOWARDS THE CENTERS OF EACH RESPECTIVE ANNULUS TO FIRMLY CONTACT THE SECOND SURFACE OF SAID FLAT RING IN THE RESPECTIVELY ASSOCIATED END TO THE CYLINDRICAL CASING, SAID METAL PART WHICH IS SAID OUTER METAL PORT OF EACH SAID ANNULUS HAVING A LOWER TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT TO THERMAL EXPANSION THAN SAID METAL WHICH IS SAID INNER METAL PART OF EACH SAID ANNULUS.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

A catalytic converter in accordance with claim 1 and in which said annular space provided between said cylindrical casing and said core member is filled with a high temperature resistant, resilient and partly compressed material.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

A catalytic converter in accordance with claim 2 and in which said partly compressed material comprises a stainless steel wire mesh.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 245 words

A catalytic converter comprising, in combination; A. a cylindrical core member of a refractory ceramic material having a myriad of passages extending therethrough from one planar end thereof to the other; B. a cylindrical casing somewhat longer than said core member and surrounding said member with an annular space remaining between the outer periphery of said member and the inner surface of said casing; C. first and second oppositely disposed and generally funnel shaped metallic casings whose large open ends are hermetically attached to opposite ends of said cylindrical casing and whose smaller ends form inlet and outlet conduits for exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine; and D. plural means within said cylindrical casing adjacent first and second ends thereof for supporting said core member therein so as to compensate for the differences in temperature coefficients of thermal expansion of the material of said core member and said metallic casings when exhaust gases flow through said converter, each said means including a laminated bimetallic annulus comprising a pair of parts having dissimilar temperature coefficients of thermal expansion and fastened to the inner surface of said cylindrical casing adjacent each respectively associated end of said casing so as to maintain compressive forces to outer annular portions of the planar ends of said core member regardless of the temperatures of such core member and said casings, whereby said core member is substantially maintained in its initial position within said cylindrical casing without intolerable shaking about therein.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 245 words

A catalytic converter comprising, in combination; A. a cylindrical core member of a refractory ceramic material having a myriad of passages extending therethrough from one planar end thereof to the other; B. a cylindrical casing somewhat longer than said core member and surrounding said member with an annular space remaining between the outer periphery of said member and the inner surface of said casing; C. first and second oppositely disposed and generally funnel shaped metallic casings whose large open ends are hermetically attached to opposite ends of said cylindrical casing and whose smaller ends form inlet and outlet conduits for exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine; and D. plural means within said cylindrical casing adjacent first and second ends thereof for supporting said core member therein so as to compensate for the differences in temperature coefficients of thermal expansion of the material of said core member and said metallic casings when exhaust gases flow through said converter, each said means including a laminated bimetallic annulus comprising a pair of parts having dissimilar temperature coefficients of thermal expansion and fastened to the inner surface of said cylindrical casing adjacent each respectively associated end of said casing so as to maintain compressive forces to outer annular portions of the planar ends of said core member regardless of the temperatures of such core member and said casings, whereby said core member is substantially maintained in its initial position within said cylindrical casing without intolerable shaking about therein.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

A catalytic converter in accordance with claim 4 and in which said annular space provided between said cylindrical casing and said core member is filled with a high temperature resistant, resilient and partly compressed material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 287 words

A catalytic converter for exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprising in combination; a cylindrical honeycomb core member and a cylindrical metal casing concentrically surrounding said core member with an annular space provided between the outer periphery of said member and the inner peripheral surface of said casing, means for supporting said core member within said casing, said means comprising, in combination; A. first and second flat rings having outer peripheries corresponding to said inner peripheral surface of said casing and disposed therein adjacent to first and second ends thereof and in a snug but axially slidable relationship therewith, a first flat surface of each of said first and second rings in firm contact with outer annular areas of first and second planar ends, respectively, of said core member; B. a resilient annulus attached to said first end of said casing, and firmly and resiliently bearing against the second flat surface of said first ring; and C. a dish-like bimetallic laminated annulus, said laminated annulus including; I. a cylindrical portion attached to said second end of said casing, II. a convex portion extending from said cylindrical portion radially inwardly towards the center of the annulus and firmly bearing against the second flat surface of said second ring so as to subject at least the region of said core member between said annular areas of said planar ends of said member under a compressive force, and III. said bimetallic laminated annulus including inner and outer layers of metallic materials having dissimilar temperature coefficients of thermal expansion with the material of the outer layer of the laminateD annulus having a substantially lower temperature coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the inner layer of the laminated annulus.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 287 words

A catalytic converter for exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprising in combination; a cylindrical honeycomb core member and a cylindrical metal casing concentrically surrounding said core member with an annular space provided between the outer periphery of said member and the inner peripheral surface of said casing, means for supporting said core member within said casing, said means comprising, in combination; A. first and second flat rings having outer peripheries corresponding to said inner peripheral surface of said casing and disposed therein adjacent to first and second ends thereof and in a snug but axially slidable relationship therewith, a first flat surface of each of said first and second rings in firm contact with outer annular areas of first and second planar ends, respectively, of said core member; B. a resilient annulus attached to said first end of said casing, and firmly and resiliently bearing against the second flat surface of said first ring; and C. a dish-like bimetallic laminated annulus, said laminated annulus including; I. a cylindrical portion attached to said second end of said casing, II. a convex portion extending from said cylindrical portion radially inwardly towards the center of the annulus and firmly bearing against the second flat surface of said second ring so as to subject at least the region of said core member between said annular areas of said planar ends of said member under a compressive force, and III. said bimetallic laminated annulus including inner and outer layers of metallic materials having dissimilar temperature coefficients of thermal expansion with the material of the outer layer of the laminateD annulus having a substantially lower temperature coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the inner layer of the laminated annulus.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

A converter in accordance with claim 6 and further including a compressed resilient thermal resistant material in said annular space provided between the outer periphery of said core member and the inner peripheral surface of said casing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

A converter in accordance with claim 6 and in which said materials of said laminated annulus are stainless steel materials and said inner layer of such annulus has a temperature coefficient of thermal expansion on the order of about twice that of said outer layer of the annulus.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

A converter in accordance with claim 8 and further including a compressed resilient thermal resistant material in said annulus space provided between the outer periphery of said core member and the inner peripheral surface of said casing.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-10-14	1978-04-15	1978-10-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-10-14	1982-04-15	1982-10-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-10-14	1986-04-15	1986-10-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Catalytic converter

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