Catalytic converter with exhaust gas modulating chamber for preventing damage to catalyst substrate

Claim 1

IN A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR TREATING EXHAUST GASES FROM AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AHD HAVING A METAL HOUSING INCLUDING INLET AND OUTLET MEANS INCLUDING FITTINGS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN EXHAUST CONDUIT AND AN AXIALLY POROUS, CATALYST COATED CERAMIC ELEMENT THEREIN, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE TRANVERSELY POSITIONED PERFORATED METAL INLET SCREEN POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE SAID INLET FITTING SAID CERAMIC ELEMENT, ELONGATED SPACER MEANS LONGITUDINAL MOVABLE POSITIONED INTERMEDIATE SAID INLET FITTING AND SAID CERAMIC ELEMENT, FOR SPACING SAID CERAMIC ELEMENT FROM SAID INLET MEANS, SAID SPACER MEANS HAVING A HIGHER TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION THAN SAID METAL HOUSING AND SAID HOUSING HAVING A HIGHER TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION THAN SAID CERAMIC ELEMENT, SAID SPACER MEANS AND SAID HOUSING CONSTITUTING A THERMAL EFFECT COMPENSATING MEANS ARRANGED AND CONSTRUCTED SO THAT THE RELATIVE SHRINKAGE OF SAID CERAMIC ELEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING DURING HEATING WILL BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY OFFSET BY THE RELATIVE EXPANSION OF SAID SPACER MEANS RELTIVE TO SAID HOUSING.