Catalytic reactor for automobile

Claim 1

In the method of making a catalytic reactor comprising a catalyst treated substrate adapted for axial gas flow therethrough and having an outer peripheral surface around said gas flow and supported within a housing enclosing and spaced from said surface by a compacted fibrous mesh support, said housing having a pair of axially spaced peripheral inwardly extending mesh locating portions spaced axially endwise from the axially opposite ends and peripheral edges of said substrate, said mesh support having locating projections extending endwise of said axially opposite peripheral edges and confined axially between said pair of mesh locating portions, the steps of providing said housing in separate sections extending longitudinally of said axial gas flow, providing a subassembly comprising said mesh support confined tightly around said peripheral surface of said substrate with said locating projections of said support extending endwise from said axially opposite peripheral edges, arranging said subassembly within said housing sections with the locating projections of said support confined axially between said mesh locating portions of said housing spaced axially endwise from said ends sufficiently to avoid clamping said projections around said peripheral edges when said housing sections are clamped and secured together, thereafter clamping said separate housing sections toward said surface with sufficient force transverse to the axis of said gas flow to frictionally hold said housing, mesh support, and substrate together as a unit to prevent the transmission of axial force from said mesh locating portions to the axially opposite ends of said substrate without recourse to auxiliary axial support or other forces for preventing relative axial shifting of said substrate with respect to said mesh support and housing, and thereafter securing said housing sections together while maintaining said transverse force thereon.