Muffler and exhaust gas purifier for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

An exhaust gas purifier for connection to exhaust gas pipes in a gas exhaust system of an internal combustion engine comprising a shell adapted for axial flow therethrough of exhaust gases from an upstream end to a downstream end of said shell, said shell being axially segmented into an upstream shell segment, a downstream shell segment, and an intermediate shell part embodying at least one intermediate shell segment, said intermediate shell part being between and coaxial with said upstream and downstream shell segments, a tube projecting from the upstream end of said upstream shell segment for connection to one portion of an exhaust pipe of said gas exhaust system, an additional tube extending through said downstream shell segment and projecting from the downstream end of said downstream shell segment for connection to another portion of said exhaust pipe of said gas exhaust system, annular flanges on the axial ends of said intermediate part, an annular flange on each of said upstream and downstream shell segments at the respective end of each which is in respective opposing, facing relationship with the annular flanges of said intermediate part, disconnectable fastening means for respective pairs of said flanges which are in said facing relationship to releasably hold said intermediate part and the respective upstream and downstream shell segments together as a unit, a replaceable cartridge with foraminous upstream and downstream end walls and filled with small particles of exhaust gas purifying material, said cartridge substantially filling said intermediate part of said shell, said additional tube providing a tubular core extending axially through said downstream shell segment surrounded by an annular space between said tubular core and said downstream shell segment, fiber glass sound-absorbing means in said annular space, the upstream ends of said annular space and said additional tube being in open communication with the downstream end of said cartridge in said intermediate shell part for flow of exhaust gases from said cartridge into said additional tube and also into said annular space, openings in the tubular wall of said core for flow of exhaust gases from said cartridge both directly through said core and also through said sound-absorbing means and via said openings into said core, and said cartridge being removably mounted in said intermediate shell part by a ring flange gasket mounted on one end of said cartridge and seated between opposed faces of one of said annular flanges of said intermediate part and the flange of one of said shell segments in facing relationship thereto, whereby, upon disconnection of said fastening means, said intermediate part and the cartridge therein may be removed from its position between said upstream and said downstream shell segments without disconnecting said shell segments from their respective portions of said exhaust pipe of the gas exhaust system whereupon said cartridge may be withdrawn immediately from said intermediate part for inspection or replacement of the cartridge.