Exhaust assembly for tractors

Claim 1

An exhaust assembly for a tractor, said tractor having an engine, an exhaust manifold connected to said engine, and an engine hood substantially covering said engine thereby forming an engine compartment around said engine wherein said engine hood being adapted for pivotal or slidable movement to permit an operator access to said engine for repairs and the like, said exhaust assembly including: an elongated exhaust conduit attached to said engine hood including a lower end that forms an enlarged opening for receiving exhaust gases, fresh air and fumes from said engine compartment and engine; a tubular housing mounted in close proximity to said engine, said housing including opposed end plates closing its ends and an inlet conduit extending through the interior of said tubular housing adjacent one of its ends, said inlet conduit being closed at one end and having its opposite end connected to said exhaust manifold, the longitudinal axis of said inlet conduit being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing, and said inlet conduit including apertures and gas directing means along its length, the exhaust gases from said engine being forced into said inlet conduit and then directed in a horizontal swirling fashion by said apertures and gas directing means through the interior of said tubular housing thereby providing a first stage of exhaust gas cooling and muffling; and an outlet conduit extending through the interior of said tubular housing adjacent its other end, said outlet conduit being closed at one end and having an opposite conically shaped discharge end which terminates in close proximity to the lower end of said exhaust conduit, the longitudinal axis of said outlet conduit being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular housing, and said outlet conduit including apertures and gas directing means along its length, the enlarged opening formed at the lower end of said exhaust conduit being spaced from and surrounding the conical end of said outlet conduit to form an annular opening for drawing air and fumes from said engine compartment into said exhaust conduit, and the exhaust gas from said engine being forced into said outlet conduit and directed outwardly through said conical end of said outlet conduit and into said exhaust conduit for discharge thereby providing a second stage of exhaust gas cooling and muffing and permitting the introduction of air from around the engine into the exhaust gas for diluting the exhaust gas.