Exhaust gas purifying device

Claim 1

An exhaust gas purifying device comprising a housing having an inlet end, an outlet end and a generally elongated filter block disposed therebetween for use with a diesel engine having an exhaust passage for the discharge of exhaust gases from the engine to the atmosphere; wherein said filter block has parallel channels defined therein so as to extend in a direction longitudinally of the filter block, said parallel channels being separated from one another by gas-permeable partition walls and having respective inlet ends for the introduction of exhaust gases thereinto and outlet ends for the discharge of exhaust gases therefrom; a plurality of first blind plugs provided separate from the filter block and closing the inlet ends of some of the channels; a plurality of second blind plugs closing the outlet ends of the other channels; and an electric heating means comprised of at least one continuous heating wire having a plurality of generally U-shaped wire portions which are electrically connected in series with each other, said U-shaped wire portions being inserted into the inlet ends of said some of the channels and supported by the respective first blind plugs, said U-shaped wire portions, when the heating wire is electrically energized, incinerating the exhaust gas particulates collected in the filter block.