US3677365A

US3677365A - Automotive exhaust system

Info

Publication number: US3677365A
Application number: US96429A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter C Wright; Donald L Kirsch
Original assignee: GIDON IND Ltd
Current assignee: MR GASKET COMPANY A CORP OF OHIO; GIDON IND Ltd
Priority date: 1970-12-09
Filing date: 1970-12-09
Publication date: 1972-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-18

Abstract

An automobile exhaust system is provided with a muffler having a separate composite outer shell encasing the muffler to provide an auxiliary flow path for exhaust gases escaping from the muffler, the shell having longitudinal reinforcing ribs extending along its central portion serving also as fins for heat dissipation. The shell is of corrosion resistant material suited to withstand damage from road salt, and constructed to facilitate ready access to the muffler of the system.

Description

United States Patent Wright et al.

[151 3,677,365 [451 July 18,1972

[54] AUTOMOTIVE EXHAUST SYSTEM [72] Inventors: Peter C. Wright, Etobicoke; Donald L.

Kirsch, Toronto, Ontario, both of Canada [73] Assignee: Gidou Industries Limited, Rexdale, 0n-

tario, Canada [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1970 21 App1.No.: 96,429

52 us. (:1 ..'.l8l/72, 181/62 51 1111. c1. F0116 7/00 [58] FleldofSearch ..181/72,62,6l,42,41,38, 181/352, 36.2; 180/64 A; 138/97, 99; 137/315 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,080,940 3/1963 JObSOll ..181/61 788,242 4/1905 Broga ...l8l/62 x 2,966,226 12/1960 KaliS ..181 72 3,233,699 2/1966 Plummet 181/62 1,299,326 4/1919 Gray ..181/38 2,541,373 2/1951 McLeod ..181/62 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney-Leon Arthurs ABSTRACT An automobile exhaust system is provided with a muffler having a separate composite outer shell encasing the muffler to provide an auxiliary flow path for exhaust gases escaping from the muffler, the shell having longitudinal reinforcing ribs extending along its central portion serving also as fins for heat dissipation. The shell is of corrosion resistant material suited to withstand damage from road salt, and constructed to facilitate ready access to the muffler of the system.

7 China, 5 Drawing figures Great Britain ..181/62 Patented July 18, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR v DIL'KIRSCH 6 P5. WR/G H T BY gem Mw ATTORNEY Pafnted July 18, 1972 3,677,365

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORl ATTORNEY AUTOMOTIVE EXHAUST SYSTEM This invention is directed to an Automotive Exhaust System and, in particular, to a system of this nature which is protected against many of the hazards to which the conventional automobile muffler is ordinarily exposed.

Within the context hereof, an automotive muffler is herein deemed to include the entire combination of the conventional sound chamber as well as the inlet and outlet pipes with which said chamber is normally equipped. One of these pipes, of course, constitutes or forms part of the familiar tail pipe while the other constitutes or forms part of piping communicating between the sound chamber and the exhaust manifold of the engine.

ln the past, the conventional muffler was exposed to a variety of destructive forces which attacked it not only in its interior but on its exterior as well. That is to say, the gases vented through the muffler and their condensates had a corrosive effect on its interior while its exterior was always subject to damage by flying road debris, by water splash, by de-icing chemicals, and so forth. Moreover, it need hardly be observed that these various hazards, all hereinafter referred to as environmenal hazards conduced to perforation of the muffler with the consequent escape of exhaust gas therefrom into the body of the vehicle. In addition and apart from this most serious problem, virtually any other damage to the muffler, tended to shorten its functional lifetime.

The invention seeks to overcome these aNd other disadvantages of the prior art in part, at least, as well as in effect by sheathing the said muffler in an outer shell to protect it against the internal and external hazards aforesaid. ln addition, the invention further visualizes the creation of a secondary flow path between the muffler and the outer shell whereby gases escaping from the muffler may be conveyed to and vented at a hannless location.

The respective objects of the invention may, therefore, be briefly summarized as the provision of:

a. An improved exhaust system;

b. An exhaust system which includes a more or less conventional muffler functioning in a more or less conventional manner but protected to a degree against the-environmental hazards aforesaid, and

c. An exhaust system comprising a muffler and a protective outer covering capable of easy assembly about the muffler and of easy attachment to an automotive vehicle as herein visualized.

In particular, the invention further seeks to provide an exhaust system with structure establishing a main flow path through which the exhaust gases from the engine are vented to the atmosphere and a secondary or auxiliary flow path for similarly venting said gases in emergencies such as when the said gases escape prematurely from the muffler.

ln accordance with the invention, there is provided an exhaust system as aforesaid which is comprised of two subassemblies namely, a muffler having a sound chamber with manifold and tail pipes providing a primary flow path through which exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold of the engine are vented to the atmosphere and a composite outer shell for assembly about the muffler to enclose it and protect it against the environmental hazards aforesaid; the outer shell being spaced from the muffler which it contains in substantially fixed co-axial relation therewith.

Other objects of the invention, more or less broad than the foregoing, will become apparent from the following description of the elements, parts and principles constituting the invention; a preferred embodiment whereof is illustrated by way of example only in the drawings hereunto annexed wherein like reference devices refer to like parts of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general view of the total assembly in an installation, portions thereof being sectioned for ease of reference;

FlG. 2 is a part of a general view as a section at the rear support clamp, looking forward;

FIG. 3 is a section at the front clamp, looking forward;

FlG. 4 is an exploded view of the component parts of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 5 is a general view of the fore-part of the assembly of FIG. 1, showing particulars of spacers.

ThP exhaust system visualized by the invention is comprised of two main sub-assemblies, namely, the muffler M and an outer shell S in which it is sheathed or enclosed and by which it is protected against the many conventional and well-known environmental hazards aforesaid.

Said muffler M is comprised of sound chamber 10, provided with a manifold pipe 12 and a tail pipe 14, which may be of any required length or be coupled to other piping in a wellknown manner.

The outer shell S is a composite of an intermediate housing 20 capable of accommodating sound chamber 10 both axially and radially and has facilities to be described for coupling to

sleeves

22 and 24 respectively accommodating the manifold and tail piping l2 and 14.

lt is desirable, for reasons which will appear, that the muffler M be contained in substantially fixed co-axial relation within the outer shell S and in spaced relation thereto so as to create an auxiliary flow path for exhaust gases which may escape from said muffler M when and if the latter is perforated.

To position these sub-assemblies in the co-axial, spaced. relation aforesaid, spacers 26 are provided, in this instance. within the

sleeves

22 and 24 providing for centering of the manifold and tail pipes 12 and 14 therein.

The sound chamber 10 of muffler M is provided with upstanding beading 28 at its ends 30-30 and, in the preferred form of the invention, such beading 28 is frictionally engaged within intermediate housing 20 thereby effectively centering the sound chamber 10 therein with the intermediate portion thereof between the beaded ends 30-30, spaced slightly from housing 20 as shown in the drawing at 34.

Said housing 20 isexteriorly ribbed as by fins 36 for various reasons including, especially, the re-inforcement and protection thereof against damage by stones or other road debris thrown against it in the normal course of highway travel.

It is a common view of those in the art, that exhaust systems of the type visualized function best at high heat which, presumably, promotes and enhances final combustion of the exhaust gases.

The invention accordingly contemplates the provision of insulation 40 particularly in the spaces 42 between the pipes 12 and 14 and the

sleeves

22 and 24 in which they are respectively sheathed. It is, of course, preferred that the said insulation 40 be sufficiently porous so as not to completely obstruct the emergency flow of exhaust gases through said spaces 42.

ln the present embodiment of the invention, the space 34 between sound chamber 10 and its housing 20 is too narrow to accommodate insulating material. However, it'will be understood that in a situation of this nature, a degree of thermal protection is nevertheless inherent in and afforded by the space 34 itself. Moreover, the housing 20 may also be formed of a reflective material e.g. aluminum which will further restrict loss of heat from sound chamber 10.

Structurally, the sleeve 22 may be a composite of the two parts 22'22' shown by the exploded view of FIG. 4 which are capable of being assembled into tubular relation in an obvious manner to enclose manifold pipe 12 extending from one end of the sound chamber 10 and the opposite sleeve 24 may be likewise composed of two parts 24'24' for assembly about the tail pipe 14. Housing 20 may be of unitary construction as shown as well as of substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length which should preferably exceed that of the sound chamber 10 which it harbours thus providing a significant overlap at each end of the sound chamber 10 which acts as a socket 44 for accommodating a shoulder 46 extending from

sleeve

22 or 24 as the case may be.

Said

sleeves

22 and 24, encasing manifold and tail pipes 12 and 14, thus interfit telescopically with housing 20 for the sound chamber 10 of muffler assembly M.

Reference has been made above to the fact that the manifold and tail pipes 12 and 14 may be coupled to extensions as illustrated in the drawing; this being the rule rather than the exception. Customan'ly said manifold and

tail extensions

48 and 50 interconnect telescopically and frictionally with the muffler pipes 12 and 14.

As will be understood and is shown in the drawing, the said overlaps 5252 are also encased within

sleeves

22 and 24.

In the preferred form of the invention each said overlap 52 is embraced between the rounded bight of a U-bolt 56 and a saddle 58 which ensleeves the threaded U-bolt legs 60-60 substantially as shown in said FIG. 4 and also in FIG. 3.

By tightening nuts 62-62 on said legs 6060, the U-bolt 56 and saddle 58 are clamped about the overlap 52 deforming the component pipe and its extension to retain these parts in engagement with each other in a manner which will be obvious from PK]. 2.

As will be further understood and is shown in FIG. 4 the

sleeves

22 and 24 are contoured to embrace each said U-bolt 56 and its saddle 58 when clamped about an overlap 52 as aforesaid. Moreover, said U-bolt legs 6060 are also of sufficient length to engage in mounting bracket 64 secured to a frame part F of the automobile mounting the present exhaust system, being attached thereto by nuts 66 in an understood and obvious manner.

lt will thus be seen that the

sleeves

22 and 24 are assembled about the overlaps 5252 whereby the pipe 12 and its sleeves 22 are frictionally secured together at one of the muffler ends 30 and the corresponding pipe 14 and sleeve 24 likewise secured together at the other end 30.

The sound chamber housing 20 being frictionally engaged and held by

sleeves

22 and 24, the outer shell S is thus assembled about muffler assembly S; the two said assemblies being then effectively clamped together by the U-bolts 5656 by which the combination is, in its turn, attachable to the frame F of the automobile.

What we claim is:

LII

1. An exhaust system for an automobile having an internal combustion engine discharging hot, noxious gases comprising:

a muffler having a sound chamber with manifold and tail pipes through which the exhaust gases aforesaid are vented from the exhaust manifold of the engine to the atmosphere;

a composite outer shell for assembly about said muffler to enclose it, and

spacers positioning said composite outer shell in substantially fixed co-axial relation with the muffler providing a protective cover therefor and producing spacing between the shell and said manifold pipe and said tail pipe creating an auxiliary flow path for gases escaping from the said muffler.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer shell has reinforcing ribbing on at least the portion thereof enclosing said sound chamber.

3. The system as claimed in claim' 2 wherein said ribbing consists of fins.

4. The system as claimed in claims 1 including thermal insulation located about said muffler to retard heat loss therefrom.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 including means for securing said outer shell to a said automobile, said securing means also engaging said muffler and maintaining it in substantially the aforesaid fixed relation with the outer shell.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said composite outer shell comprises a central portion, an inlet portion and an outlet portion, said inlet and said outlet portions being telescopably secured in sliding relation with said central portion to provide accommodation to changes of longitudinal dimension.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said shell securing means comprises bolt and spacer means extending transversely through the wall of said shell to secure said muffler manifold and tail pipes in compressed relation with inlet and outlet pipes respectively ofsaicl she ll.

Claims

1. An exhaust system for an automobile having an internal combustion engine discharging hot, noxious gases comprising: a muffler having a sound chamber with manifold and tail pipes through which the exhaust gases aforesaid are vented from the exhaust manifold of the engine to the atmosphere; a composite outer shell for assembly about said muffler to enclose it, and spacers positioning said composite outer shell in substantially fixed co-axial relation with the muffler providing a protective cover therefor and producing spacing between the shell and said manifold pipe and said tail pipe creating an auxiliary flow path for Gases escaping from the said muffler.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said ribbing consists of fins.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said shell securing means comprises bolt and spacer means extending transversely through the wall of said shell to secure said muffler manifold and tail pipes in compressed relation with inlet and outlet pipes respectively of said shell.