Abstract: A plastic bushing has an axially running rectangular tapered hole. A metal terminal strip has a central portion with barbed edges. The thickness of the strip is less than the narrow dimension of the bushing hole while the width of the central strip portion is greater than the widest dimension of the bushing hole. The strip is pressed into the hole while ultrasonic energy is applied, to embed the barbed strip edges in opposite of the bushing walls. The bushing structure includes snap-in mounting means. This two piece terminal-bushing assembly provides a strong low cost unit that is simple to mount and connect to.

Abstract: A plurality of monolithic catalyst support elements are mounted in parallel in a plurality of recessed retaining portions of a bulkhead member separating an inlet plenum from an outlet plenum. The catalyst support elements are each compressed at one end into contact with a gasket member in each retaining portion by force applying means positioned so as to contact the other end of a plurality of catalyst support elements at one time. In one embodiment, the various elements of the apparatus are formed of materials having different coefficients of expansion and related lengths so as to maintain compression without the use of specific spring elements. Other embodiments use springs to compress either a single catalyst support element at a time or several at once.

Abstract: Arrangement for resiliently mounting a ceramic monolithic type catalytic converter element in a metal housing with a blanket of knit wire mesh material includes at least one circumferential band of high temperature intumescent material containing ceramic fibers positioned within the wire mesh blanket which prevents virtually all bypass leakage around the element and substantially reduces the temperature of the wire mesh.

Abstract: Arrangement for resiliently mounting a ceramic monolithic type catalytic converter element in a metal housing with a blanket of knit wire mesh material includes at least one circumferential band of high temperature intumescent material containing ceramic fibers positioned within the wire mesh blanket which prevents virtually all bypass leakage around the element and substantially reduces the temperature of the wire mesh.

Abstract: Catalytic converter assembly which has no case around the monolith element is retained between its inlet and outlet plenums by a plurality of spring loaded retaining members. The design eliminates the necessity for the usual wire mesh mounting material and the failures which can result when the mesh overheats. The design also simplifies catalyst replacement, eliminates by-pass leakage and reduces weight and expense.

Abstract: Combination muffler and catalytic converter utilizes an axial flow monolithic catalytic element to treat exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine and partially reduce their sound. The device incorporates a venturi in the exhaust gas inlet path to add secondary air. The efficiency of the venturi is quite high since backpressures introduced downstream of the venturi are kept low by providing an extremely long outlet cone for the venturi which reverses the flow direction while preventing wall separation and turbulence. Sound attenuation is provided upstream of the venturi where the backpressures produced have minimum effect in reducing venturi efficiency.

Abstract: Combination muffler and catalytic converter utilizes an axial flow monolithic catalytic element to treat exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine and partially reduce their sound. A perforated chamber around the catalytic element, a downstream perforated tube, and an upstream flow reversal chamber further reduce the sound. The device incorporates a venturi in the exhaust gas inlet path to add secondary air. Gas swirling and gas flow reversal structure is also provided to thoroughly mix the secondary air with the exhaust gases before the mixture is passed through a flow distribution plate and into contact with the catalytic element.