Abstract: An exhaust gas purification device for motor vehicles has a monolith which is disposed in a housing and has a front facade and a rear facade respectively extending transversely to the central longitudinal axis of the housing. A gap region is disposed between the monolith and a section of the housing. The monolith is directly or indirectly supported on by at least one facade on individual holding elements fixed to the housing. The holding elements extend approximately radially inwards and overlap the facade.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catalytic converter, especially for motor vehicles, and to a method for the production thereof. The inventive method is characterized in that a monolithic packet (17) consisting of at least one monolith (1) with wrap-around supporting matting (7) is pressed into a tube section (2) acting as a housing. The tube section (2) has two longitudinal sections (9, 10) with different inner cross-sectional surfaces. The monolithic packet (17) is pressed inwards from the end (21) of the tube section with the bigger or biggest inner cross-sectional surface. The inventive catalytic converter is characterized in that it has at least one contracted longitudinal section (9) with a reduced diameter (12) or reduced inner cross-sectional surface, whereby the inner surface (5a) of the tube section (2) runs parallel to the central longitudinal axis (32) thereof.

Abstract: A soot filter for the exhaust gas of a diesel engine comprises a filter body and a glow plug for thermally regenerating the filter body. At least one glow rod has a contact part that is spring-mounted at the glow rod in an axially displaceable fashion. Its face side which is averted from the glow plug shaft, therefore, protrudes beyond the free end of the glow rod and is pressed onto the face of the filter body.

Abstract: A device for reducing contaminants, particularly for motor vehicles, includes a housing, a catalyst body disposed therein with its periphery spaced from the housing wall and an intumescent mat disposed in the gap between the housing wall and the catalyst body. The intumescent mat is a mat of a heat-resistant fiber mat with embedded expansion particles whose volume increases when a certain expansion temperature is reached that is produced by the hot exhaust gases. By providing an additional heating element in the gap between the housing and the catalyst body, the intumescent mat can be heated to the expansion temperature.