Catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material; 3. contiguously juxtaposing the ends of the sheet of casing material, applying tension to the juxtaposed ends of the material to draw them away from the layered member while squeezing the tensioned ends together in the vicinity of and tangentially to the layered member to tension the sheet and compress the layer substantially uniformly; and 4. securing the sheet to itself to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 2

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material; 3. contiguously juxtaposing the ends of the sheet of casing material, applying tension to the juxtaposed ends of the material to draw them away from the layered member while squeezing the tensioned ends together in the vicinity of and tangentially to the layered member to tension the sheet and compress the layer substantially uniformly; and 4. securing the sheet to itself to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 3

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material having two opposite castellated ends, said ends being castellated in an off-set manner from each other; 3. interleaving the castellated ends and drawing the interleaved ends of the sheet of casing material in directions tangential to the support member to tension the sheet and compress the layer substantially uniformly; and 4. securing the sheet to itself at the intersection of said interleaved ends to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 4

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material having two opposite castellated ends, said ends being castellated in an off-set manner from each other; 3. interleaving the castellated ends and drawing the interleaved ends of the sheet of casing material in directions tangential to the support member to tension the sheet and compress the layer substantially uniformly; and 4. securing the sheet to itself at the intersection of said interleaved ends to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 5

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a tube of casing material; 3. forming in the wall of said tube at least a pair of parallel ribs, each said rib extending along the length of said tube between the ends thereof and being diametrically opposite to each other; and 4. uniformly deforming the ribs to tension the casing to compress the layer substantially uniformly and provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 6

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a tube of casing material; 3. forming in the wall of said tube at least a pair of parallel ribs, each said rib extending along the length of said tube between the ends thereof and being diametrically opposite to each other; and 4. uniformly deforming the ribs to tension the casing to compress the layer substantially uniformly and provide a gas tight enclosure about the member.

Claim 7

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material; 3. securing axial edges of the casing material to a bar; 4. twisting the bar around its axis causing said sheet of casing material to wrap around the bar adjacent both of said axial edges of said casing material, thereby increasing tension in the casing and compressing the layer substantially uniformly; 5. securing the sheet to itself to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member; and 6. detaching the bar and surplus sheet material from the enclosed member.

Claim 8

A method of fabricating a catalytic device for an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of: 1. disposing a layer of thermal insulating material about the periphery of a unitary refractory catalyst support member; 2. disposing around the member and the layer a sheet of casing material; 3. securing axial edges of the casing material to a bar; 4. twisting the bar around its axis causing said sheet of casing material to wrap around the bar adjacent both of said axial edges of said casing material, thereby increasing tension in the casing and compressing the layer substantially uniformly; 5. securing the sheet to itself to provide a gas tight enclosure about the member; and 6. detaching the bar and surplus sheet material from the enclosed member.