Patent ID: 7100736

Claim:
A serviceable muffler comprising a muffler body for containing an element requiring servicing, said body having an open end allowing access to said element for removal and replacement of said element through said open end, an end plate closing said body at said open end, at least one of said end plate and said open end of said body having a flared rounded portion, a clamp releasably clamping said end plate to said open end to close said body and being releasable to permit removal of said end plate from said open end of said body for gaining access to said element, wherein each of said end plate and said open end of said body has a flared rounded portion, and further comprising in combination an apertured flange having an outer border with a flared rounded portion complemental to the flared rounded portion of each of said end plate and said open end of said body, said apertured flange having an inner border defined by an aperture therethrough, wherein said element in said body is removed and replaced through said aperture, wherein said body extends axially along an axis between first and second axially distally opposite axial ends, said first axial end being said open end, and wherein said flared rounded portions of said end plate and of said open end of said body and of said apertured flange are all axially aligned, and wherein said flared rounded portion of said apertured flange is located axially between and in engagement with each of said flared rounded portion of said end plate and said flared rounded portion of said open end of said body.