Heat extracting muffler system

A heat extracting muffler system for a vehicle having an engine and a muffler disposed within an engine housing comprising:

• means connecting the muffler to the engine for communicating hot exhaust gases from the engine to and through the muffler;
• means defining an exhaust pipe included in said muffler for discharging said gases therefrom;
• and means defining an open ended tubular heat shield surrounding said muffler and said exhaust pipe, said tubular heat shield means including a body portion and means defining a venturi tube connected to said body portion and projecting out of said housing;
• said muffler, said tubular heat shield body and said venturi tube being of cylindrical external cross-section and being generated about a common horizontal axis extending transversely of the engine housing;
• said venturi tube means being of generally frusto-conical configuration and receiving the end portion of said exhaust pipe for accelerating said exhaust gases which create an airflow through an annular passage between said muffler and said heat shield for drawing warm air from said engine housing and for cooling the peripheral surfaces of said muffler before discharging the air and exhaust gases externally of said housing, said tubular heat shield body having a large diameter inlet end and said venturi tube having its smallest diameter at its outlet end.