Device for treating the exhaust gases of internal combustin engines with two exhaust gas treatment bodies arranged at spaced locations

Device for treating exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a housing formed of two partial shells welded together along a first partial shell longitudinal flange and a second partial shell longitudinal flange to form a welded edge pair, said housing having an exhaust intake opening and an exhaust outlet opening defining two open end zones connected to an exhaust gas line, providing a flow passage for the exhaust gas between said end zones;
• two exhaust gas treatment bodies through which exhaust gas flows, said exhaust gas treatment bodies being arranged one behind the other in a flow direction and being arranged at spaced locations from one another in said housing;
• a protective ring formed of sheet metal, said protective ring delimiting a space between the two exhaust gas treatment bodies at an outer side of said two exhaust gas treatment bodies;
• said protective ring including at least one sheet metal flap, which extends between said first partial shell longitudinal flange and said second partial shell longitudinal flange, said sheet metal flap being welded to said housing at said welded edge pair.