Appeal No. 96-3512
Application 08/235,623
the nature of the invention and the amount of knowledge imparted
to those skilled in the art by the disclosure. See Vas-Cath Inc.
v. Mahurkar, supra.
The examiner is correct in noting that lines 1-3 of page 9
of the specification refer to the member 30 as being positioned
on support structure 35. We must point out, however, that this
description is with reference to the embodiment of Fig. 1. On
page 20 of the specification it is clearly set forth, with
respect to the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9, that the member 30 is
“self supported in reaction chamber 20," with the support member
being of “square shape” and the reaction chamber being of
“circular shape” (i.e, circular in cross-section). Viewing Figs.
8 and 9, these figures, although rudimentary in nature,
nevertheless clearly depict the square-shaped member being
supported by its four corners on the wall of the reaction chamber
20 (which is illustrated in Fig. 9 as having a circular cross-
section). Taking the appellants’ description on page 20 of the
specification, in conjunction with Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings,
we believe the appellants’ disclosure taken as a whole reasonably
conveys to one of ordinary skill in the art that the “member” is
self-supported on or against the wall of the reaction chamber
“without other means of support” as claimed. This being the
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