Appeal No. 1999-1254
Application No. 08/820,490
The subject matter on appeal is adequately illustrated by
independent claim 1 which is reproduced below:
1. A process for the removal of mercury from materials and
for the recovery of mercury comprising:
heating material which contains mercury to a temperature
of at least 900°F in a heating zone to create a first gaseous
phase which contains mercury,
directing said first gaseous phase at a temperature of at
least 900°F to a first cooling unit which reduces the
temperature of said gaseous phase by at least 100°F to a
temperature which is above the boiling point of mercury,
collecting a first condensate which is condensed from
said gaseous phase which enters into said first cooling unit
and sending a second gaseous phase which contains mercury and
which second gaseous phase is at a temperature above the
boiling point of mercury to a second cooling unit, and
in said second cooling unit, reducing the temperature of
said second gaseous phase to a temperature at least 100°F
below the boiling point of mercury, collecting a condensate
which comprises mercury, and sending a third gaseous phase out
of said second cooling unit at a temperature which is at least
100°F below the boiling point of mercury.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Sikander et al. (Sikander) 4,606,762 Aug. 19, 1986
Weyand et al. (Weyand) 5,300,137 Apr. 5, 1994
All of the claims on appeal stand rejected under 35
U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Weyand in view of
rectified upon return of the application to the jurisdiction
of the Examining Corps.
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