Appeal No. 96-0919
Application 08/027,922
and a top section with an open aperture, a top in the form of a
platform 18 removably connected to the top section so as to
substantially cover the open aperture, a can crusher mounted on
the top surface of the platform, and means in the form of an
opening 40 in the platform for passing crushed cans through the
platform and into the interior recess. The can crusher consists
of a crusher housing 34, a ram 52 and a ram head 50. In
operation, a can is inserted into the crusher housing and the ram
is actuated to move the ram head toward the can so as to crush it
against the front wall of the housing. Upon retraction of the
ram head, the crushed can drops by gravity through the opening 40
into the receptacle 12. Deiters teaches that this construction
provides for “a minimum of handling [of the cans] . . . and thus
a minimum of exposure to the operator. Such is important when
the cans may have contained toxic, caustic, flammable or other
dangerous material” (column 3, lines 35 through 39).
Claim 54 recites a receptacle comprising, inter alia,
“means, laterally spaced from said can crusher, for passing
articles through said first top into said interior recess.” The
examiner has found that this “means” is met by Deiters’ opening
40 (see page 4 in the answer). The examiner explains that
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Last modified: November 3, 2007