Appeal No. 97-2418 Page 7
Application No. 08/390,843
Apparatus for assuring the equal phase distribution
and steam quality of a two phase mixed steam flow having
a gaseous phase and a liquid phase, in a steam flow line
having a junction inlet and two junction outlets, and for
distributing said two phase mixed steam flow in a
preselected distribution ratio between said two junction
outlets, the apparatus comprising
steam flow diverting means movably arranged at said
junction inlet for diverting alternately all of said two
phase mixed steam flow to a selected one of said two
junction outlets; and
means for controlling movement of said fluid flow
diverting means to deliver said two phase mixed steam
flow in said flow line alternately to each of said two
junction outlets to achieve said preselected distribution
ratio of said two phase mixed steam flow between said two
junction outlets.
The examiner determined (answer, p. 3) that
[t]he claim [claim 1] is interpreted as being drawn to a
diverter, which Bachmann et al. show [sic]. The
recitations "steam" merely relate to intended use and are
given no weight. The gas turbine exhaust is read as a
two phase fluid in that the products of combustion
include water and gases. In the alternative, it can be
seen that when the valve of Bachmann et al is used in an
environment which includes two phase fluid, such as wet
steam, it will meet the claims.
The appellants argue (brief, pp. 3-5) that (1) the
Examiner has ignored most of the limitative language of claim
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