Appeal No. 96-3395 Page 3
Application No. 08/347,900
Claim 1, which is representative for our purposes,
follows:
1. A sample taking apparatus which comprises:
(a) a sample collection apparatus having a
valve having an element movable between two
positions wherein the valve has three ports, and two
of the three ports provide a completed passage
through said valve and valve element so that a
sample from a sample source introduced to said
apparatus is delivered through said apparatus for
delivery to a sample receiving container;
(b) a passage through said valve element having
an inlet port and a discharge port wherein the
passage is deployed so that said valve element, when
operated, moves to a position enabling purge fluid
flow through said valve element from a remote source
of a purge fluid and the purge fluid flows to the
valve element and its passage through a source
blocking valve; and
(c) a flow line extending from said purge fluid
source blocking valve to said valve element so that
purge fluid flows through said valve element
clearing said valve element of any remaining sample.
The references relied on by the patent examiner in
rejecting the claims follow:
Sanford et al. 3,372,573 Mar. 12, 1968
(Sanford)
Morabito et al. 4,962,042 Oct. 9, 1990
(Morabito)
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007