Appeal No. 98-0393
Application No. 08/450,271
refractory body is maintained in an upright orientation that
generally conforms with the shape of the vortex as the molten
metal is discharged. The refractory body is geometrically
proportioned by shaping other than as a regular tetrahedron
such that its center of gravity is below its center of buoyant
support. The refractory body acts as a vortex inhibitor which
facilitates discharging the molten metal separately from a
slag layer.
The present application is a continuation of U.S.
Application No. 08/277,374 which, in turn, is a continuation
of U.S. Application No. 07/770,128, which application formed
the basis of an appeal to this Board (Appeal No. 93-4088). In
a decision dated November 30, 1993, this Board affirmed the
examiner's rejection of the appealed claims over the same
Koffron reference presently applied. Claim 9 now on appeal
generally corresponds to claim 9 in the grandparent
application with the exceptions that the refractory body is
now defined as "not a regular tetrahedron," and geometrically
proportioning the refractory body is now defined as "by
shaping other than as a regular tetrahedron."
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