Appeal No. 1998-0910
Application No. 08/454,596
Turning to the evidence of obviousness, we find that the
Burns patent addresses a method and apparatus for conveying
sewage (Figs. 1 and 2) wherein a collecting tank 16 (transfer
tank) receives sewage from a plurality of sources (vacation
homes, for example). In particular, the collecting tank 16 of
Burns is constructed of reinforced concrete or other material
suitable for underground use, with the tank being placed in an
excavation and covered over with soil (column 9, lines 34
through 43). As explained by the patentee (column 6, lines 11
through 15, and lines 46 through 64), periodically when sewage
in the collecting tanks 16 reaches a predetermined level (as
sensed by low and upper level detector switches 98, 96), a
vacuum valve 20 (76 in Fig. 3) opens and the sewage is
discharged into a vacuum line 22 and conveyed to vacuum
receiver tank 24 (holding tank) at an ejector or transfer
station 26 (Fig. 6) under the influence of a vacuum generated
by vacuum pump 160. The positioning of the transfer station
(column 16, line 70, to column 18, line 62) relative to the
ground surface is not described in the specification; however,
Fig. 1 may fairly be viewed as reflecting an above-ground
transfer station building 26 with a pitched roof.
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