Appeal No. 1998-1783 Page 7
Application No. 08/566,681
Reed teaches (column 4, lines 44-52) that
[w]hen stabilizing some clay formations with lime, the
chemical reaction is almost immediate. The lime must be
infused on the upward travel since once the lime is
mixed, the clay quickly hardens.
Optionally a pressure of 15-20 psi of water or
preferably air may be applied to the torque tube 12 (and
the exit ports 18, 20, & 22) to prevent intrusion of soil
while drilling.
Reed also teaches (column 4, lines 57-61) that
[t]he mixing device of the present invention may
accommodate dry chemicals by pumping those chemicals in
an air stream down the torque tube 12 out the exit ports
18, 20, & 22 and into the formation 30.
After the scope and content of the prior art are
determined, the differences between the prior art and the
claims at issue are to be ascertained. Graham v. John Deere
Co., 383 U.S. 1, 17-18, 148 USPQ 459, 467 (1966).
Based on our analysis and review of Reed and claim 1, it
is our opinion that one difference is the limitation in step c
of claim 1 that
while rotating said augur, removing said augur from the
soil, while injecting dry lime and dry cement into said
soil in amounts to form said stoichiometric mixture.
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