Appeal No. 2000-0104
Application No. 08/850,647
defined by Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1971)
as “to make fast by or as if by the interlacing or
interlocking of parts.” Looking at arrangements (1) and (2)
of Cerola, it is doubtful to us that it can be said that there
is any interlacing or interlocking of the coupler and catalyst
member. In any event, even if it might be said that Cerola
satisfies phrase (a), Cerola clearly does not meet phrase (b),
because neither arrangement of Cerola prevents removal of the
catalyst member from the coupler. The verb “prevent” means
“to keep from happening or existing”
(Webster, supra), and since the arrangements (1) and (2) of
Cerola do not keep the catalyst member from being removed from
the carrier, phrase (b) is not readable on either of them.
If we look to appellants’ specification for
“enlightenment” (In re Morris, supra) as to the meaning of the
limitations in
question, particularly phrase (b), we find that on page 9,
lines 36 to 38, appellants disclose that once the catalyst is
assembled on the coupler, it “cannot be removed.” This
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