Appeal No. 2000-0503 Page 10
Application No. 08/902,031
standing or falling with claim 108, claims 122-131 standing or falling with claim 121 and claims
133-144 standing or falling with claim 132.6
With respect to each of claims 108, 121 and 132, appellants argue that Toth does not
disclose the recited attachment means which communicates with said support frame and said
tank. The basis for this argument, in essence, is that Toth does not indicate that the tank itself
is in communication with any of the loads, nor is it used as a conduit to transmit those loads
(brief, page 22).
The limitation at issue in claim 121 is "an attachment means whereby said attachment
means communicates with said support frame and said tank." Claim 108 is more limited than
claim 121 in that it requires
an attachment means whereby said attachment means communicates with said
support frame and said tank, transmitting lateral and gravity forces which apply
pressure to said tank relieving said pressure on said tank by directing said lateral
and gravity forces into said end frames wherein said directing substantially
reduces the localized effect of said lateral and gravity forces on said tank.
As discussed, supra, with regard to claim 83, we interpret the term "communicates" as
requiring no more than connection of the attachment means to the support frame and to the
tank. Moreover, as also discussed above, the container apparatus of Toth comprises an
attachment means comprised of skirt rings 32, cross supports 25 and sills 23 which connect the
support frame 12 and the vessel, wherein the skirt rings provide for transfer of longitudinal and
6See Young and Wood.
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