Appeal No. 1997-0229
Application No. 08/039,260
in accordance with Bauman et al. [Emphasis added;
answer, p. 3.]
In reviewing the applied prior art references, we find
that Maxham ‘599 discloses a method for the separation and
recycling of the long fiber pulp fraction contained in pulp
and paper mill waste solids (column 3, lines 56-64). In the
embodiment closest to the claimed invention (Fig. 2), Maxham
‘599 teaches that a waste solid slurry is subjected to a basic
separation process to remove large and/or heavy debris and
directed to a mixing tank 43 where detergents or chelating
agents may be added (column 10, lines 18-33). According to
Maxham ‘599, the waste solids is then sent to a hydrocyclone
system 48, where the random debris is separated from the
slurry and the rejected debris is sent to a collection basin
22 (column 10, lines 35-39). The reference further discloses
that the accepts from the hydrocyclone system, comprising long
fibers, fiber fines, and clay, flows into a vibrating screen
51, where the long fibers are retained and the underflow
comprising the fiber fines and clay is directed to collection
basin 22. No mention is made of separating an “agglomerate
7
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007