Appeal No. 1997-0793
Application 08/107,633
together (brief, page 5). Therefore, with respect to these3
claims, we limit our discussion to claim 1.
Roetheli discloses a method for generating combustible
gases from a solid fuel (col. 1, lines 1-6; col. 1, line 49 -
col. 2, line 6). We address each step of appellant’s claim 1
as follows:
Step a: Roetheli discloses carbonizing solid carbonaceous
fuel in a reactor (5) at “the usual carbonizing temperature of
say 500 to 1200EF.” (260-648EC) and does not disclose adding
oxygen to this reactor (col. 2, lines 12-22). Thus, the
product from the carbonization can be semi-coked fuel
according to the definitions of that term provided by
appellant, i.e., “a smokeless fuel produced by carbonizing
coal at a temperature of about 600EC” and “smokeless fuel made
by low-temperature carbonization of coal at 620EC; volatile
matter 10%” (attachments to amendment filed October 18, 1994,
paper no. 6). The effluent from this reactor includes a
solids stream (7) that includes carbonaceous material and a
3Citations herein are to the “new appeal brief” filed
December 12, 1995 (paper no. 20).
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