Appeal No. 2000-1654
Application 09/097,860
large superimposed loads” (specification, page 1).
Representative claim 1 reads as follows:1
1. A composite concrete reinforced corrugated metal arch
structure comprising:
i) a first set of shaped corrugated metal plates
interconnected in a manner to define a base arch structure of a
defined span cross-section, height and longitudinal length, said
base arch having a crown section and adjoining hip sections for
said span cross-section and corrugated metal plates of defined
thickness having corrugations extending transversely of the
longitudinal length of said arch to provide a plurality of curved
beam columns in said base arch;
ii) a second series of shaped metal plates interconnected in
a manner to overlay and contact the first set of interconnected
plates of said base arch, said second series of interconnected
plates extending continuously in the transverse direction to
include at least said arch crown and being secured directly to
said first set of interconnected plates;
iii) said interconnected series of second plates and said
first set of plates defining a plurality of individual,
transversely extending, enclosed continuous cavities, each said
cavity being defined by an interior surface of said first set of
plates and an opposing interior surface of said second series of
plates;
iv) concrete filling each said continuous cavity from cavity
end to end as defined by the transverse extent of said second
series of plates, said concrete filled cavity defining an
interface of said concrete encased by said metal interior
surfaces of said interconnected second series of plates and first
set of plates;
v) said interior surfaces of said cavity for each of said
first and second plates having a plurality of shear bond
connectors at said encased concrete-metal composite interface,
said composite shear bond connectors being a rigid part of said
first and second plates to ensure that the concrete and metal act
1 At the oral hearing, appellant’s counsel stated that the
“second set of corrugated plates” recited in claim 16 were the
same as the “second series of . . . corrugated metal plates”
recited in parent claim 3, and that claim 18 should depend from
claim 16 rather than claim 15.
2
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