In re Ernst

Almond, Judge.

This is an appeal, from the decision of the Patent Office Board of Appeals affirming the'rejection of claims 1-2, 4-5, and 23-29 of appellant’s application entitled “Method and Apparatus for Sterilizing.”1 No claims have been allowed.

The invention relates to a method of sterilizing materials by treatment with a gaseous chemical sterilizing agent, for example, ethylene oxide gaseous mixtures. The basic steps of appellant’s process are set forth in claim 1:

1. A method of sterilizing an article in an enclosed chamber comprising the steps of:(a) stratifying air in said chamber by…