Application of Arthur L. Maloy, Charles R. Maloney and James O. Hambrick

ALMOND, Judge.

This appeal is from the decision of the Board of Appeals refusing claims in patent application Serial No. 622,837, filed November 19, 1956, for “Production of Styrene from Phenyl Methyl Carbinol.”

The invention relates to a method of producing styrene. The prior art taught the dehydration of phenyl methyl carbinol with the aid of a catalyst to form styrene. The claimed invention here appealed is “the discovery that phenyl methyl carbinol can be dehydrated to styrene with sulfuric acid as the catalyst in the vapor phase.”

Claim 1 is illustrative and reads as follows:

“Process for…