Appeal No. 99-0075
Application 08/719,664
The invention relates to a “pallet clamping device for
automatically coupling and uncoupling a workpiece on a pallet”
(specification, page 1). Claim 25 is illustrative and reads
as follows:
25. A pallet clamping device comprising an air pressure
supply means to supply air pressure to said pallet clamping
device, a hydraulic vice, a pneumatic pilot valve, a
pneumatic-hydraulic pressure amplifier supplying hydraulic
prssure to said hydraulic vice, said pneumatic pilot valve
includes a power port, a control port, an exhaust port, an
amplification port and a retraction port, a first unlockable
pneumatic coupling, a second unlockable pneumatic coupling, a
piston, and conduit means, said piston alternately connecting
and disconnecting said first and said second unlockable
pneumatic couplings sequentially applying and removing said
air pressure to said pneumatic pilot control valve whereby
said hydraulic vice is alternately unlocked and locked.
Claim 25, and claims 26 through 29 by virtue of their
dependency from claim 25, stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §
112, second paragraph, as failing to particularly point out
and distinctly claim the subject matter the appellant regards
as the invention. The examiner explains that2
2 In the final rejection (Paper No. 8), claims 25 through
29 also stood rejected under the judicially created doctrine
of obviousness-type double patenting. The examiner has since
withdrawn this rejection in view of the terminal disclaimer
filed February 17, 1998 (see page 2 in the examiner’s answer,
Paper No. 17).
2
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