Appeal No. 1998-2096
Application No. 08/586,966
this end, the appellants modify the leading edges of the
cruciform star leg 13 shown in Figures 1-5 of Chandler by
providing multiple sharpened leading edges which are
longitudinally offset with respect to each other. Id. at 2
and see the appellants’ Figures 1-5, edges 14a, 14b. The
ground anchor disclosed in the Chandler reference includes a
curved tip or lip portion 19 (see Figure 4) which facilitates
titling of the anchor to a transverse position in the ground.
See col. 5, ll. 8-12. The appellants have discovered that a
second curved lip 27 opposite the eye portion 24 not only
provides additional leverage for titling the ground anchor
within the soil, but also aids the anchor in maintaining a
linear path as the ground anchor is driven through the ground
and facilitates penetration of the anchor through hard soil.
See the appellants’ specification, p. 3.
Claims 20 and 23, the only independent claims, stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in view of Chandler. Claim 20
is directed to a ground anchor including, inter alia, a first
curved lip portion [26] extending from the back end of the
ground anchor body and
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