Appeal No. 2000-0533
Application No. 08/821,508
(3) simultaneously with the bending of the first flared end,
extruding an annular reduced resistance bead having a sidewall
terminating in an outer end by the axial pressing of the tool
as a continuous, one-piece, radially inward[ly] projecting
extension from a plane defined by the interior conical3
surface.
Step (1) is the step shown in appellants' Figure 2 of
pressing the punch 36 axially into the end of the conduit 14
to produce the bowed, partially folded over flange 42
illustrated in Figure 3. In accordance with the underlying
disclosure, steps (2) and (3) are simultaneously performed by
pressing the special tool 46 into the partially folded over
flange. This tool 46 is different from the tool or punch 36
used in step (1). Claim 60 is thus inaccurate or
misdescriptive of appellants' invention, in that the extruding
step (3) is recited as being performed by axially pressing
"the tool," which refers back to the only tool recited in the
It is not apparent to us what plane is defined by a conical (curved)3
surface. Presumably, the plane referred to in the claims is a plane lying
tangent to the conical surface and the extension from the plane occurs at the
line of tangency. In any event, it is in this manner that we have interpreted
the claims in reaching our decision in this appeal.
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