Appeal No. 2001-1198 Page 5
Application No. 09/233,899
portion of said second plier member, said generally
arcuate rack having a plurality of first teeth and said
pawl member having a plurality of second teeth formed on
a first side thereof adjacent said generally arcuate
rack, said plurality of second teeth in engagement with
said plurality of first teeth of said generally arcuate
rack during the continued movement of said handle
portions toward each other to apply the further grasping
force to the workpiece;
said second pivot means including spring means
secured to said intermediate portion of said first plier
member for urging said pawl member into a generally
concentric relationship with said generally arcuate rack
during the initial movement of said handle portions
toward each other to grasp the workpiece and for urging
said plurality of second teeth of said pawl member into
engagement with said plurality of first teeth of said
generally arcuate rack during the continued movement of
said handle portions toward each other to apply the
further grasping force to the workpiece;
said second pivot means being closer to said jaw
portions than are said first pivot means; and
biasing means for biasing said handle portions away
from each other and said jaw portions away from each
other.
The appellants argue (brief, pp. 4-6; reply brief, pp. 2-
3) that Chow lacks (1) a generally arcuate rack formed on the
intermediate portion of the second plier member as recited in
claim 1 and (2) a spring means secured to the intermediate
portion of the first plier member for urging the plurality of
second teeth of the pawl member into engagement with the
plurality of first teeth of the generally arcuate rack as
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