Appeal No. 95-0942
Application 07/877,772
This is an appeal from the decision of the examiner finally
rejecting claims 1 through 16, which constitute all of the claims
of record in the application.
The appellants' invention is directed to a method for
covering a pipeline. The subject matter before us on appeal is
illustrated by reference to claim 1, which reads as follows:
1. A method for covering a pipeline comprising:
(a) wrapping the pipeline with a continuous polymeric
wrapping sheet having a heat-softenable adhesive on the side
applied to the pipeline;
(b) applying a stress to the wrapping sheet and so as to
generate a stress having at least a component extending
circumferentially of the pipeline, so that the sheet together
with the adhesive grips the exterior of the pipeline in tight
conformity thereto; and
(c) exposing the wrapped pipeline to electromagnetic
induction heating at a frequency and an intensity and for a
period sufficient to heat the outer skin of the pipeline
transiently and soften the adhesive sufficiently to cause the
adhesive to wet and bond to the exterior of the pipeline.
THE REFERENCES
The references relied upon by the examiner to support the
final rejection are:
Straughan 3,223,571 Dec. 14, 1965
Lindsey 4,008,114 Feb. 15, 1977
Tailor et al. (Tailor) 4,472,468 Sep. 18, 1984
Koopman 4,728,532 Mar. 1, 1988
THE REJECTIONS
2
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