Appeal No. 97-0612
Application 08/322,218
piece 24 having a core forming male die 29 and a final mandrel
terminal 30. As described by Skinner,
[s]aid terminal 30 as shown extends inwardly
within the opening of die 20, exactly concentric
therewith and with the intervening surrounding space
through which the extruded metal a emerges. Terminal
30 extends beyond the main die 29, which is connected
laterally with the main filler mandrel piece 24 by the
wall or web 31.
Said web, as shown in Fig. 6, is as thin as it can
consistently be made, the sides rounding into the main
opening 27 for rigid connection with the outer metallic
wall, and facilitating free flow of the metal under
pressure.
As indicated in Fig. 4 there is an opening 32
backwardly from the face of die 20 sufficiently long to
allow for flow of the metal thereinto from both
opposite sides, providing a continuously annular body
of metal for some distance back of the annular
extrustion [sic, extrusion] space between terminal 30
and die 20.
The exposed surfaces of the various elements are
preferably rounded and curved, as indicated, avoiding
where possible abrupt shoulders to facilitate the flow
toward the annular outlet space.
The outer shoulder 33 of member 29 is rounded as
shown, also facilitating flow and merging of the metal
under pressure [page 2, lines 55 through 82].
The examiner has concluded that
[i]t would have been obvious to one having
ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
made, as specified by 35 U.S.C. 103, to provide the
slit-shaping key 200 of Sparks with rounded or curved
edges, with corresponding curved edges being produced
in the product, following the teaching of Skinner that
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Last modified: November 3, 2007