Appeal No. 1997-1506 Page 12
Application No. 08/442,413
thereof. Our review of Figure 1 of Rosenbaum indicates that
the switch tongue (18) assumes a straight shape (i.e., has a
radius of curvature of infinity) for some length from the
fixed end before starting to curve away from the straight-line
contour approximately mid-way between the fixed end and the
first abutment. While Rosenbaum refers to the shape of the
switch tongue in its branch position as corresponding to “a
parabola having its vertex at the block 30” with a short
circular arc at the vertex (column 3, lines 38 to 42), we
interpret this description to be merely a general (and not
necessarily mathematically precise) description of the shape
implying that the end portions approximate straight lines.
Further, the appellants have admitted, on page 11 of Paper No.
9, that
Rosenbaum teaches that the middle region of the
girder or beam follows a circle and the end follows
a parabolic section. Due to this, the ends have a
curvature of 0, an infinite curvature radius. 7
7Although the appellants have argued to the contrary on page 8 of the
brief, the appellants' counsel conceded at the hearing that the fixed end of
the Rosenbaum switch tongue has an infinite radius of curvature.
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007