Appeal No. 97-1973
Application No. 08/248,003
lower wheel engage and support the ribs.3
It is the examiner's view (answer, page 3) that all of
the subject matter recited in claim 4 is disclosed by Gray,
except for (1) the upright edges on the lower wheel and (2)
the relative positioning of the ribs and upright edges such
that the upright
edges engage and support the ribs. However, the examiner
finds these features to be taught by Whisler and Von Bolhar,
respec-tively, and takes the position that it would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to add upright
edges to the bottom wheel taught by Gray in order to confine
the chain against lateral displacement and to locate the ribs
taught by Gray between the chain and upright edges in order to
provide a more stable connection between the buckets and chain
(answer, pages 3 and 4).
3We note that strict antecedent basis is lacking for the recitation of
"the side walls" in line 10 of claim 4. Correction of this informality is in
order upon return of the application to the jurisdiction of the examiner.
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007