Appeal No. 97-1973
Application No. 08/248,003
skill in the art would have been motivated to relocate Gray's
sides or ribs e between the chain and upright edges on the
lower wheel in order to provide a more stable connection
between the bucket and the chain (answer, page 4). We do not
agree. Gray locates the sides or ribs e, the ends of the rim
H, the side pieces of the body portion and the shim f between
the double links C for a very specific reason, namely, in
order to completely fill the space between the links C. Gray
teaches that the advantage of such an arrangement is that it
prevents particles of rock or gravel from lodging between the
double links C and that this is an important feature of his
invention (page 2, lines 53-59). Thus, Gray actually teaches
away from the modification proposed by the examiner.
Furthermore, there is no indication in Von Bolhar that by
locating the bosses 90 and 91 on the bucket between the link
51 and the "paddle" that the "paddle" will necessarily engage
and support the bosses 90 and 91. We conclude that it is
highly speculative to suggest that if Gray were modified as
proposed in the rejection, the upright edges on the lower
wheel would engage and support the sides or ribs e as
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