Appeal No. 98-1530
Application No. 08/492,590
(1) means for measuring the components of the force
applied to the sheave of the aerial apparatus in two
mutually perpendicular directions which are fixed
relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus,
and
(2) winch line guide means for maintaining a portion
of the winch line adjacent to the sheave at a known
orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the
apparatus.
In the first of the rejections of the three independent
claims, it is the examiner’s position that all of the subject
matter recited is disclosed by Schenck, except for the means
for measuring the components of the force applied to the
sheave in two mutually perpendicular directions, but this is
taught by Habern and it would have been obvious to one of
ordinary skill in the art to modify Schenck by replacing the
disclosed single axis load measuring system with a dual axis
one (Answer, page 4). Implicit in this rejection is that the
examiner believes that the required winch line guide means
also is disclosed by Schenck. We find this rejection to be
fatally defective on two counts, as explained below.
First, in the Schenck system the load on the winch line
is sensed by a load cell (11) against which a movable sheave
(13) is pressed (translation, page 4; Figure 1). The load
cell senses the force applied in but a single direction,
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