Appeal No. 1999-0286 Page 8
Application No. 08/777,413
With this as background, we find it necessary to
determine the meaning of the phrase "said plurality of
mounting holes being formed in an orderly rank and file
configuration" as recited in all the claims under appeal.
A review of the disclosure reveals that the appellant did
not provide an explicit definition for this phrase.
Furthermore, it is apparent that the appellant did not use
"rank and file" in its ordinary and accustomed manner.
Accordingly, we must determine the implicit definition for
this phrase from the disclosure (i.e., the specification and
drawings). In this regard, the specification reveals: (1) the
appellant was concerned with the X and Y coordinates of the
pick point (pp. 3 and 11); (2) the mounting holes 42 are
provided in a uniformly spaced rectangular array with
preferably eight or nine rows of approximately fifteen
mounting holes, however Figure 3 shows an acceptable ten by
ten grid of mounting holes (p. 7); (3) the eight or nine rows
of mounting holes are spaced about 0.375 inches apart and the
fifteen mounting holes in each row are spaced about 0.197
inches apart (p. 9); (4) each guide lane 20 is provided with
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