Appeal No. 99-1823
Application 08/964,278
in the application, as amended by an amendment filed
subsequent to the final rejection.
Appellant’s invention pertains to a guide structure
(claims 8-14) and method (claims 15-20) for guiding rope into
helically wound turns on a capstan, and in particular to a
coupling structure for adjustably fixing the position of the
guide structure relative to a support surface of the capstan.
As further set forth in the specification, with reference
numerals added for convenience, the coupling structure
comprises
an annular disposition of sockets or coupling
pockets [22] . . . provided on a rear surface of the
guide structure [10]. The coupling pockets receive
a number of somewhat smaller protuberances [24] on
the capstan support structure [1]. As such, the
guide structure can be rotatably indexed to allow
radially adjusting the securement of the guide
structure on the coupling protuberance to variably
fix spacial orientation of the ramped surface [12]
for proper directional feed of the rope [7] onto the
capstan [4]. In the illustrated embodiment, the
protuberances are provided by bolt heads, as
fastening means which maintains the capstan support
structure in assembly. [Specification, page 3.]
Independent claim 8, a copy of which is found in an
appendix to appellant’s brief, is illustrative of the appealed
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Last modified: November 3, 2007