Appeal No. 2000-1274
Application No. 08/977,286
entirely different functions. In fact, a descaler would
normally be used in conjunction with (prior to) breakdown roll
stands, as disclosed by Kovacs at col. 4, lines 56 to 60,
rather than instead of them. Absent any teaching or
suggestion that billets from breakdown roll stands should be
returned to the furnace for reheating prior to further
rolling, the examiner’s apparent conclusion that it would have
been obvious to provide breakdown roll stands at the same side
of Neumann’s furnace as rollway 10 seems to be based entirely
on impermissible hindsight gleaned from appellants’ own
disclosure.
Accordingly, the rejection of claims 1 to 4 and 6 will
not be sustained.
Conclusion
The examiner’s decision to reject claims 1 to 4 and 6 is
reversed.
REVERSED
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