Appeal No. 2000-1479 Page 4
Application No. 08/915,355
We will not sustain the rejection of claims 1 to 3, 5 to
9, 14 to 19 and 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
A claim is anticipated only if each and every element as
set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or
inherently described, in a single prior art reference.
Verdegaal Bros. Inc. v. Union Oil Co., 814 F.2d 628, 631, 2
USPQ2d 1051, 1053 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 827
(1987). The inquiry as to whether a reference anticipates a
claim must focus on what subject matter is encompassed by the
claim and what subject matter is described by the reference.
As set forth by the court in Kalman v. Kimberly-Clark Corp.,
713 F.2d 760, 772, 218 USPQ 781, 789 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert.
denied, 465 U.S. 1026 (1984), it is only necessary for the
claims to "'read on' something disclosed in the reference,
i.e., all limitations of the claim are found in the reference,
or 'fully met' by it."
Claims 1 to 3, 5 to 9, 14 to 19 and 23 each include the
limitation that the bag slitter assembly include horizontally-
disposed canard-like blades wherein the blades are disposed
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