Appeal No. 1999-0368
Application 08/636,033
Appellants’ invention pertains to a replacement knuckle
for use in a railroad car coupler, and in particular to a
lightweight knuckle that can be used in an emergency to
replace an existing AAR standard knuckle that became damaged
during operation and needs replacement. A copy of the
appealed claim can be found in an appendix to appellants’
brief.
The sole reference of record relied upon by the examiner
in support of the final rejection is:
Packer 1,480,863 Jan. 15, 1924
Claim 1 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being
anticipated by Packer.
The patent to Packer, issued in 1924, discloses an
emergency knuckle “particularly designed for use with the many
standard types of railway cars couplings which as is well
understood are universally made in accordance with the M.C.B.
standards” (page 1, lines 18-23). The body or supporting head
1 of the coupler that receives Packer’s emergency knuckle “is
of a standard modern type . . . having its forward active
2
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