Appeal No. 1999-0911
Application No. 08/852,708
indicates that "sufficient" includes increasing the
length of the web in the section between the feed
means and the first cylinder to be greater than the
direct distance between the location at which the
web leaves the feed means and the location at which
the blade contacts the first cylinder. (Underlining
omitted)
We do not consider the examiner’s position to be well
taken. Contrary to the examiner’s above-quoted statement,
appellants do not disclose that every apparatus in which the
length of the web between the feed means and the cutoff point
on the vacuum cylinder is greater than the direct distance
between those points will provide a sufficient length to
prevent tears, as called for by claim 52. Rather, they
disclose at page 11, lines 6 to 13:
By advantageously adjusting the web length
between the point of cutoff on the vacuum cylinder
14 and the feed roller 12 from approximately 38" or
less to a length of approximately 60" or more, the
tension spike and transverse edge tearing may be
reduced. These web lengths are not specified
exactly because of interaction with the following
described techniques and also a variability in the
physical characteristics of transfer tapes applied
or other webs being severed.
Thus, the mere fact that the Steidinger web feed path is
longer than the direct path between feed means 20 and cylinder
27 does not necessarily mean that it is sufficiently long to
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