Interference No. 102,755
conception of the subject matter of the count on or about
April 23, 1985.
Beck also contends, incorrectly, that conception by
Nedelk is further corroborated by Gillespie's testimony.
Gillespie explains that in the fall of 1985, he was faced with
the problem that the carbon brakes on the McDonnell Douglas
MD-80 were "grabby" at low speeds (NR 15, ¶ 5). He proposed
selective braking as a solution in an October 9, 1985, letter
(NE 36) to J.P. Nelson, Director, Divisional Engineering,
Aircraft Wheel and Brake Division:
On [c]ommercial aircraft having eight or
more main wheels/brakes, the attractiveness
of carbon might be enhanced if one half or
more of the brakes could be idled during
low energy stops. The enhancement would
stem from two characteristics of carbon
brakes:
1) Carbon supposedly experiences a
decrease or a plateau in wear as
energy increases at the low end
of the spectrum.
2) Carbon brakes are often very
sensitive at low speeds because
operating pressures are extremely
low.
By idling one half the brakes for taxi
stops and taxi snubs, we might experience
no more wear on the active brakes than if
all brakes were active. (Alternating the
active and passive brakes for each braking
occurrence would benefit thermal
considerations). With taxi stops and snubs
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