Appeal No. 2001-1504
Application 08/618,263
Lance, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses a
self-adjusting locking wrench tool 100 (see Figures 16 and 17)
having a stationary jaw and a movable jaw. As best shown in
the partially cutaway side view illustrated in Figure 16, the
stationary jaw defines a recess which receives a flat portion
of the movable jaw.
With implied reference to tool 100, the examiner (see
page 3 in the answer) has determined that Lance teaches or
would have
suggested all of the limitations in claim 16 except for those
pertaining to the laminated construction of the stationary and
movable jaws. This determination is reasonable on its face
and has not been disputed by the appellant.
Emmett discloses a slidable jaw wrench wherein each of
jaws J and J’ has a laminated construction (see column 2,
lines 11 through 32).
In proposing to combine Lance and Emmett to reject claim
16, the examiner concludes that it would have been obvious to
one of ordinary skill in the art “to form the jaws of Lance as
laminated with a recess between the outer laminae of the fixed
4
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