Appeal No. 2002-0911 Page 8
Application No. 09/272,115
We turn our attention first to the rejection of claims 1 and 5 as being anticipated
by Carter. As illustrated in Figures 1-4, Carter’s crane is capable of being erected into
an operating condition (Figure 1) and stowed into a traveling position (Figure 4) with the
boom folded away into a compact position, without the use of a separate assembly
crane. In order to achieve the erection and stowing disclosed by Carter, the main jib
head portion 6, 13 of the boom must be attached and detached at one side, using the
lug and clevis connections provided, from the main jib hinge portion 4 of the boom. In
order to erect the boom from the stowed traveling position shown in Figure 4, the crane
is rotated on its turntable to position the main jib head portion 6 on the ground adjacent
the crane. Next, the derricking cable system 22, connected to clevis formations 26
carried by the jib head portion, acts as a lifter and raises the jib head portion (extension
section) to the position shown in Figure 3. The derricking cable system 22, connected
to the clevis formation 23 on the main jib hinge portion 4, then lowers the main jib hinge
portion 4 and the main jib head portion (extension section) 6, 13 into a position wherein
the main jib head portion 6, 13 is aligned with the main jib hinge portion 4 for
connection to the main jib hinge portion 4. The clevis pins are then inserted into the
clevis formations to connect the main jib hinge and head portions for crane operation.
With respect to appellants’ comments on page 13 of the brief, we recognize that,
in the erection method disclosed by Carter, the main jib head portion 6, 13 is hingedly
connected at one side to the main jib hinge portion 4 and is not brought to a position
adjacent the crane by a separate truck or the like (see brief, page 14). However, we
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