Appeal No. 2002-1198
Application 09/349,306
elongate shaft so that a sole of said club head is
substantially parallel to the ground at the moment of impact
of the club head against the ball and so that said shaft is
positioned at an angle of about ten degrees relative to an
imaginary line that is perpendicular to a putting surface.
The examiner’s determination (final rejection, page 3; answer,
page 4) that Williams discloses a golf club having the required
structure and performing the required steps, is without merit.
The golf putter of Williams is not configured as required in
appellant’s claim 1 on appeal when the toe ball-striking surface
(13) therein is used by the golfer standing in a position facing
the target golf hole as seen in either Figures 7 and 8, or
Figures 10 and 11 of Williams. As is apparent from Figures 9 and
12, the shaft (16) of the club in Williams is not oriented “so
that said shaft is positioned at an angle of about ten degrees
relative to an imaginary line that is perpendicular to a putting
surface,” as set forth in claim 1 on appeal. Figures 8 and 9, or
Figures 11 and 12 of Williams clearly show the shaft (16) of the
club positioned at 90° to the putting surface, i.e., aligned with
an imaginary line that is perpendicular to the putting surface.
Regarding White, we observe that this patent discloses a
golf chipper club having an elongate shaft (18) with two gripping
portions (16, 17) and a lofted head having a loft angle of
between about 25 degrees and 45 degrees. As is readily apparent
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