Ex Parte SCHONBECK et al - Page 2



          Appeal No. 2005-0614                                                        
          Application No. 09/171,735                                                  

          strip through the first deformation stage to form a continuous              
          intermediate strip without subjecting the continuous intermediate           
          strip to any cutting to form an intermediate coil.  Further details         
          of this appealed subject matter are set forth in representative             
          independent claim 6 which reads as follows:1                                
               6.  A process for producing hot-rolled steel strip from a              
          continuously cast precursor strip, comprising the steps of:                 
               receiving, at a first deformation stage having at least one            
          roll stand, the continuous precursor strip of a complete casting            
          sequence directly from a continuous casting plant in which the              
          continuous precursor strip is produced;                                     
               rolling the continuous precursor strip through the first               
          deformation stage to form a continuous intermediate strip;                  
               coiling the continuous intermediate strip without subjecting           
          said continuous intermediate strip to any cutting to form an                
          intermediate coil having an intermediate coil weight comprising at          
          least 40 tons;                                                              
               uncoiling the continuous intermediate strip from the                   
          intermediate coil to supply a second deformation stage having at            
          least one roll stand;                                                       
               rolling the continuous intermediate strip through the second           
          deformation stage to form a finished strip;                                 
               producing a plurality of finished coils from the finished              
          strip by coiling the finished strip and severing the finished strip         

               1 As pointed out by the Examiner on page 2 of the answer (and          
          not disputed by the Appellants), the claim 6 reproduction which             
          appears in the appendix of the brief is inaccurate.  Rather than            
          elucidate this inaccuracy, suffice it to say that our assessment            
          of the rejection before us is based upon the actual wording of              
          this claim.                                                                 
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