Appeal No. 2005-2154 Page 2
Application No. 10/145,341
BACKGROUND
The appellants’ invention relates to a pressure-regulating nozzle for extinguishing
fires and a method of extinguishing fires using such nozzle. The nozzle includes an
adjustable baffle. Fluid pressure is sensed on a “baffle forward pressure surface” (i.e.,
the upstream pressure surface of the baffle) and a relief valve is triggered to relieve fluid
pressure acting on an opposing baffle pressure surface when the sensed fluid pressure
exceeds a preselected relief valve pressure. As more fully explained below, this appeal
focuses on what is meant by the limitation of sensing fluid pressure on a baffle forward
surface in the appellants’ claims. A copy of the claims under appeal is set forth in the
appendix to the appellants’ brief.
The Applied Prior Art
The examiner relied upon the following prior art references of record in rejecting
the appealed claims:
McMillan 3,684,192 Aug. 15, 1972
Williams 5,992,529 Nov. 30, 1999
The Rejections
The following rejections are before us for review.
Claims 1-6 and 17-19 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being
anticipated by McMillan.
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