Appeal 2007-3299
Application 10/747,011
1 20-22, have been identified as allowable by the Examiner. (Answer 3). We
2 have jurisdiction over the appeal pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 6(b).3
3
4 STATEMENT OF THE CASE
5
6 The field of the invention is a gripping arrangement for gripping
7 casing. (‘377 Patent, Abstract). Applicants (Weatherford’s) specification
8 states that during the construction of wells a wellbore is drilled into the
9 ground and a string of tubular (“casings”) is lowered into the wellbore.
10 (‘377 Specification, col. 1, ll. 8-12). Weatherford’s specification states that
11 each length of casing is screwed onto the next and tightened. (Id. at ll. 13-
12 17). Weatherford’s specification states that a problem in the art is that the
13 walls of the casing may be damaged by conventional jaw assemblies, which
14 have teeth. (Id. at ll. 18-22).
15 There are six independent claims on appeal, claims 14, 16, 23-25 and
16 27. Claims 14, 16 and 23-25 are directed to a gripping arrangement for
17 gripping wellbore tubulars. Claim 27 is directed to a method of rotating a
18 wellbore tubular with a tong. Independent claim 14 is representative of the
19 claims on appeal and reads as follows:
20 14. A gripping arrangement for gripping a wellbore
21 tubular, comprising:
22 an arcuate gripping surface assembly comprising a
23 flexible member with a first surface at least partially coated
24 with a grit along an inside curve formed by the gripping surface
25 assembly, wherein the gripping surface assembly is capable of
26 transmitting a circumferential force to a jaw holder; and
27 an arcuate pad of resilient material, wherein the pad
28 contacts a second surface of the flexible member and urges the
3 Jurisdiction over the proceeding has passed to the Board. 37 C.F.R.
§ 41.35
2
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