DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-7 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites, “said prop” in line 8 and it appears intended to recite, “said prop head.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 recites, “said gap or cavity” in line 4 and in line 6 and it appears intended to recite, “said gap or cavity space.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 recites, “said support beams” in line 7 and it appears intended to recite, “said plurality of support beams.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 recites, “said prop” in line 9 and “said prop” in line 10 and it appears intended to recite, “said prop head.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 recites, “said hole” in line 10 and it appears intended to recite, “said hole or slot.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 recites, “the upper part” in line 3 and it appears intended to recite, “an upper part.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 recites, “the prop head” in line 3 and it appears intended to recite, “a prop head.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 recites, “said cavity or gap space” in line 4 and it appears intended to recite, “a cavity or gap space.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 recites, “a prop and a prop head” in line 5 and it appears intended to recite, “the formwork prop and said prop head.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Re claim 1, claim 1 recites, “said prop” in line 10, “said prop” in line 10 and “the position” in line 11. There is insufficient antecede basis for this limitation in the claims. It appears this language is intended to recite, “said prop head,” “said prop head” and “a position” and will be interpreted as such.
Re claim 6, claim 6 recites, ““said prop” in line 8, line 11, again in line 11, and in line 12 and “the position” in line 12. There is insufficient antecede basis for this limitation in the claims. It appears this language is intended to recite, “said formwork prop” and “a position” and will be interpreted as such.
Claims 2-4, 7 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected claim.
Examiner Interview
The Examiner contacted Brent Johnson on 8/11/26 with the intent of suggesting the below to place the application in condition for allowance. No reply was received.
Suggested amendments to place the application in condition for allowance:
1. (Currently Amended) A prop head for connecting a formwork prop to a concrete slab formwork waler table; said concrete slab formwork waler table having a plurality of support beams having a cavity or gap space adapted to receive an upper part of said prop head, said concrete slab formwork waler table being adapted to receive a bolt across said cavity or gap space; wherein said prop head comprises:
a central plate having a front end, a rear end and two sides, said two sides having downwardly projecting lower brackets therefrom, said downwardly projecting lower brackets being adapted to receive a top of said formwork prop in a horizontally sliding manner from said front end of said central plate;
a downwardly projecting stop bar that extends downward from the rear end of said central plate and abuts said top of said formwork prop upon said top of said formwork prop sliding into position between said downwardly projecting lower brackets, such that a position of said top of said prop relative to said central plate is thereby determined;
an upper turret, rising from said central plate, adapted to fit in said cavity or gap space; and having one or more laterally located slots or holes adapted to correspond with a position of complementary holes or slots in said plurality of support beams; and
a hole or slot in said central plate adjacent said front end of said central plate and adapted to receive a locking wedge, thereby to prevent said prop head being removed from said downwardly projecting lower brackets; and
locking wedge guide brackets located adjacent said hole or slot, said locking wedge guide brackets being arranged to extend vertically above said hole or slot and being spaced apart such that said locking wedge can move freely therebetween, while causing said locking wedge to be maintained in a substantially upright position when engaged with said hole or slot.
5. (Currently Amended) A method of connecting said formwork prop to said concrete slab formwork waler table; said concrete slab formwork waler table having the plurality of support beams having the cavity or gap space adapted to receive the upper part of the prop head and a plurality of bolt holes adapted to receive the bolt across said gap or cavity space; said method including in any order the steps of:
inserting the upper turret of said prop head according to claim 1 into said gap or cavity space;
securing said prop head by inserting the bolt through said bolt holes in said plurality of support beams and said upper turret;
sliding the top of said formwork prop into said prop head below said central plate;
inserting the locking wedge into said hole or slot thereby to secure said formwork prop in said prop head.
6. (Currently Amended) An apparatus for connecting a formwork prop to a concrete slab formwork waler table; said concrete slab formwork waler table having a plurality of support beams having a cavity or gap space adapted to receive an upper part of a prop head, said concrete slab formwork waler table being adapted to receive a bolt across a cavity or gap space; wherein said apparatus has [[a]] the formwork prop and [[a]] said prop head, said prop head comprising:
a central plate having a front end, a rear end and two sides, said two sides having downwardly projecting lower brackets therefrom, said downwardly projecting lower brackets being adapted to receive a top of said formwork prop in a horizontally sliding manner from said front end;
a downwardly projecting stop bar that extends downward from the rear end of said central plate and abuts said top of said formwork prop upon said top of said formwork prop sliding into position between said downwardly projecting lower brackets, such that a position of said top of said formwork prop relative to said central plate is thereby determined;
an upper turret, rising from said central plate, adapted to fit in said cavity or gap space; and having one or more laterally located slots or holes adapted to correspond with a position of complementary holes or slots in said plurality of support beams;
a hole or slot in said central plate adjacent said front end of said central plate and adapted to receive a locking wedge, thereby to prevent said prop being removed from said downwardly projecting lower brackets; and
locking wedge guide brackets located adjacent said hole or slot, said locking wedge guide brackets being arranged to extend vertically above said hole or slot and being spaced apart such that said locking wedge can move freely therebetween, while causing said locking wedge to be maintained in a substantially upright position when engaged with said hole or slot.
Response to Arguments
Objections to the Claims: Applicant’s argument with respect to the claim objections is persuasive and objection to the claims is hereby withdrawn.
Claim Rejections 35 USC 112: Applicant’s argument with respect to the claims rejected under 35 USC 112 is persuasive and rejection of the claims pursuant to 35 USC 112 is hereby withdrawn (for those reasons stated in the previous rejection)
Claim Rejections 35 USC 102 and/or 103: Applicant’s arguments with respect to all claims have been considered and are moot in view of the indication of allowable subject matter above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE WALRAED-SULLIVAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8838. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached on (571)270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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KYLE WALRAED-SULLIVAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3635
/KYLE J. WALRAED-SULLIVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635
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