DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s Reply of December 11, 2025.
Applicant’s amendment to claim 1 overcomes the previously presented 35 USC 112(b) rejection thereof.
Applicant’s amendments to claims 1 and 6 overcome the previously presented 35 USC 102(a)(1) and 103 rejections thereof.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4-6, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Grossman (US 6,311,591).
Regarding claims 1 and 6: Grossman discloses a mill-turn machine Fig 1, 2, 22 for milling and turning workpieces, comprising:
a ram 58, movement in the X-direction – Fig 1;
a table 12/26/20 configured to hold a workpiece W1/W2;
a tool head 72, having a workpiece-oriented surface Fig 22, that is movable to contact the workpiece Fig 1, 2, 22, the tool head being coupled to the ram Fig 1, 2;
a spindle chuck 78, configured to releasably interchangeable – 2:12-20, 8:61-9:5 hold a rotary cutting tool FW for milling the workpiece 13:10-16, located on the workpiece-oriented surface of the tool head Fig 22; and
a turning chuck 140, configured to releasably interchangeable – 2:12-20, 8:61-9:5 hold a stationary cutting tool SW for turning the workpiece using the table to rotate the workpiece 13:10-16, located on the workpiece-oriented surface of the tool head Fig 22.
Regarding claims 4 and 9: The mill-turn machine further comprising a column 50, supported by a base Fig 1, having said ram that moves the tool head into contact with the workpiece 11:1-17.
Regarding claim 5: The mill-turn machine further comprising wherein the ram is a slidable ram 5:13-35.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 7, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grossman in view of Cotta Ramusino (US 4,602,901, Cotta).
Regarding claims 2 and 7: Grossman discloses that the tools are interchangeable 2:12-20, 8:61-9:5 but fails to disclose that the machine includes an automatic tool changer configured to access both the rotary cutting tool and the stationary cutting tool for removal or replacement.
Cotta discloses a mill-turn machine 1 for milling and turning workpieces Fig 1, comprising:
a table 7 configured to hold a workpiece 70/73;
a tool head 4, having a workpiece-oriented surface, that is movable to contact the workpiece:
a spindle chuck 15/17 – Fig 3, configured to releasably hold a rotary cutting tool 44/47 for milling the workpiece, located on the workpiece-facing surface on the outer surface of the tool head Fig 1; and
a chuck 16/40 – Fig 5, configured to releasably hold a cutting tool 48 – depicted as a lathe in Fig 5 for turning the workpiece, located on the workpiece-facing surface on the outer surface of the tool head Fig 1; and
an automatic tool changer 59 configured to access both the rotary cutting tool and the stationary cutting tool for removal or replacement Fig 5
It would have been considered obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified Grossman to include an automatic tool changer, as suggested by Cotta, in order to have been able to automatically change the tools quickly to account for different needs during the milling/turning operation 5:45-6:2.
Regarding claims 3 and 8: Wherein the automatic tool changer includes a loading arm 60 of Cotta that rotates about a shaft 63 – Fig 5 of Cotta.
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 JENNIFER H GAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7029. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 6-3:30 and every other Friday 6-11.
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, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER H GAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
JHG
12/29/2025
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