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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “comprising a latch retains the side plate” should be amended for grammatical purposes. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-5, 7-9, 14, and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application 2014/0020988 to Casebolt et al.
Re: claim 1. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 11A-11E a device configured to couple to a line comprising: a cam 300 arranged between a side plate 400 or 500 and a chassis 200 and a retaining system including at least one protrusion 132c positioned to slide within at least one slot 306a.
Re: claim 2. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 11A-11E wherein the cam 300 and the side plate 400 or 500 are moveable independently of one another since paragraph [0082] it is explained that with sufficient force portion 404 of the side plate will straighten out with respect to side plate 400 or see figures 10A and 10B with respect to side plate 500.
Re: claims 3 and 20. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10B a latch 102 configured to retain the side plate 500 in a closed position shown in figure 10A.
Re: claim 4. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10 B wherein the side plate 500 is actuated to a first open position or a position between that which is shown in figures 10A and 10 B when the latch is unlatched and the cam 300 is maintained in a closed position, as broadly recited.
Re: claim 5. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10B wherein the cam 300 is actuated to an open position by slight relative movement through slot 306 when the latch 102 is unlatched as shown in figure 10B and the side palate 500 is actuated to a second open position shown in figure 10B, as broadly recited.
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Re: claim 7. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10B wherein the side plate interlocks with a portion of a sheave cover, as labeled.
Re: claims 8, 9, 14, 16, and 17. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10B a line grab device, comprising: a chassis 200 comprising a line grab portion and a pulley portion, wherein a sheave, labeled sheave cover in annotated figure 10A, is arranged in the pulley portion and a cam 300 is arranged in the line grab portion; and a side plate 400 or 500 rotatably coupled to an end of an axle 204 of the cam 300, wherein the side plate 500 is configured to actuate between a closed position shown in figure 10A, a first open position shown between figures 10A and 10B, and a second open position shown in figure 10B; wherein the cam 300 comprises a first slot or side plate opening side of 304 interfaced with a side plate protrusion 126 and a second slot or chassis opening side of 304 interfaced with a chassis protrusion 128, as broadly recited. With respect to claim 14 see figure 10A. With respect to claim 16 see figure 10B.
Re: claim 18. Casebolt et al. show in figure 2 wherein the side plate protrusion and the chassis protrusion comprise a cylindrical shape as shown extending from the flanged portion, and wherein the first slot and the second slot comprise an arc shape i.e. the top and bottom circumferential edges comprise an arc shape as shown.
Re: claim 19. Casebolt et al. show in figures 2 and 10A and 10B wherein the cam 300 and the side plate 500 are rotatable independent of one another.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 10-13, and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 10583315 to Malcolm, US 5156240 to Ostrobrod, US 2011/0048852 to Wolf et al., US 2020/0306566 to Kils et al., and GB-2522179 teach the use of similar line grabbing devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELODY M BURCH whose telephone number is (571)272-7114. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 6:30AM-3PM, generally.
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February 7, 2026
/MELODY M BURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616