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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-24 in the reply filed on 13 October 2025 is acknowledged. Claims 25-27 are withdrawn from consideration.
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.
Claim 13 and 24 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.
Claim 13 recites the limitation " the resiliently deformable biasing member" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 13 should be dependent from claim 8 to overcome the rejection. For this office action claim 13 is seen as being dependent from claim 8.
Claim 24 recites the limitation: “In a firearm having a bolt reciprocatingly sliding axially along a bolt axis, said bolt temporarily engaging a cartridge case at a distal bolt head during a firing cycle of the firearm, wherein said cartridge case includes a case portion having a proximal rim adjacent to a circumferential groove:” in lines 1-4. The preamble lacks a transitional phrase making it unclear what the applicant is trying to claim. It appears that the applicant is trying to claim an extractor in a firearm. For the present office action the claim is understood as An extractor in a firearm.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "the extractor" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 7, 16, 21, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Karagias (US 2016/0025434).
Regarding claims 1 and 24, Karagias discloses a cartridge extractor 310 (Par. 0035: “The extractor assembly 310 can include an extractor 322 and a collar 324”) for temporarily engaging a cartridge case during a firing cycle of a firearm (Par. 0006; Claim 33: “the extractor includes a body and a claw portion, wherein the body of the extractor is coupled to the collar, and wherein the claw portion is positioned to engage a case of a cartridge during use”), the cartridge extractor including:
an annular body 324 for positioning about a portion of a firearm bolt (Fig. 11, 17) the extractor including an outer curved surface that defines an outer perimeter of the annular body (Fig. 11 and 17), an inner curved surface that defines an inner perimeter of the annular body (Fig. 11 and 17), a first axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface (Fig. 11 and 17), and a second axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface and spaced apart from the first face in an axial direction (Fig. 11 and 17),
an extractor arm 322 extending axially from the first axial face (Fig. 7), the extractor arm having an engager end 329 distal from the annular body (Fig. 7), and a cartridge engager flange at the engager end of the extractor arm (shown in Fig. 7).
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Regarding claim 2, Karagias further disclose wherein the first axial face is adapted to bear against a head of a firearm bolt (Fig. 7, 11, 17).
Regarding claim 7, Karagias further discloses wherein the extractor arm extends from the first face portion along a longitudinal plane tangential with the outer curved surface (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 16, Karagias further discloses a firearm bolt comprising:
a generally cylindrical bolt body 181 having a first end and a second end (Fig. 5), a bolt head 193 at the first end of the bolt body, a bolt handle 182 at the second end of bolt body (Fig. 10), and
a cartridge extractor adjacent the bolt head, the cartridge extractor including: an incomplete or complete annular body 324 for positioning about a portion of the bolt body (Fig. 7, 11 and 17), an outer curved surface that defines an outer perimeter of the annular body(Fig. 7, 11 and 17), an inner curved surface that defines an inner perimeter of the annular body(Fig. 7, 11 and 17), a first axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface(Fig. 7, 11 and 17), a second axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface and spaced apart from the first face in an axial direction (Fig. 7, 11 and 17),
an extractor arm 322 extending axially from the first axial face, the extractor arm having an engager end distal from the annular body, wherein, the cartridge extractor is biased to have its first axial face bear against the bolt head (Fig. 7, 11 and 17).
Regarding claim 21, Karagias further discloses a cartridge engager flange at the engager end, the cartridge engager flange including a hook or claw, and a notch or channel adjacent the hook or claw, wherein the extractor arm extends from the first face portion along a longitudinal plane tangential with the outer curved surface (Fig. 7, 11, and 17).
Claims 1-2, 7, 14, 16-17, 21, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Green (GB 189320858)
Regarding claim 1, Green discloses a cartridge extractor 0 (P. 3, lines 45-57) for temporarily engaging a cartridge case during a firing cycle of a firearm, the cartridge extractor O including:
an annular body for positioning about a portion of a firearm bolt K (Fig. 2), the extractor including an outer curved surface that defines an outer perimeter of the annular body, an inner curved surface that defines an inner perimeter of the annular body, a first axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface, and a second axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface and spaced apart from the first face in an axial direction (not labelled but shown in Fig. 19),
an extractor arm extending axially from the first axial face, the extractor arm having an engager end distal from the annular body, and a cartridge engager flange at the engager end of the extractor arm (Fig. 19).
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Regarding claim 2, Green further discloses wherein the first axial face is adapted to bear against a head of a firearm bolt (Fig. 2 and 19).
Regarding claim 7, Green discloses wherein the extractor arm extends from the first face portion along a longitudinal plane tangential with the outer curved surface (Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 14, Green further discloses wherein the annular body is an incomplete annular body including a break in the outer and outer perimeter of the body (Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 16, Green discloses a firearm bolt K comprising: a generally cylindrical bolt body having a first end and a second end (Fig. 1-2), a bolt head N at the first end of the bolt body, a bolt handle G at the second end of bolt body (Fig. 1-2), and a cartridge extractor O adjacent the bolt head, the cartridge extractor including:
an incomplete or complete annular body for positioning about a portion of the bolt body, an outer curved surface that defines an outer perimeter of the annular body, an inner curved surface that defines an inner perimeter of the annular body, a first axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface, a second axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface and spaced apart from the first face in an axial direction (Fig. 19),
an extractor arm extending axially from the first axial face, the extractor arm having an engager end distal from the annular body, wherein, the cartridge extractor is biased to have its first axial face bear against the bolt head (Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 17, Green further discloses wherein when the cartridge extractor is interfaced with the bolt head, such that it is pivotably arranged with the bolt carrier, the location of a pivot axis is between the rotational circular symmetry axis of the complete annular body, or the corresponding rotational circular axis of symmetry for an incomplete annular body, and the position at where an extractor arm extends axially from the first axial face (Fig. 7-16 and 19).
Regarding claim 21, Green further discloses a cartridge engager flange at the engager end, the cartridge engager flange including a hook or claw, and a notch or channel adjacent the hook or claw, wherein the extractor arm extends from the first face portion along a longitudinal plane tangential with the outer curved surface (Fig. 7-16 and 19).
Regarding claim 24, Green discloses an extractor O in a firearm having a bolt reciprocatingly sliding axially along a bolt axis, said bolt temporarily engaging a cartridge case at a distal bolt head during a firing cycle of the firearm, wherein said cartridge case includes a case portion having a proximal rim adjacent to a circumferential groove, the extractor comprising:
an annular body for positioning about a portion of the bolt, the extractor including an outer curved surface that defines an outer perimeter of the annular body, an inner curved surface that defines an inner perimeter of the annular body a first axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface, and a second axial face extending between the outer curved surface and the inner curved surface and spaced apart from the first face in an axial direction (Fig. 19),
an extractor arm extending axially from the first axial face, the extractor arm having an engager end distal from the annular body, and a cartridge engager flange at the engager end (Fig. 19).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8-13, 15, 18-20, 22 and 23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Independent claim 3, the prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious a cartridge extractor with the first axial face that has a first face portion defining a first generally radial plane, and a second face portion defining a second generally radial plane, such that an intersection between the first face portion and the second face portion defining a ridge about which the annular body can pivot against the head of a firearm bolt.
The claimed invention providing an intersection between the first axial face 212a portion and the second axial face 212b portion defines a ridge 212c about which the cartridge extractor 200 can pivot against the head 140 of a firearm bolt 100 to dislodge and eject the cartridge case after firing from a chamber (Fig. 2).
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Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious a cartridge extractor with an annular body that pivots between a cartridge engagement position and a cartridge disengagement position (Fig. 2).
The claimed invention providing an extractor with an annular body which may pivotably interface with the rim of a cartridge to dislodge and eject the cartridge case after firing from a chamber.
Regarding independent claim 18, the prior art of record fails to disclose a resiliently deformable biasing member including an annular body, wherein a circumferential portion of the biasing member annular body being connected with the second axial face diametrically opposite to a position where the extractor arm extends axially from the first axial face, and wherein the biasing member biases the first face against the head of a firearm bolt.
The claimed invention providing an extractor 200 that includes a resiliently deformable biasing member 220 that extends from the second axial face 214 diametrically opposite to a position where an extractor arm 230 extends axially from the first axial face 212 to bias the first axial face portion 212a towards the head 140 of the firearm bolt (Applicants Fig. 2 and 6) to allow extractor to interface with the rim of a cartridge to dislodge and eject the cartridge case after firing from a chamber.
Regarding claim 22, the prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious a firearm bolt wherein the bolt handle includes a boss portion extending radially from the bolt body coincident with a plane intersecting a longitudinal axis of the bolt, a grippable portion extending from the boss portion at an acute angle to the plane, wherein the grippable portion is adjustable with respect to the boss portion between at least a first acute angle and a second acute angle different from the first acute angle.
The claimed invention providing a greppable portion 330 is adjustable with respect to a boss portion 320, each of which results in the grippable portion of the bolt handle 300 extending at a different (acute) angle to a plane intersecting a longitudinal axis of the bolt. This adjustability of the body handle 300 allows it to be adjusted to suit different individuals and personal preferences.
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Regarding claim 23, the prior art of record fails to disclose or render obvious a firearm bolt (as claimed in claim 16) specifically in combination with a bolthead that includes three locking lugs circumferentially spaced about the perimeter of the bolthead, and with wherein the extractor arm extends along a channel between two adjacent locking lugs.
The claimed invention providing a novel arrangement of a bolt head with three locking lugs with an extractor (as defined in claim 16) including an extractor arm extends along a channel between two adjacent locking lugs.
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Jacobson discloses/teaches that it is known in the art of bolt action firearm to provide a firearm bolt head with three locking lugs 84 circumferentially spaced about the perimeter of the bolthead (Fig. 3) and where an extractor 56 extends along a channel between two adjacent lugs (Fig. 2, 3, 5a, and 8B). Jacobson fails to disclose the specific cartridge extractor as defined by independent claim 16.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA E FREEMAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4269. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM MST M-F.
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/JOSHUA E FREEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641