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 . This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 5/28/2026 in which claims 1-20 are pending, claims 1, 2, 4-14, 16 are currently amended and claims 3, 17-20 are withdrawn.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 8-12, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Belzile (U.S. Publication 2013/0283992). In regards to claim 1 and 10, Belzile discloses a sawmill system comprising a log support structure (bed 16) configured to support a log thereon, wherein the log support structure has a first rail (18) and a second rail (20) extending parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction (fig. 1); and a sawmill carriage (200) configured to be movably mounted to the log support structure (bed 16), wherein the carriage (200) includes a frame (200; 82,84 see paragraph [0061]) having a front end and a rear end (forward and backward end aligned with the rails), and a handle (upper portion of frame 86) extending outwardly from the rear end; a first translation structure (right side bearings 201/205) connected to the frame (82/84) towards a first lateral side thereof, and a second translation structure (left side bearings 201/205) connected to the frame (82/84) towards a second lateral side thereof opposite the first lateral side, the first translation structure (201/205) being configured to be mounted on the first rail (18) of the log support structure, the second translation structure (201/205) being configured to be mounted on the second rail (20) of the log support structure to thereby enable travel of the sawmill carriage (200) in the longitudinal direction (along the rails 18/20) when the first translation structure (201/205 right side) and the second translation structure (201/205 left side) are mounted on the first rail (18) and the second rail (20) respectively; a sawmill head (14) secured to the frame (82,84,86), the sawmill head having a bandsaw blade (41) to cut a log on the log support structure as the sawmill carriage travels in the longitudinal direction along the rails; and a pair of transportation wheels (anti lift wheels 203) rotatably connected to the frame at or near the end of the frame,
wherein the handle (86) is positioned to facilitate tilting of the sawmill carriage about a rotational axis of the transportation wheels (203), when the sawmill carriage is resting on the pair of transportation wheels (203), to a transportation orientation in which the front end is elevated relative to the rear end and a center of mass of the sawmill carriage is over the transportation wheels (per Fig. 5, the frame/handle 86 is positioned above and spaced from the pair of transportation wheels such that a force can be applied to member 86 to create a moment that facilitates tilting carriage 200 about the rotational axis of the transportation wheels 205).
In regards to claim 2 and 11, Belzile discloses wherein the first translation structure (201/205 right side) includes a first pair of track wheels (bearings 201/205) rotatably connected to the frame, and the second translation structure (201/205 right side) includes a second pair of track wheels (bearings 201/205) rotatably connected to the frame.
In regards to claim 4 and 12, Belzile discloses wherein each of the first and second pairs of track wheels (201/205) includes a first track wheel near the front end of the frame (200; fig. 5)
In regards to claim 8, Belzile discloses wherein a spacing between the pair of transportation wheels (203) are spaced apart by a distance that is greater than a width between of the log support structure (16) across the first rail and the second rail (wheels 203 are on the outside of the rails 18/20 per Figure 1 and therefore the spacing between them is greater than the inner width distance between the first rail 18 and the second rail 20).
In regards to claim 9 and 16, Belzile discloses the first lateral side of the frame includes a pair of plate members (24) towards the first lateral side thereof between which the first pair of track wheels is rotatably mounted.
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.
Claims 5-7, 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Belzile (U.S. Publication 2013/0283992) in view of Bramley et al. (U.S. Patent 11,130,253), herein referred to as Bramley.
In regards to claim 5 and 13, Belzile discloses wherein the log support structure (bed 16) further includes a stop member connected to the first rail or the second rail, and the sawmill carriage further includes a retainer structure (e.g. wheel supports for wheels 203) that is positioned or positionable along the frame and configured to abut the stop member to thereby inhibit accidental dismounting of the sawmill carriage from the log support structure when the sawmill carriage is mounted on the log support structure. Belzile does not disclose that the retainer structure contacts a stop member on the rails as highlighted above to retain the carriage on the rails. Bramley sets forth the use of wheel stops 32 on the ends of the rails to engage the rollers of the carriage so that the carriage does not inadvertently roll off the rails at one end of the other. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have incorporated wheel stops on the ends of the Belzile rails as demonstrated by Bramley designed to engage the rollers on the carriage to prevent the carriage from inadvertently sliding off the rails during the cutting operations.
In regards to claim 6 and 14, Belzile discloses wherein the retainer structure (near rollers 203) includes a first L-shaped bracket mounted to the first lateral side of the frame and a second L-shaped bracket mounted to the second lateral side of the frame (annotated below).
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In regards to claim 7 and 15, Belzile discloses wherein the first L- shaped bracket (annotated above) and the second L-shaped bracket (annotated above) are removably coupled to the frame (via screws; Figs. 5/6).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 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.
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 LAURA M LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-8339. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8a.m.- 5p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley can be reached at 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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