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
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 21 November 2025.
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.
(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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 12, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication 2014/0115938 by Jarboe (Jarboe).
Regarding claim 1, Jarboe discloses a trunnion assembly for a firearm (See at least Figure 2, clearly illustrated), comprising: a trunnion body (73) defining an aperture extending therethrough (See at least Figure 2, clearly illustrated); and a trunnion insert (26) configured to be secured in the aperture (Via element 42), the trunnion insert defining an interior space in which a barrel of the firearm is receivable to mount the barrel to the trunnion body when the trunnion insert is secured in the aperture (54, See at least Paragraph 0030).
Regarding claim 2, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the interior space extends through the trunnion insert and includes an open forward end, an open rear end, and a passage extending from the open forward end to the open rear end; the open rear end is configured to receive a bolt of the firearm; and the open forward end is configured to receive the barrel therethrough and into the passage (See at least Figures 2-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 3, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the aperture of the trunnion body includes a front end and a back end; and the trunnion insert is configured to be receivable in the aperture only when inserted into the aperture through the front end or the back end thereof (See at least Figures 2-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 4, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the trunnion insert includes a tubular body having a forward end, a rear end, and a flange (48) extending radially outward from the forward end or the rear end; and the flange is configured to index the trunnion insert within the aperture by engaging a surface of the trunnion body at the front end or the back end of the aperture (See at least Figures 2-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 5, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the aperture of the trunnion body includes a front end and a back end; and the trunnion insert is configured to be receivable in the aperture only when inserted into the aperture through the back end thereof (See at least Figures 2-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 6, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the trunnion insert includes a tubular body having a forward end, a rear end, and a flange (48) extending radially outward from the rear end; and the flange is configured to index the trunnion insert within the aperture by engaging a surface of the trunnion body at the back end of the aperture (See at least Figures 2-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 12, Jarboe further discloses wherein: the bolt includes at least one bolt lug thereon; and the open rear end of the trunnion insert includes at least one locking surface configured to engage the at least one bolt lug when the bolt is in battery in the open rear end of the trunnion insert (See at least Figure 3, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 14, Jarboe further discloses wherein the trunnion body is configured to mount a feed mechanism of the firearm (See at least Figure 1A, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 16, Jarboe discloses a firearm comprising the trunnion assembly of claim 1, wherein: the trunnion insert is secured in the trunnion body; and the barrel is secured in the trunnion insert (See at least Figures 1A-4, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Claim(s) 1, 7, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0236029 by Landies, III et al (Landies).
Regarding claim 1, Landies discloses a trunnion assembly for a firearm (See Figures, clearly illustrated), comprising: a trunnion body (Receives element 28) defining an aperture extending therethrough (Understood to receive element 28); and a trunnion insert (28) configured to be secured in the aperture (See at least Paragraph 0036), the trunnion insert defining an interior space in which a barrel of the firearm is receivable to mount the barrel to the trunnion body when the trunnion insert is secured in the aperture (See at least Figures 1-5, all aspects clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 7, Landies further discloses at least one trunnion insert fastener receivable through the trunnion body and the trunnion insert when the trunnion insert is received in the aperture to secure the trunnion insert in the trunnion body (See at least Paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 13, Landies further discloses wherein: the trunnion insert defines a longitudinal axis and includes first and second pluralities of non-helical, axially spaced barrel locking lugs, each plurality of barrel locking lugs spaced circumferentially around an interior surface of the open forward end of the trunnion insert from the other plurality of barrel locking lugs so as to define at least one keyway extending longitudinally along the interior surface between the first and second pluralities of barrel locking lugs (34a, See at least Figures 4-5, clearly illustrated).
Regarding claim 15, Landies further discloses wherein the trunnion body and the trunnion insert lack screw threads (See at least Paragraph 0037 and Figures 1-5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-11 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: The closest prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose the collective limitations of at least claims 1, 7, and 8, especially that the trunnion insert defines a longitudinal axis and at least one opening extending therethrough at an angle to the axis; the trunnion body defines at least one through hole extending therethrough which aligns with the at least one opening extending through the trunnion insert when the trunnion insert is received in the aperture of the trunnion body; and the at least one trunnion insert fastener is receivable in the at least one opening and the at least one through hole to secure the trunnion insert in the trunnion body when the trunnion insert is received in the aperture and the at least one opening is aligned with the at least one through hole; and the collective limitations of claims 1, 2, and 9, especially at least one barrel fastener receivable through the trunnion body and the trunnion insert when the trunnion insert is received in the aperture to secure the trunnion insert in the trunnion body and substantially prevent the barrel from rotating when the barrel is received in the passage or the additional limitations found in claims 10 and 11.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892 Form for a listing of applicable prior art references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN C WEBER whose telephone number is (571)270-5377. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached at 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jonathan C Weber/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3641
JONATHAN C. WEBER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3641