Prosecution Insights
Last updated: September 25, 2026
Application No. 19/019,240

ANIMAL CARCASS APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING BEEF WITH THE APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 13, 2025
Priority
Feb 05, 2024 — provisional 63/630,440
Examiner
PRICE JR, RICHARD THOMAS
Art Unit
3643
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Nsc Beef Processing LLC
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allowance Rate
939 granted / 1076 resolved
+35.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+5.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 11m
Avg Prosecution
17 currently pending
Career history
1091
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.4%
-38.6% vs TC avg
§103
29.0%
-11.0% vs TC avg
§102
35.5%
-4.5% vs TC avg
§112
22.5%
-17.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1076 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 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. (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. Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sasser (US Patent 5,791,858). Sasser teaches a vehicle mounted game skinning device which broadly reads on the Applicant’s claimed animal carcass apparatus. Regarding claim 1, a support structure 10, a butchering platform or pickup truck 100 bed connected 101 to the support structure 10, a carcass holding device 30 arranged in proximity with the butchering platform 100, see figures 1 and 2, the carcass holding device 30 includes a base 32 and a securement mechanism 101, and the butchering mechanism 80 is moveable relative to the carcass holding device 30 when connected from the butchering platform 100. Regarding claim 2, the shocks and springs of the vehicle 100 are consider to be linear actuator for vertical movement of the butchering platform (vehicle utility bed). Regarding claim 7, the carcass holding device 30 includes at least one vertically extendable post 21/31 having a lower end connected with the base 32 and upper end connected with the securement mechanism 80. Regarding claims 10 and 11, a carcass conveyor 61 is arranged in proximity with the carcass holding device 30 and includes a hanger and can be hand driven via crank 60. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-6, 8 and 9 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. Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD T. PRICE JR whose telephone number is (571)272-6892. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7AM-3:30PM. 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, Peter M. Poon can be reached at 571-272-6891. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RICHARD T PRICE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3643
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 13, 2025
Application Filed
Sep 10, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12733652
SYSTEM FOR HANGING POULTRY
1y 6m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12721865
METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING AN ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENT TO AN ANIMAL IN A MEAT PROCESSING OPERATION
2y 4m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Patent 12721356
FISH FILLETING STAND DEVICE
1y 3m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Patent 12677840
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING MEAT FROM BONE
1y 7m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12667111
Closing Machine For Closing Sausage Products
1y 6m to grant Granted Jun 30, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+5.9%)
1y 11m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1076 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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