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 of Invention I in the reply filed on 8/24/26 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 21-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jackson, US Patent No. 3,204,518 in view of Han, US Patent No. 6,332,389.
Regarding claim 21, Jackson discloses a bullet seating die (12) for use with an ammunition press (10) to seat a bullet in a case, the bullet seating die comprising: a die housing (30) having an ammunition press mount (34) configured to mount the bullet seating die on the ammunition press, the die housing defining a bullet receiving space (shown in figures 1-6) having an open end (figures 4-6 specifically show open bottom of 30), the die housing defining a side window (48) in communication with the bullet receiving space and sized and shaped to permit the bullet to be inserted therethrough to position the bullet in the bullet receiving space (3:51-57); a seating stem (68) configured to be supported by the die housing within the bullet receiving space (figures 4-5 for example), the seating stem being arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 4-6), the seating stem having a first length (figures 4-5), and Jackson considers use with various sized cartridges by changing components such as a holder in 2:24-28 and 4:46-50 but does not specifically disclose a first and second seating stem used interchangeably. Nonetheless, Han teaches an ammunition press and specifically teaches interchangeable first and second rams 12’ and 12” respectively and the first and second lengths being different as in figures 7A-7B for example.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify Jackson to have at least a first and second interchangeable plunger/ram similar to that as taught by Han with a reasonable expectation of success in order to adjust the pressing distance like that taught by Han so that various cartridge configurations can be handled with the same ammunition press as clearly desired by Jackson.
Regarding claim 22, Jackson as modified by Han discloses the claimed invention and Han teaches two rams 12’ and 12’’ and specifically considers additional rams with varying distances/lengths.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify or define Jackson as modified by Han as having at least a third seating stem with a length different than the first and second stems with a reasonable expectation of success in order to facilitate handling of a wider variety of cartridge sizes and shapes as considered desirable by Jackson.
Regarding claim 23, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses the first seating stem includes a first recess sized, shaped, and arranged to receive a tip of the bullet when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (Jackson, figures 4-6 for example show recess in 72), and wherein the second seating stem includes a second recess sized, shaped, and arranged to receive the tip of the bullet when the second seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (Jackson as modified by Han discloses a second seating stem of a different length interchangeable with the first seating stem. As such, the second seating stem would have a recess in the end like that shown in Jackson).
Regarding claim 24, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses the first seating stem includes a tapered end portion arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 4-6 of Jackson clearly show the end of 72 is internally tapered to engage the bullet).
Regarding claim 25, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses the second seating stem includes a tapered end portion arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the second seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 4-6 of Jackson clearly show the end of 72 is internally tapered to engage the bullet and Jackson as modified by Han discloses the first and second seating stems interchangeably useable and therefore the bullet engaging portion would be substantially the same).
Regarding claim 26, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses a bullet holder (Jackson 14) configured to hold the bullet, the bullet holder configured to be releasably receivable in the bullet receiving space of the die housing (figures 4-6 of Jackson).
Regarding claim 27, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses a cap (Jackson 84) configured to be supported by the die housing, the cap including a seat configured to engage the seating stem when the seating stem and the cap are supported by the die housing (figures 4-6 of Jackson).
Regarding claim 28, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses the cap includes an adjuster configured to move the seat relative to the die housing to set the position of the seating stem relative to the die housing when the seating stem and the cap are supported by the die housing (Jackson 5:13-39)32
Regarding claim 29, Jackson as modified by Han further discloses the adjuster comprises a micrometer configured to threadably connected to the die housing (Jackson 5:13-22)
Claim(s) 21-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Sawyer, US Patent No. 2,829,554 in view of Han, US Patent No. 6,332,389.
Regarding claim 21, Sawyer discloses a bullet seating die (32) for use with an ammunition press (12) to seat a bullet in a case, the bullet seating die comprising: a die housing (figures 2 and 4 for example) having an ammunition press mount (31) configured to mount the bullet seating die on the ammunition press, the die housing defining a bullet receiving space (shown in figures 2 and 4) having an open end (figures 2 and 4 specifically show open bottom of 32), the die housing defining a side window (36) in communication with the bullet receiving space and sized and shaped to permit the bullet to be inserted therethrough to position the bullet in the bullet receiving space (3:31-52); a seating stem (56) configured to be supported by the die housing within the bullet receiving space (figures 2 and 4 for example), the seating stem being arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 2 and 4), the seating stem having a first length (figures 2 and 4), and Sawyer considers use with various sized cartridges by changing components such as a guide in 5:35-6:9 but does not specifically disclose a first and second seating stem used interchangeably. Nonetheless, Han teaches an ammunition press and specifically teaches interchangeable first and second rams 12’ and 12” respectively and the first and second lengths being different as in figures 7A-7B for example.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify Sawyer to have at least a first and second interchangeable plunger/ram similar to that as taught by Han with a reasonable expectation of success in order to adjust the pressing distance like that taught by Han so that various cartridge configurations can be handled with the same ammunition press as clearly desired by Sawyer.
Regarding claim 22, Sawyer as modified by Han discloses the claimed invention and Han teaches two rams 12’ and 12’’ and specifically considers additional rams with varying distances/lengths.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify or define Sawyer as modified by Han as having at least a third seating stem with a length different than the first and second stems with a reasonable expectation of success in order to facilitate handling of a wider variety of cartridge sizes and shapes as considered desirable by Sawyer.
Regarding claim 23, Sawyer as modified by Han further discloses the first seating stem includes a first recess sized, shaped, and arranged to receive a tip of the bullet when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (Sawyer, figures 2 and 4 for example show recess 61), and wherein the second seating stem includes a second recess sized, shaped, and arranged to receive the tip of the bullet when the second seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (Sawyer as modified by Han discloses a second seating stem of a different length interchangeable with the first seating stem. As such, the second seating stem would have a recess in the end like that shown in Sawyer).
Regarding claim 24, Sawyer as modified by Han further discloses the first seating stem includes a tapered end portion arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the first seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 2 and 4 of Sawyer clearly show the end at 61 is internally tapered to engage the bullet).
Regarding claim 25, Sawyer as modified by Han further discloses the second seating stem includes a tapered end portion arranged to engage the bullet to press the bullet into the case when the second seating stem is supported by the die housing and the ammunition press is operated (figures 2 and 4 of Sawyer clearly show the end at 61 is internally tapered to engage the bullet and Sawyer as modified by Han discloses the first and second seating stems interchangeably useable and therefore the bullet engaging portion would be substantially the same).
Regarding claim 26, Sawyer as modified by Han further discloses a bullet holder (Sawyer 40) configured to hold the bullet, the bullet holder configured to be releasably receivable in the bullet receiving space of the die housing (figure 2 of Sawyer).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is provided on form PTO-892.
The applicant is invited to call the examiner for additional information on how particular cited references would be interpreted or applied to the claimed invention or potential amendments.
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/DERRICK R MORGAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641
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