In re Freeman

This is an appeal from a decision of the Board of Appeals of the United States Patent Office requiring division between four groups of claims in appellant’s application for a patent for an alleged invention relating to ornamenting machines, for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, which simultaneously perforate and mark shoe parts. The perforations form ornamental designs, which may simulate stitching, and the markings may be used as a guide for subsequent operations on the shoe parts. The markings are made with ink or its equivalent.

Group 1 includes claims 1 to 11, inclusive, and 37 to…