USPTO Examiner: Mr. Litman and Mr. Goldberg

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Mr. Litman and Mr. Goldberg,

The following proposed Examiner's amendment would place this application in condition for allowance (claims 1-6). Please review and let me know by close of business on Monday, March 4 as to whether this proposal is acceptable to Applicant. Please call with any questions.

Please confirm receipt.

Thank you.

Rodney Mintz
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635
571-270-7327

1. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage comprising:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that whereby, [[when]] in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to [[form]] define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and [[a]] the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that whereby, [[when]] in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to [[form]] define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting [[an]] the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
wherein each of the upper inner barrel, the upper outer wedge, the lower outer wedge, and the lower inner barrel have a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.

2. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage consisting essentially of:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
The wedge anchorage according to claim 1, wherein the upper inner barrel has a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.

3. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage consisting essentially of:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
The wedge anchorage according to claim 1, wherein the upper outer wedge has a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.

4. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage consisting essentially of:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
The wedge anchorage according to claim 1, wherein the lower outer wedge has a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.

5. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage consisting essentially of:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
The wedge anchorage according to claim 1, wherein the lower inner barrel has a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.

6. (currently amended) A wedge anchorage consisting essentially of:
a cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting an inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel;
an upper outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface of the upper outer wedge mates with a bottom surface of the upper inner barrel, and the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge includes three grooves;
an upper inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in an assembled configuration, the top surface of the upper inner wedge is mated with the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge, the three grooves in the bottom surface of the upper outer wedge align with the three grooves in the top surface of the upper inner wedge to define three upper through holes;
three upper fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons, each of the three upper FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three upper through holes;
a first middle wedge;
a first FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the upper inner wedge and a top surface of the first middle wedge;
a second middle wedge;
a second FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the first middle wedge and a top surface of the second middle wedge;
a lower inner wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface comprises three grooves;
a third FRP plate located between a bottom surface of the second middle wedge and the top surface of the lower inner wedge;
a lower outer wedge having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises three grooves such that, in the assembled configuration, the top surface of the lower outer wedge mates with the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge, the three grooves in the top surface of the lower outer wedge align with the three grooves in the bottom surface of the lower inner wedge to define three lower through holes;
three lower FRP tendons, each of the three lower FRP tendons located in a respective one of the three lower through holes; and
a lower inner barrel having an outer surface conforming to and contacting the inner surface of the cylindrical outer barrel, the lower inner barrel comprising a top surface, wherein the top surface of the lower inner barrel mates with the bottom surface of the lower outer wedge,
The wedge anchorage according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper inner barrel, the upper outer wedge, the lower outer wedge, and the lower inner barrel have a thickness that varies in a longitudinal direction.