"....Have you considered just Googling your...

"....Have you considered just Googling your questions,@Pbnewby..." @OogerBooger without @harvett insight I have taken you advice and googled the EPO (European Patent Office) and in understanding the examiner process I was directed to an excellent article from sciencedirect:

Inside the mind of an EPO examiner

3. How do examiners come to an understanding of the invention?

..The examiner is thus faced with the challenge of trying to understand a specific piece of technology solely based on the specific language and wording the inventor and/or the applicant or his professional representative have used. The examiner does not have the benefit of consulting the inventor, testing results in a laboratory, or inspecting a real specimen of the invention...Hence, whether, or to what extent, the examiner can come to an understanding of all aspects of the invention in an efficient manner hinges on a clear definition and description of the invention. The quality of the drafting and the typology of the filing strategy are major determinants of the quality of the ensuing search and examination procedure...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S017221901630093X