Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

8 D.C. 520

In re Baxter

District of Columbia Court of Appeals · decided 1874-04-15

This is an appeal from a decision of the Commissioner of Patents. The patent was refused in this case for the want of sufficient invention in the improvement. The invention consists of a peculiar manner of constructing the stands or supports of portable furnaces, with a view to the attainment of lightness, durability, and stability.

Decided 1874-04-15

Cartter, C. J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court:

¶2The decision of the Commissioner of Patents is affirmed, and we adopt the reasons stated by him for our own judgment, as they fully express our views, and read as follows:

“ The improvement which applicant has made in portable furnaces — and I have no doubt he has made one — consists in supporting them upon hollow wrought-iron legs, whereby sufficient strength is obtained in the legs, and at the same time they are rendered lighter than those heretofore made of solid cast-iron. But the difficulty is, as the examiner says, that the improvement 'does not indicate in any degree invention.’ It is simply the result of the exercise of that judgment and the application of that knowledge (in view of the fact that wrought hollow tubes are used in so many analogous situations, where strength, lightness and economy of material are requisite) which is expected of every competent mechanic. In a less developed state of the art of making and applying tubular legs and supports, it is possible a patent such as applicant seeks might be legally granted, but not now. The references cited by the examiner are in point as showing the various applications of tubular supports analogous to applicant’s, and exhibiting his as barren of invention.

¶3The decision of the board is affirmed.”

/8/dc/520 · .json · Public domain