patent assignment
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 77 U.S. 367 - Railroad Company v. Trimble · 1870Most cited · 107 citing opinions
The thing to be assigned is not the mere parchment on which the grant is written, but the monopoly which the grant confers—the right of property which it creates. And when the party has acquired an inchoate right to it, and the power to make that right perfect and absolute at his pleasure, the assignment of his whole interest, whether executed before or after the patent issued, is equally within the provisions of the act of Congress.