Barker v. Shoots

18 F. 647, 20 Blatchf. 178, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2239
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Northern New York
DecidedJanuary 4, 1882
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 18 F. 647 (Barker v. Shoots) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Northern New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barker v. Shoots, 18 F. 647, 20 Blatchf. 178, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2239 (circtndny 1882).

Opinion

Blatcheord, J.

This suit is brought on reissued letters patent No. 6,531, granted to the plaintiff, July 6, 1875, for an “improvement in buckets for chain-pumps,” the original letters patent having been issued to the plaintiff, June 20, 1871, and having been reissued to him, May 19,1874. It is the same patent which was passed upon by this court in Barker v. Stowe, 15 Blatchf. C. C. 49. The specification is set forth in the report of that case. The defendant in that case, Deloraine F. Stowe, had made and sold buckets for chain-pumps, described in letters'patent granted to him February 23, 1875, for an “improvement in buckets for chain-pumps.” It was held that he had infringed claims 1 and 2 of No. 6,531; but the bill was dismissed on the ground that both of those claims were anticipated by pump-buckets constructed by one Orin 0. Witherell prior to the plaintiff’s invention.

In respect to claim 1, Witherell, on his examination as a witness in that suit, introduced an exhibit, A, as representing a form of bucket which he made and sold for five months in theoyear 1866. It was said of that exhibit, in the decision in that suit :

“ It has a thin India-rubber disk placed loosely above a metal disk, and the edge of the rubber disk forms a flange, which extends downwards and embraces part of the depth of the metal disk. The rubber disk has a hole in the center, through which a metal eye, fastened to the upper part of the metal disk, passes. He testifies that the settling down of the chain, when the pumping was stopped, allowed the water above to escape through the hole in the center of the rubber disk. * * * Witherell testifies that he put the buckets, like Exhibit A, particularly into worn pump tubes, which had only the metal plate buckets; that between April, and August, 1866, he put buckets like Exhibit A into between 50 and 100 wells, mostly in the south-eastern part of Hew Hampshire; that he saw one of such pumps in successful operation with them as late as 1869; that lie never used less than three of such buckets for a well, and seldom more of them; that he never knew any of them to freeze; that the back motion of the chain, after pumping was stopped, was sufficient, even when a ratchet was used, to open a central space between the rubber and the metal plate, the rubber adhering to the sides of the pump tube, and allowing the water to escape down through the center; that he used the buckets like Exhibit A for the purpose of fitting closely in the tube, so as to cause suction; and that he generally succeeded in establishing a suction, unless the tube was too much worn or defective. There is no testimony in contradiction of this, or throwing doubt upon the truth of the facts testified to by Witherell, or showing that buckets like Exhibit A would not operate as he testifies. Exhibit A shows an elastic bucket for a chain-pump, adapted to fit and work in the bore of a pump-tube, to raise water by suction, and provided with a suitable orifice or outlet, through which the water remaining in the pump-tube above the bucket can escape down to the source of supply. * * * It appears to have been a successful,-practical working apparatus. If it was an elastic suction-bucket with a drip, it is of no consequence whether Witherell devised it primarily, -with a view to the drip, or not; nor is it of any consequence that the hole for the link served also as a drip-hole. If.it allowed the water to escape, it would do so as effectually as the extra passage in the plaintiff’s bucket. It may be, perhaps, that [649]*649the plaintiff is entitled to some claim in respect to a drip orifice in an elastic suction-bucket; but, in view of the Witherell Exhibit A, the first claim of the plaintiff's patent is too broad, and is invalid.”

In respect to claim 2, Witherell introduced in that case another form of bucket made by him, Exhibit B. It was said of that Exhibit, in the decision in that suit:

“ He testifies that ho made and sold buckets like Exhibit B, after he made them like Exhibit A, and from the fall of 1866 until the fall of 1873. Exhibit B lias a rubber disk compressed between two metal plates by a screw and a nut. By lubricating with oil the iron washer on the lower face of the disk, the lower part of the disk was caused to expand moro than the upper part, so as to give to the lower part a bearing edge, with the part above it receding from it inwards. Exhibit B shows such construction. He says that he never used less than three of Exhibit B for a set, and seldom more; that his practice was to have the bucket fit as closely as possibly, and not have the pump work too hard; that the object of the hoveled edge was to have the rubber slide easily over any roughness in the tubo; that the bucket operated both by lifting and suction; that, when the bucket fitted closely, it resisted the downward run of the chain; that ho set them close enough, by expansion, to draw tlie water up readily, and yet leave room for the water to pass back on the inside of the tube; that the water in the tube, with Exhibit B, never froze, when the bucket was properly adjusted; that he made a considerable number with the bearing edge like Exhibit B; and that he used that form in tubes that were too large to be filled by expanding the disk equally from both of its faces. This Exhibit B is a solid elastic bucket, having an elastic-hearing edge, and its upper portion convex from said edge, whereby the bucket will readily yield to any irregularities in the pump-tube, and admit of its being easily" drawn up, while, at the same time, it will resist moving downward. It answers exactly the second claim of the plaintiffs patent. A provision for the escape of the water is no part of the second claim, and the elastic-bearing edge is no part of the first claim. Although Exhibit A has no elastic-bearing edge, it anticipates the first claim; and although Exhibit B has no water escape, it anticipates the second claim.”

The answer in the present case denies infringement, and sets up that the buckets for chain-pumps which the defendant has made, used, and sold are secured to him by letters patent granted to him, No. 158,534, dated January 5, 1875. It also sets up want of novelty and alleges various anticipations. One of them is that of Witherell. It also alleges that the reissue sued on contains matters of substance not embraced in the original patent.

' In the Stowe Case it was alleged that matter was found in the reissue which was not in the original- patent of 1871, but the court said: “The drawings are identical, and there is nothing either in the specification or the claims of the reissue which is not justified by what is found in the description or drawings of the original patent.” Nothing is shown to change this view, and the original patent is not put in evidence in this suit.

The structure presented by the plaintiff as the infringement is known as “Lovell Exhibit 1.” The'same structure is represented by “Defendant’sExhibit 1.” It has no drip-notch. It is constructed in accordance with the description in No. 158,534. It consists of a [650]*650ringed bolt or eye-bolt, which passes through an upper metal plate, the extension beyond such plate having a male screw-thread cut or it, and passing through an India-rubber disk and into a female screv thread cut in another and lower metal plate, to which a loop or ej or ring is affixed. The two parts are centered when screwed togethe' Each of the two plates is 'convex on its inner face, towards the rubbi disk, and the disk is slightly concave on each of its opposite uppi and lower faces.

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Related

Barker v. Stowe
2 F. Cas. 819 (U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Northern New York, 1878)

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Bluebook (online)
18 F. 647, 20 Blatchf. 178, 1882 U.S. App. LEXIS 2239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barker-v-shoots-circtndny-1882.