Beckwith v. Malleable Iron Range Co.

174 F. 1001, 1910 U.S. App. LEXIS 5745
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Eastern Wisconsin
DecidedJanuary 21, 1910
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 174 F. 1001 (Beckwith v. Malleable Iron Range Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Eastern Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Beckwith v. Malleable Iron Range Co., 174 F. 1001, 1910 U.S. App. LEXIS 5745 (circtedwi 1910).

Opinion

QUARRES, District Judge

(after staling the facts as aboye). ..The defendant insists that claim 33 of the Beckwith patent is void:

“Because the claim is noi complete or clear, but is functional, indefinite, and uncertain, and does not cover the construction now contended for as novel, namely, a spherically convex contact plate convex in more than one direction, either by the language, or by reference to the drawing and specifications.”

In another part of the brief, counsel say the “hone of contention in this case” is whether the element of the convex rigid back-plate should he given its ordinary and usual interpretation — that is, a contact plate of a convex form in a broad sense — and, when so interpreted, [1004]*1004whether this element is met by the prior art, or whether the said element should be construed, as contended for by complainant, to cover a back-plate of spherically convex form, or a back-plate convex in more than one direction; and, if so construed and limited, whether it is met by the prior art.

The situation here is one which frequently occurs in patent cases. The principles of law applicable are simple and undisputed. The sole difficulty arises in applying such principles to a concrete structure.

I agree entirely with the general proposition of law laid down by the defendant that the claim is the measure of invention; that, while the specification may be referred to for the purpose of explaining any ambiguity in the claim, it cannot be employed for the purpose of expanding or changing the claim; that courts 'lean toward reading into the claims of a patent such limitations as will save the real invention as disclosed by the specification and the prior state of the art. But when the claims are drawn in broad, nebulous terms, for the apparent purpose of enabling the patentee to monopolize an important industry, the court should be slow in, attempting to sustain their validity by narrowing them beyond the boundaries which are clearly warranted by the specification. These are • the familiar precepts laid down in Cimiotti Unhairing Co. v. Am. Fur Co., 198 U. S. 410, 25 Sup. Ct. 697, 49 L. Ed. 1100; National Enameling Co. v. New England Enameling Co., 151 Fed. 19, 80 C. C. A. 485; Canda Bros. v. Mich. Malleable Iron Co., 124 Fed. 486, 61 C. C. A. 194.

The contention of the defendant is that these fundamental principles, when applied to claim 11 of the patent in suit, rendered such claim void because the inventor broadly claimed a convex rigid back-plate, without indicating whether such convexity was spherical, and that such defect was not cured by a reference to the specifications and drawings. Mr. Wilkinson, the defendant’s expert, Prof. Cooley, the expert for the complainant, and Arthur Beckwith testify that the complainant’s drawings show spherical convexity, and, until the argument oh the final hearing, no testimony was offered or question raised as to that conclusion. It would seem to be rather late to predicate such an issue upon the statement of counsel. Undoubtedly the court might disregard the opinions of expert witnesses and reach a conclusion of its own. In such case my judgment is that the specification which describes the back-plate as “convex on its outer face or curved outwardly,” together with Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, disclose convexity in more than one direction.

The vital questions raised on this branch of the case may be thus summarized:

First, is the expression “convex rigid back-plate,” as it appears in each of the claims of complainant, sufficiently definite to cover and describe the structure embodied in the complainant’s device ?

' And, second, if not sufficient, then is the defect cured by the reference to the drawings and specifications by the term “for the purpose specified”?

I am of opinion that both of these questions should be answered in the affirmative. In construing this claim we should seek to arrive at the ordinary and popular sense of the language employed.

[1005]*1005Webster’s International Dictionary defines “convex” as follows:

“Rising or swelling'into a spherical or rounded form; regularly protuberant or bulging; said of a spherical surface or curved line when viewed from without in opposition to concave. Drops of water naturally form themselves into figures with a convex surface,” etc.

The Century Dictionary defines the word as follows;

“Convex 1. Curved as a line or surface, in the manner of a circle or sphere when viewed from some point without it; curved away from the point of view; hence, bounded by such a line or surface; as a convex mirror. Specifically 2. In zool. and anat., elevated and regularly rounded; forming a segment of a sphere, or nearly so.”

In the Standard Dictionary the term “convex” is defined as follows;

“Convex. Curving like the segment of a globe or of the surface of a circle, so as to form a rounded elevation; bulging out; rounded off.”

Turning to Worcester’s Unabridged Dictionary, I find the term “convex” defined as follows:

“Rising or swelling externally into a spherical form; protuberant outwards.”
“Convex” as a noun is defined to be:
“A convex or spherical body.”

And “convexity”:

“The state of being convex; spheroidal protuberance.”

These definitions from standard dictionaries clearly establish the ordinary sense and popular meaning of the term “convex” as employed by Beckwith. Certain scientific treatises are cited by defendant where technical definitions are given; but we do not resort to such authorities to arrive at the common understanding or popular meaning of words in common use.

Therefore it appears that Beckwith both accurately and adequately described in each of his claims this element of the combination.

There undoubtedly may be different degrees of convexity. There may he a protuberance which is convex in one direction only. If such peculiar form of convexity needs to he specifically described, a suitable adjective would be made use of to differentiate the structure from the popular conception of a convex surface, such as the crystal of a watch. To illustrate: It is strenuously contended that Beckwith should have claimed spherical convexity. It is obvious that such term would narrow the claim and impose a limitation thereon. It would leave him open to the technical objection that “spherical convexity,” as .defined in the Century Dictionary, means “bounded by or having the surface oí a sphere.”

As Beckwith’s hack-plate did not disclose the segment of a true sphere, the limitation might prove disastrous.

We are therefore of the opinion that the term “convex,” as used in the Beckwith claims, was accurate and sufficient to suggest to the common mind the true shape of his hack-plate.

But if we are wrong in this conclusion, the second proposition above suggested remains, whether the reference to the specifications and [1006]*1006drawings is legitimate by way of explanation. This is not an attempt to read something into the claim which is not there, but rather to define and exemplify something that is there. Beckwith has insisted up®n the convexity of the protuberance of the back-plate in every one of these claims.

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Bluebook (online)
174 F. 1001, 1910 U.S. App. LEXIS 5745, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/beckwith-v-malleable-iron-range-co-circtedwi-1910.