Brown v. Split Coach Motor Corp.

19 F. Supp. 369, 1937 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1875
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedApril 6, 1937
DocketNo. 1095
StatusPublished

This text of 19 F. Supp. 369 (Brown v. Split Coach Motor Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Split Coach Motor Corp., 19 F. Supp. 369, 1937 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1875 (D. Del. 1937).

Opinion

NIELDS, District Judge.

Carleton Brown, a citizen of Canada, charges Split Coach Motor Corporation, a Delaware corporation, with infringement of four United States letters patent granted to him in 1934 for improvements in an automobile frailer with lateral and vertical expansion features known as a “split coach.” The application for each of the patents was filed before February 16, 1931, when plaintiff and defendant parted company and plaintiff ceased to exercise any authority in the management of defendant.

The usual injunction bill was filed. In its answer defendant avers “that it has and is operating under a license or operating agreement from the plaintiff, whereunder the defendant is empowered to manufacture, sell and use the devices and apparatus which are covered by the Letters Patent in suit; that said license or operating agreement was entered into between the plaintiff and defendant on the 18th day of August, 1932, whereby plaintiff agreed to and did give and grant unto the defendant, its assigns and successors in interest, the exclusive right and privilege to manufacture and sell split coaches involving the use of any and all American and Canadian Patents owned or then pending in the plaintiff’s name pertaining to split coaches, for a period of five years from the date of' said agreement; that the Patents here in suit are included in said agreement or license ; that the defendant has not infringed or violated any rights of the plaintiff but has operated in accord with the terms of said agreement.” In a replication to the answer filed pursuant to an order of court under Equity Rule 31, 28 U.S.C.A. following section 723, plaintiff traverses the plea of license and avers that an option agreement, referred to in the answer as a license, was made between the parties on August 18, 1932, before said patents were granted, and was terminated by its own terms and conditions on January 1, 1933.

The ultimate issues in the case are not framed by the pleadings but were evolved by the proofs at the hearing. The relief in this suit is confined to the happenings after August 18, 1932. From the proofs the positions of the parties may be fairly stated as follows:

Plaintiff contends that by the terms and conditions of the license of August 18, 1932, the license was terminated as defendant' (1) paid no royalties, (2) failed to exploit plaintiff’s inventions, and (3) did not act in good faith. That by said acts and conduct of defendant, plaintiff is entitled to a decree of this court declaring the license of August 18, 1932, forfeited, canceled, and rescinded. That all sales of coaches thereafter (January 1, 1933) were infringements of plaintiff’s patents because there was then no license.

Defendant contends that the coaches sold by defendant after August 18, 1932, were by the terms of the license of August 18, 1932, free from royalty payments and therefore there could be no infringement. That the license agreement of August 18, 1932, contains an express provision: “The party of the first part [the plaintiff] agrees that the party of the second part [the defendant], or its assigns and successors in interest, shall not pay any royalty or commission on the sale of the completed coaches now possessed by the party of the second part, or on the fabricated parts now owned, as such, or assembled into completed units.” In other words the license itself provides that defendant should not pay any royalty or commission on the sale of the completed coaches possessed by defendant on August 18, 1932, or on the fabricated parts then owned as such or assembled into, completed parts. That all [370]*370split coaches manufactured or sold by defendant after August 18, 1932, were excepted from royalty payments under the provision above quoted.

Plaintiff had mechanical experience. During the war he was in charge of the mechanical transportation of the Fourth Canadian Division. He had been purchasing agent of a steamship line. Afterwards he became district sales manager of the Ford Motor Company and of the Cadillac Company at Montreal. His first model for a trailer or split coach was built in Montreal back in 1926. N. A. Timmins of Montreal was president of N. A. Timmins Corporation operating mining properties. He saw a model of a split coach and offered to form a limited partnership with Brown to finance the inventions. To that end the N. A. Timmins Corporation advanced Brown $12,000. It was agreed, at this stage, that a company should be organized in which Brown should have a 40 per cent, interest for the assignment of his patents and the Timmins Corporation a 60 per cent, interest for the advances of money. The partnership placed an order for the manufacture of 809 Brown split coaches with the Martin-Parry Company of York, Pa. In May, 1929, defendant was incorporated and the capital stock was issued in the proportions previously agreed upon. The Martin-Parry order was then covered by a contract with defendant.

Meanwhile, Brown applied for his patents. He became the chief executive officer of defendant. He hoped to dispose of the 809 trailers within nine months. The Timmins Corporation advanced to Brown and to defendant $771,500 to promote the inventions. The Martin-Parry contract for the manufacture of 809 split coaches was never completed. Defendant was forced to take over the coaches already assembled, together with the fabricated parts for coaches not assembled.

Plaintiff attempted to sell the coaches taken from the Martin-Parry Company by exhibiting them at motor shows in New York City, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Montreal, but not a single sale resulted from this sales promotion. An arrangement was made by plaintiff with Sears Roebuck & Co. under which the sales facilities of 57 stores throughout the country were to be exerted for eight months. 240 coaches were sent to Sears Roebuck & Co. and only 20 coaches were sold. The remaining 220 coaches were placed in storage and some were sold to pay storage charges. Plaintiff, as executive head of defendant, had 14 salesmen and, at one time, as many as 420 people employed. He engaged 16 district managers and many salesmen. He carried through an advertising campaign to educate the public. In 1930 while plaintiff was the chief executive, defendant was only able to sell 93 coaches. From 1929 to 1930 the net loss from defendant’s operations was $185,318.19. For -1931 the net loss was $173,616.91. February 16, 1931, plaintiff was discharged. Plaintiff’s management was a failure. His salary of $500 a month and his authority over the management of defendant ceased.

Thereupon plaintiff brought suit in Montreal against N. A. Timmins Corporation, his benefactor. Subsequently the suit was discontinued and plaintiff received an option to purchase the Stock of defendant held by N. A. Timmins Corporation. This option was extended from time to time. Originally it called for the payment of $100,000 but was reduced to $50,000 and later to $30,000. ■

April 7, 1932, the parties to this suit executed a general release in Which the N. A. Timmins Corporation and N. A. Timmins joined. Each released the others from all sums of money, claims, and demands whatsoever, except amounts due from Brown or the defendant to N. A. Timmins Corporation. As a result of this release all patents relating to split coaches, including the Follet patent, were reassigned to plaintiff.

August 11, 1932, a meeting of the directors of defendant was held in York, attended by plaintiff. The directors discussed the above release and its effect on the Brown patents.

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Bluebook (online)
19 F. Supp. 369, 1937 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-split-coach-motor-corp-ded-1937.