Power Curbers, Inc. v. E. D. Etnyre & Co.

216 F. Supp. 536, 138 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 193, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10057
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. North Carolina
DecidedApril 30, 1963
DocketCiv. No. 1196
StatusPublished

This text of 216 F. Supp. 536 (Power Curbers, Inc. v. E. D. Etnyre & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Power Curbers, Inc. v. E. D. Etnyre & Co., 216 F. Supp. 536, 138 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 193, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10057 (W.D.N.C. 1963).

Opinion

WARLICK, District Judge.

This case originally came on for hearing before the Court, and following a. full hearing an opinion was handed down, on October 14, 1960, D.C., 187 F.Supp.. 819, in which it was adjudged that plaintiff’s patent # 2707422 was valid; that the defendants had infringed plaintiff’s. [537]*537patent and that the defendants’ curb laying machine which was brought into •court, offered in evidence and demonstrated clearly showed such infringement. It was further adjudged that plaintiff recover damages of the defendant E. D. Etnyre and Company for all amounts which it has received arising from the infringement of said patent, all as would be determined by a properly held accounting; and that the defendants •and those acting for them be enjoined from further infringement of plaintiff’s patent and that a permanent injunction issue.

On an appeal being taken, the Court of Appeals in an opinion decided January 3, 1962, 4 Cir., 298 F.2d 484, and written by Judge Boreman, said, among other things, “We reach the conclusion that the patent in suit is valid and represents invention by bringing together, in combination, the elements necessary to accomplish a real innovation in the industry;” concluding that the issue of validity must be decided in favor of plaintiff. It further held “On the issue of infringement in view of the proceedings in the Patent Office, we think the District Court erred in failing and refusing to apply the doctrine of file wrapper estop-pel and in awarding plaintiff its attorney fees”, and remanded the case with the •direction “that the District Court make further findings on the infringement issue consistent with the views herein expressed”. This mandate being dated March 23,1962.

Plaintiff thereupon filed a petition in the Court of Appeals, seeking a re-hearing of the case and such re-hearing was •denied without comment.

Subsequently on such hearing two additional machines which were not in ■court and offered in evidence when the case was originally heard were brought to Charlotte and were operated for the benefit of the Court on a paved public roadway. These two Etnyre machines are classed as Types Two and Three.

Following this demonstration further evidence was heard in the court room. That evidence tended to show that the defendant Etnyre had made and sold three types of curb laying machines, each being almost wholly like the patent in suit, all of which have a pair of vertically adjustable front wheels and a single rear wheel.

The first type has a rear wheel positioned alongside the mold for vertical adjustment by an adjusting screw. This is clearly shown in plaintiff’s Exhibits 35, 36(a-b) 48 and 49. This machine was the one that was present in the court room at the original hearing and which was viewed not only objectively but carefully by the Court and studied with equal care. This machine clearly infringed the plaintiff’s patent and the Court of Appeals so declared that said Etnyre machine Type No. 1, infringed at least claims three and four of plaintiff’s patent.

The second type has a double-tired rear wheel which when lowered into transport position is to support the machine and is positioned behind the mold opening. This type is best shown by Defendant’s Exhibits 18 and 19.

The third type has a rear wheel which is raised and lowered by a two-position lever which locks the wheel in transport position approximately two inches below the bottom of the mold when the lever is in one position, and lifts the wheel above the bottom of the mold when the lever is in its second position. This is best shown by Plaintiff’s exhibit 54-e.

The second and third types of the defendant Etnyre’s machines were those displayed and operated in the presence of the Court by parties familiar with their operation. Defendant’s Exhibit 18 clearly shows its second type machine and its operation. Defendant’s Exhibit 20 properly shows the appearance and operation of its third type machine.

Following the original hearing plaintiff was able to purchase a second hand machine of the third type of defendant’s manufacture and at the time of its purchase by plaintiff the owner had been operating it by using a rock positioned [538]*538behind the lever and with the lever additionally held in place by a heavy manila rope which had the force and effect as the plaintiff contends, of causing the wheel on the rear of the machine to be at least partially in contact with the surface, — thereby showing that this type of operation was one which brought about the best results, and as such was demonstrated to the Court. However, this machine as manufactured by the defendants in no wise maltes provision for this type of operation as there are no fixed sockets or notches which would permit the lever .to be so held in this position according to the manufacturer’s plan of the machine. Plaintiff’s Exhibits 61 and 62 show this machine as purchased by it.

It is clearly evident that defendant’s second type machine, — that is the machine with the two-tired wheel, cannot be operated with any part of the tread of the wheel being in contact with the surface over which the curb is being laid, unless the mold forming the curb was made narrower, since defendant’s Exhibit 19 plainly shows that when the two-tired wheel is in contact with the surface it destroys the curb. And that, if operable at all, such operation must be under conditions as shown in defendant’s Exhibit 18, which was made at a demonstration had in Charlotte, when the two-tired wheel is adjusted so as not to be in contact with the surface, thus permitting the mold to be resting on the surface of the roadway. The molds on types 2 and 3 of the Etnyre machine are made of steel and show little, if any, wear, after five years’ operation, the evidence discloses.

Defendant Etnyre had stopped manufacturing the second type machine at the time of the original hearing in the District Court, but it now appears it has resumed production of this machine.

Considering Defendant’s Exhibit No. 21, which refers to the third type of machine, it unquestionably is made to appear that when this machine is operated with its single rear wheel in full contact with the surface of the roadway on which the curb is being laid, as when the lever has been placed into transport position, that such makes a very imperfect curb for that the mold is raised some several inches above the curb and thus permits the materials to be extruded from either side of the mold, and clearly indicating that unless the mold is skidding or that through some means the rear wheel is elevated so that it merely comes in partial contact with the surface, a commercially satisfactory curb cannot be laid.

The Court of Appeals in a full opinion, when dealing with the Defendant’s machines Types 2 and 3, neither of which was present and offered in evidence at the original hearing, but about which some evidence was heard, and considering particularly the question of the plea of the file wrapper estoppel, found among other things that the original Canfield application contained 18 claims and that only six, including Claims 1, 3 and 4 were ultimately allowed. It found among other things that “Each of the six claims provides for the operation, on wheels, of the framework supporting the curb-laying machine. The two original applications claims which made provision for the operation of the machine on skids or slides were cancelled when rejected.

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216 F. Supp. 536, 138 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 193, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/power-curbers-inc-v-e-d-etnyre-co-ncwd-1963.