United States v. American Express Co.

29 C.C.P.A. 87, 1941 CCPA LEXIS 150
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedJune 9, 1941
DocketNo. 4333
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 29 C.C.P.A. 87 (United States v. American Express Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Customs and Patent Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. American Express Co., 29 C.C.P.A. 87, 1941 CCPA LEXIS 150 (ccpa 1941).

Opinion

Hatfield, Judge,

delivered the opinion of the court:

This is an appeal from a judgment of the United States Customs Court, Second Division, holding certain “paper strips” or “film separators” dutiable as parts of cameras, not specially provided for, at 20 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1551 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as claimed by the importer (appellee), rather than as manufactures of paper, not specially provided for, at 35 per centum ad valorem under paragraph 1413 of that act as assessed by the collector at the port of New York.

[88]*88The pertinent parts of the paragraphs in question read:

Par. 1413. * * * manufactures of paper, or of which paper is the component material of chief value, not specially provided for, all the foregoing, 35 per centum ad valorem * * *.
Par. 1551. Photographic cameras and parts thereof, not specially provided for, 20 per centum ad valorem: Provided,' That if the photographic lens is the component of chief value of the camera or of the part in which it is imported, such camera or part, including the photographic lens, shall be dutiable at the rate applicable to such photographic lens when imported separately; photographic dry plates, not specially provided for, 20 per centum ad valorem; photographic films, sensitized but not exposed or developed, of every kind except motion-picture films having a width of one inch or more, 25 per centum ad valorem * *

The “paper strips” or “film separators,” introduced in evidence as Collective Illustrative Exhibit B, are completely manufactured articles composed of black paper “not sensitized.” Each strip has a rectangular base and an upper portion or tab. The tab portion is somewhat longer and narrower than the base and is rounded at its upper end. The base is designed to have a sensitized film of the same width and length attached thereto.

It appears from the record that the involved strips are used in and as parts of a so-called “film pack,” which comprises a piece of cardboard of the size and shape of the sensitized films and the base portion of the film separators, twelve film separators (each having a sensitized film attached thereto), a safety cover of the same material and shape as the film separators, and a metal container which encloses the cardboard, the films, and the film separators. Although the metal container was not clearly described by the witnesses, it appears from such testimony as there is on the subject and from two exhibits, introduced in evidence as Collective Illustrative Exhibit A and Collective Exhibt 1, that the container comprises a fiat rectangular metal frame, closed on one side and open on the other, a metal slide designed to fit in the metal frame, and a metal cap designed to fit over one end of the frame. The metal slide and the cardboard form the innermost portion of the film pack, and the films and film separators are apparently folded around one end thereof. A portion of the tab of the safety cover and of each of the film separators extends outwardly through a specially designed opening in the metal cover. The film separators and the films and the safety cover therefor are so arranged in the metal container that each film is protected from the light. A camera with which a film pack is used is supplied with a film pack adapter for holding the film pack. In order that the first film may be placed in position to be exposed, the tab on the safety cover is pulled out of the film pack to a point indicated thereon and torn off. After the first film has been exposed, it is pulled around to the rear of the film pack by pulling the tab of the film separator to which it is attached out of the film pack to a point indicated thereon (where the tab is [89]*89torn off) and the next film is then in position to be exposed. This operation is continued until each of the twelve films has been exposed, at which time the piece of cardboard occupies the front or open side of the film pack and each of the exposed films is protected by the base of the film separator to which it is attached. It further appears from the record that unless the films in the film pack are separated and protected by the film separators, successive pictures will be superimposed upon each other. After all of the films in the film pack have been exposed, the film pack is removed from the camera, the films and film separators are removed from the metal container, and the container and the remaining portion of the film separators are discarded.

It will be observed from what has been said that the film separators serve not only to protect the photographic films in the film pack, but also function, in the manner hereinbefore described, to remove an exposed film from its exposed position to the back of the film pack.

It appears from the evidence that film packs are not bought and sold with cameras, but are dealt in as separate commercial articles.

The witness Hamilton C. Eastman, office manager of the New York City office of the Agfa Ansco Corporation, the ultimate consignee of the involved merchandise, called as a witness by appellee,- testified on cross-examination as follows:

X Q. Film pack means a pack of film, doesn’t it? — A. The common use of the word; yes.
X Q. A pack of film would be the film with the photographic paper, wouldn’t it? — A. The common use of it is to include the entire thing; the film, the paper, and the metal container.
* * * % * * *
X Q. Isn’t the primary function of the metal frame as a container for the film? — ■ A. That is the function of the frame is to hold the film?
X Q. Isn’t that correct? — A. That is part of its function.
X Q. What other function does it serve? — A. To also have a place so the container can be put in the camera.
X Q. After you used a film pack, what did you do with the metal frame?— A. Threw it away.
X Q. Can you load film in the pack so the paper, or the opaque paper, can he wound in this metal frame, and reuse it? — A. I can’t do it; no.
X Q. Have you ever known of anybody else to do it, except in a factory? — A. No.
X Q. Now, the film pack is the photograph film, isn’t it; for the most, isn’t that what it is? — A. You mean the film in a film pack?
X Q. The film pack, itself, is the photographic film, isn’t it? — A. No.
X Q. What is it? — A. The film pack?
X Q. Yes. — A. It is a combination of the photograph film and the container.
X Q. And the container? — A. Yes.
X Q. Are you an importer? — A. No. Myself or the company?
X Q. Yourself? — A. No.
X Q. Have you ever imported film packs and the parts? — A. No.
X Q. Are you employed or have you been employed by a firm that imports film packs? — -A. Yes. [Italics ours.]

[90]

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Bluebook (online)
29 C.C.P.A. 87, 1941 CCPA LEXIS 150, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-american-express-co-ccpa-1941.