Vick Chemical Co. v. Central City Chemical Co.

75 F.2d 517, 22 C.C.P.A. 996, 1935 CCPA LEXIS 115
CourtCourt of Customs and Patent Appeals
DecidedFebruary 25, 1935
DocketPatent Appeal 3393
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 75 F.2d 517 (Vick Chemical Co. v. Central City Chemical 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
Vick Chemical Co. v. Central City Chemical Co., 75 F.2d 517, 22 C.C.P.A. 996, 1935 CCPA LEXIS 115 (ccpa 1935).

Opinion

LENROOT, Associate Judge.

This is an appeal in a trade-mark opposition proceeding wherein the Commis-; sioner of Patents affirmed a decision of the Examiner of Trade-Mark Interferences dismissing the opposition of appellant and adjudging that appellee is entitled to the registration applied for by it.

On October 21, 1931, appellee filed an application for the registration of a composite trade-mark comprising a lattice like background upon which appears the notation “Lix.” Upon the mark there also appears the following words:

Kills
Flies and
Mosquitoes
also
Roaches — Moths—B edbugs
Ants — Fleas and Gnats
(Active Ingredients 100%)
Central City
Chemical Company
Chicago, 111.
Large
Size

The exclusive use of such last-quoted words apart from the mark shown is disclaimed. The mark for which exclusive rights are claimed consists of the notation “Lix” upon a lattice like background. The application declares that the mark was adopted and is used for insecticide, and that it has been so used and applied since February 28, 1931.

In January, 1932, appellant filed a notice of opposition alleging that since long prior to October 21, 1931, it had used as a trade-mark for pharmaceutical prepara *518 tions, namely, medicated salve, nose and throat drops, medicated cough drops, and liver pills, the word “Vick’s,” and that it had registered such mark on November 19, 1918, Registration No. 123,667. A copy of such registration appears in the record. 'Said notice of. opposition further alleged that appellant’s mark “Lix”’ was confusingly similar to appellant’s mark “Viclds”; that the goods to which the respective marks are applied are of the same descriptive properties; and that registration of appellant’s mark would be injurious to opposer, appellant here.

On April 25, 1932, appellee moved to dismiss said opposition upon the ground that the notice of opposition failed to state any grounds for denial of appellee’s application. This motion was denied by the Examiner, and on November 7, 1932, appellee filed its answer to the notice of opposition, denying that the goods to which the respective marks are applied are of the same descriptive properties, that there was confusing similarity between the marks, and that the opposer would be damaged by the registration of appellee’s mark.

Appellant took testimony; appellee did not. .

The Examiner of Trade-Mark Interferences held.that the goods to which the respective marks are applied were not of the same descriptive properties,' and, further, that confusion was not likely by the use of said marks on the goods to which they are applied.

The Commissioner of Patents in his decision stated“* .* * There is no showing that opposer ever intended or represented to purchasers that its goods' were or could be used as insecticides. The Cpposer’s goods, intended as they are for use by direct external application to the body of human beings or, as to the liver-pills, internal use, are not deemed to belong to the same class as this term can be reasonably o.r is authoritatively defined to which the applicant’s goods belong. The respective goods are wholly dissimilar in appearance, in purpose, function, operation, and would seem to necessarily therefore possess different descriptive: properties to such an extent that confusion would be almost impossible.” ■

We are not in accord with the views' of the Patent Office tribunals that the goods to which the respective marks are applied are not of the same descriptive properties. The goods upon which appellant uses its mark are medicinal preparations. In the case of United States v. Wm. Cooper & Nephews, Inc., 22 C. C. P. A. (Customs) -, T. D. 47038, we held that the term “insecticide” may include medicinal preparations. We think it apparent from' the record that the goods of the respective parties are sold largely in the same stores, and to a large extent purchasers of insecticides would also naturally be purchasers of the goods upon which appellant uses its mark.

We think that, under the decisions of this court, the goods to which the respective marks are applied are of the same descriptive properties. Cheek-Neal Coffee Co., etc. v. Hal Dick Manufacturing Co., 40 F.(2d) 106, 17 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1103; B. F. Goodrich Co. v. Clive E. Hockmeyer et al., 40 F.(2d) 99,. 17 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1068; California Canneries Co. v. Bear Glacé Co., 44 F.(2d) 866, 18 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 732; Blackstone Products Co., Inc., v. Green Brothers Co., 70 F.(2d) 271, 21 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1065; Noll v. Krembs, 73 F.(2d) 491, 22 C. C. P. A. (Patents).

However, where the marks are not the same, and the goods to which they are applied are different ■ in kind, although in a legal sense possessing the same descriptive properties, the quéstion still remains whether appellee’s mark “Lix,” applied to insecticides, so nearly resembles appellant's mark “Vick’s,” applied to medicated salve, nose and throat drops, medicated cough drops, and liver pills, as to be likely to cause confusion and mistake in the minds of the public or to deceive purchasers.

In the case of California Packing Corporation v. Tillman & Bendel, Inc., 40 F.(2d) 108, 111, 17 C. C. P. A..(Patents) 1048, this court said: “ * * * The right to register depends upon the distinguishing dissimilarity between the goods or the marks. The same degree of difference in the marks or goods or both must exist so as to distinguish the goods of the owner as is required to prevent the probability of ‘confusion or mistake in the mind of the public,’ etc. This distinguishing difference or indistinguishable similarity may rest not only in the ‘essential characteristics’ of the goods themselves with reference to their form, composition, texture, and quality, but may rest in the use to which' they are put, the manner in which they are advertised, displayed, and sold, and probably other con-, sideratlons, * * * ”

*519 In the case of Malone v. Horowitz, 41 F.(2d) 414, 415, 17 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1252, there was involved the question of whether the mark “Molo,” applied to mouth wash, breath purifier, throat gargle, and general antiseptic, was confusingly similar to the mark “Poro,” applied to hair and toilet goods used in beauty culture. After holding that the goods to which the respective marks were applied were “merchandise of the same descriptive properties,” we said: “The words ‘Poro’ and ‘Molo’ are quite similar in sound and appearance, and, if applied to goods which were identical, there would be no doubt but that confusion would result from the registration of both words as trade-marks. The fact that the goods are not identical makes the issue before us a close one.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Meredith Pub. Co. v. O. M. Scott & Sons Co.
88 F.2d 324 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1937)
Elgin American Mfg. Co. v. Elizabeth Arden, Inc.
83 F.2d 681 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1936)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
75 F.2d 517, 22 C.C.P.A. 996, 1935 CCPA LEXIS 115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vick-chemical-co-v-central-city-chemical-co-ccpa-1935.