Wagner Sign Service, Inc. v. Midwest News Reel Theatres, Inc.

119 F.2d 929, 49 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 287, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 3882
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
DecidedApril 18, 1941
DocketNo. 7504
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 119 F.2d 929 (Wagner Sign Service, Inc. v. Midwest News Reel Theatres, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wagner Sign Service, Inc. v. Midwest News Reel Theatres, Inc., 119 F.2d 929, 49 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 287, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 3882 (7th Cir. 1941).

Opinion

MAJOR, Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal from a preliminary injunction order entered October 21, 1940, restraining the defendant, its officers, etc., “from using or selling, or otherwise vending the silhouette sign, of the notched-flanged letter-type, now or heretofore in use at the defendant’s Telenews Theatre, 150 North State Street, Chicago * * * jn * * * infringement of United States Letters Patent to Wagner, No. 2,048,040 * * Yhe cause is an aftermath of Case No. 7043, lately before this court, wherein Wagner Sign Service, Inc., was plaintiff-appellee, and Ben Adler Signs, Inc., and Adler Sign Letter Company were defendants-appellants (7 Cir., 112 F.2d 264). In that case it was held by the District Court that Adler infringed the Wagner patent by the manufacture and sale, both of the notched-flanged and the lug-type of letter sign equipment. On June 21, 1939, an interlocutory decree for injunction and accounting was entered against Adler. In this court, the decree was affirmed as to the notched-type of letter, but reversed as to the lug-type.

In connection with the former appeal, the court granted a supersedeas upon the giving of a supersedeas bond in the sum of $9,000 which was furnished by Adler. On June 29, 1940, the lower court entered its decree in conformity with the mandate of this court, by which Adler, as in the former interlocutory decree, was permanently enjoined from making, using or selling a sign structure with letters of the notched-flanged type. In addition, Wagner was awarded recovery of all damages sustained by it and all profits made by Adler by reason of such infringement. The cause was referred to a Special Master in Chancery to take and report an account of such dam[930]*930ages and profits. This proceeding before the Special Master, shortly thereafter begun, has not been completed. The super-sedeas bond filed June 24, 1939, was in conformity with Rule 73 (d) of the Rules of Civil Procedure, Title 28, U.S.C.A. following section 723c, and obligated Adler to “satisfy the judgment in full.”

It is not disputed but that the notched-flanged letter equipment now used by the defendant and involved in the instant case is covered by the Wagner patent. The record does not disclose the exact date such equipment was acquired by the defendant, but, admittedly, it was purchased from Adler, the manufacturer, for a sum of not less than $650 shortly after the entry of the interlocutory decree and the supersed-eas bond, and pending the appeal in the former case. Both Wagner and Adler are engaged solely in the business of manufacture and sale, while the defendant has no connection with, or interest in, the equipment in controversy, except that of a user. Wagner does not exact a royalty from its customers, and its sole profit is derived from manufacture and sale.

It is defendant’s contention that there was no valid basis for the injunction order appealed from, for the reason that it purchased the equipment from Adler, the manufacturer, who is required by decree to account to Wagner for all profits and damages occasioned by such manufacture and sale, and who has furnished bond in conformity with Rule 73 (d) to secure the payment of the same in full. Plaintiff argues that it has never been compensated by recovery or otherwise for the manufacture or sale of the equipment in question and, therefore, it is entitled to proceed by injunction against the defendant, as the purchaser and user thereof.

A study of the many authorities cited and discussed by the respective parties leads us to the conclusion that it is the generally accepted doctrine that where a patentee has been fully compensated by an infringing manufacturer for the manufacture and sale of the infringing device, the patentee has no recourse against a customer of such infringing manufacture who is solely a user of such device. As was stated in Union Tool Company v. Wilson, 259 U.S. 107, 113, 42 S.Ct. 427, 429, 66 L.Ed. 848: “* * * A patentee, in demanding and receiving full compensation for the wrongful use of his invention in devices made and sold by a manufacturer adopts the sales as though made by himself, and therefore necessarily licenses the use of the devices, and frees them from the monopoly of the patent. * * *”

I.t is true that case was decided in favor of the patentee for the reason that he had not “received any compensation whatever for the infringement by use of these machines.” In the instant case, admittedly, plaintiff has actually received no compensation from Adler on account of the manufacture and sale of the infringing device in controversy. It does, however, have a decree in its favor for an accounting of all profits and damages, and a supersedeas bond which assures the payment of all profits and damages ascertained to be owing in the accounting suit.1

The real question presented for decision is that occasioned by the existence of the supersedeas bond. Should the protection afforded plaintiff by that bond be treated in lieu of or the equivalent to actual compensation paid by Adler? If so, plaintiff should not be permitted to maintain the instant action. Otherwise, th'e order appealed from was proper. We are cited to no authority and are unable to find any where this precise question has been decided. Plaintiff stresses Birdsell v. Shaliol, 112 U.S. 485, 5 S.Ct. 244, 28 L.Ed. 768, as sustaining its right to injunction. This case has furnished a fertile field for much controversy in subsequent decisions by inferior courts. Oftentimes, as here, it is cited and relied upon by both sides. The most that may be said of it, so far as applicable to the instant situation, is that a patentee is not precluded from proceeding against the user of an infringing device until full compensation has been received from the infringing manufacturer and seller. No supersedeas bond was involved and, therefore, the instant question was not considered. Plaintiff also points out that this court in Directoplate Corp. v. Huebner-Bleistein Patents Co., 7 Cir., 44 F.2d 783, followed the decision in the Birdsell case. This apparently is correct, as the court refused to enjoin the plaintiff from maintaining suits against the customers of the infringing manufacturer where the latter had been required to account for damages [931]*931and profits, but where no compensation had been received by the plaintiff. Again no supersedeas bond was involved and the question now presented was not considered.

A number of other cases relied upon by the plaintiff were against the retail purchaser of the infringing defendant.2 The same court which granted an injunction in the Wilson case (see page 673 of 265 F.), where the defendant was a retailer, had previously, in Stebler v. Riverside Heights Orange Growers’ Ass’n, 9 Cir., 214 F. 550, denied an injunction where the defendant was a mere user.

Defendant argues that the sale to it of the infringing device by Adler, made during the pendency of the appeal in the former case, was made with the sanction of the court. In other words, Adler had a right to make the sale, which carried with it the right of use by the defendant as a purchaser thereof.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
119 F.2d 929, 49 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 287, 1941 U.S. App. LEXIS 3882, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wagner-sign-service-inc-v-midwest-news-reel-theatres-inc-ca7-1941.