The New York herald., 1872-11-20
TIE VIENNA EXHIBITION.
A Word Of Warning to Americans Proposing to
Send Exhibits-The Way in Which Patent
Matters are Managed by the Austrian
Oficials-The Fees and Regulations
Imposed on Foreign Fatentees
PARIS. Oct. 25, 1872.


l see by the correspondents letter OF the Lon
don Times from Philadelphia that there has been a
meeting called in New York, at which q committee
OF twenty y-nine gentlemen were appointed to take
charge OF the matter Of urging our people to come
forward with their products to the Vienna Exposi.
tion OF 1s73 and also TO urge Congress to make an
appropriation, as they did for the Paris ExpOsi-
tion, so as to aid in securing an adequate exhbi-
ton of the products OF American skill and indus
try, and for this purpose memorial is at once to
be prepared for Congress. l came to Europe in
1867 to attend the Paris Exposition and have been
on the Continent nearly the whole time since
doing business in nearly all the countries o.
Europe and am well posted in regard to the effects
OF the Paris Exposition upon exhibitors, and
also as regards the protection afforded by the
patent laws OF the Continent. and especially those
OF Austria, from actual experience, and feel that
our people should be cautioned and fully under
stand the protection that will be afforded them at
this Exposition before sending forward their goods
and win endeavor to give you the mode OF pro-
ceeding under the Austrian Patent law, ana trust
you will give publicity to the facts through your
valuable paper.
A patent for fifteen years for Austria and Hun
gary costs about three hundred and sixty dollars
in government fees, besides the expense OF work
ing the patent TO keep il alive patented article
must be manufactured within one year from the
date OF the patent IN the country or it becomes
nvalid and it can be worked legally only between
the date of issue OF the patent and one year from
that date Working before the issue OF the patent
10 not complying with the law. Bringing the
parts into the country required from which the
patented article is to be made the Austrian
Patent ONCE declare not to be complying with the
law. All the parts OF the invention must be manu-
factured in the country. The Patent ONCE have
instructed their subordnates to exact the working
OF all foreign inventions with the most rigid ex-
actness. They require sworn proofs that you have
manufactured your patented article exactly like
your drawings and specifications. These are sell
dom designed for working drawings specifca-
tions. They often require sworn proofs OF working
from three to five times and 1t Is extremely diff
cult to prove the working to the OF the
Patent OGice even when the article has been in
vented In the country and has been continually
manufactured over period OF three years. which
has been my case.
II is the aim OF the Austrian Patent once always
to destroy the patents OF foreigners especially
when there is a native iniringer in the case. All
questions OF infringement are decided by the Poly
technical School, as experts and my case has
been decided four times III my favor and the Pat
ent ONCE have then sent the case back TO the
POlytechnical School again, with questions to in
duce them to change their decisions without allow
ing me to know the nature OF those questions, and
am informed they have given an adverse opinion,
but will not allow me TO know the nature OF that
opinion. There are important papers in this case
that have been put In by the nrlngcr, which have
now been before the Patent once for more than
three years, and ] am not allowed to know the
nature OF those papers If the inventor allows any
two years to pass, alter working his patent the
first year, then his patent becomes invalid, no mat.
ter whether there he demand for the article
in the country or not
The much-taked-of protection against piracy OF
inventions, at the Exposition is a law to allow
inventors TO bring their inventions to the Exposi-
ton and exhibit them. and take patent under
the old law before the 3lst day OF December sue
! ceeding the exposition. 1t gives no protection
beyond the old law, and Is regarded simply as a
dccoy to draw in innocent inventors who have
not yet learned the appropriatng propensities OF
these Continental people. One Of the most serious
objections to inventors coming forward TO this ex.
position Is, the Prusslans will be hand to apprO
PIRATE all that can be learned that is OF value and
they never grant patents for valuable inventions.
Occasionally they grant patent on some worthless
article 80 let the outside world know they have
patent law, and are willing TO appropriate the
brains OF poor inventors for their own benefit.
Russia Is little better She grants patents at a
very expensive rate with which few inventors can
comply; but she, like Prussia advertses TO apprO-
pirate every poor mans invention which happens
10 be a military article.
Some countries are extremely liberal on this
point switzerland appfopriates all she can Law
hands on by her refusal TO grant any patents and
Holland has followed suit and advertises to appro.
pirate all she can lay hands on by the repeal OF her
Patent laws some two years since. The fact IT, no
countries lying around Austria have any Patent laws
with which an American inventor csn comply, and
Americans should consider well this question be-
fore sending forward their goods 10 this "yienna
Exposition" fear orr people do not understand
the piratng pf0pensifies OF the Continental
people and their aptncss at copying all important
Improvements and inventions, and these facts
should be placed before our proposed exhibitors
80 that in sending forward their goods they win do
IL unierstandingly
There are very few Of our inventors that can az
iord 10 go forward to Vienna with their goods for
tlie purpose OF teaching and donating their knowl.
edge and business al their own expense which
tney Mnst DO under the present rulings Of the Aus
"i"l aWAl IaWi w pQt ~le American inventor