, 1874-05-11

A@~>% |
Tho history OF this "feea" patent
IL interesting. The invention was discovered by
a man In Chicago who hlea his papors therefor,
and IN tifuo got his patent Hc was poor, and
while his application was pending somebody be-
longing to tho sowing-Machino Ring nlso applied
for patont for tho sa,ns thing. Tnis appl!ca-
ton was rejected, but tho Sewing -AIachine Ring |
continued to use 1t. The Chicago patontco |
brought suit for Infringement, aud was put to All |
immense cost to prosecute Lis auts ind 80 heavy
wero thcBo expenditures TINT he hnd to sell frat
ono share and thon another Of lis patent,
until finally, WHOM tho term for which
tue patent WIS isauod was about expiring, tho
Courts gayo him final Judgment, awarding to
Ills patent tho priority OF invention. 1T this
time ho had but small interest In his patent
loft. Tho PORTIONS he had sold had all been
purchased by the Wilson Sowing Machine Com"
pauy. THIS Company finally surrendered tho
patent, taking new ono for m extended term
The managers Of tho patent Offaco had all
changed III tho meantime, and tue Original ill.,
vontor found Aimsolf ut tho ond Of fourteen
years without patent or my income from it;
while his adversary had been during that samo
timo collecting royalty for tho "feed I'M
provomont from every machine made in tho
country. Some years ago Congress again or
| tended this patcnt,-w suppose for soyen yeass.
| Preparations are now making for another re-
| newal. 4 correspondent OF the Now York Trib-
/ ,.nc. writing upon this subject anys:
by means Of this swindlo Of extoudsd pateuta con-
trary to ew and deceucy, thu raope Ut ha country
are compelled to pay not loss than 50 100000 per a-
mum mora than would be necessary if tho combination
could not cnrry thts legislation through Congress.
| About four years. ago. tic way by which tha was NC
conplished became known to tho writer Que hundred
thousand dolars waa placed at the comnuud Of tho
ugcnt, who went to Washington aud placed tue money,
as tho Credit a1obilier stock wns put where 1t wond
do the most good, accomplished tho object, and tho
patent was extcnled. From tho Btatoment M your
paper, 400 tho thing is now to bo underafon.
There Ia perhaps no greater swindle endured
| by any people than that Of tue sowing machine
monopoly in the United States. There aro q
great many different machines manufactured.
Tho original patont for the principle Of sew
ing-machlne ia now free. AL that remains
patented are certain improvements" and
Of thesa tho "Wilnon feed " ia pe1hapa tic
most important. The proprietots Of sl1 o.
eight different machines haro combined to per
nit no other manufacturer to uao tho Wilao1
feed, go that the combination may keep up tn
exorbitant pricoH delnanded for sewlng-
We arc informed that the manufacturers cost o.
producing machine Of any Of tie designs
| not over GIL each. Tho cost Of the table Or 10:
ranges from $3.50 to s15. So that any machine
now sold in tho United States for less thai
51O0 rnay be sold at from 1926 to 995, aud affor
4 large profit. The same machines that or
sold in tho United statos at $50, $50, $40, $50
and 800, aro oxpurtod and sold III England IN
} ! in all parts of Germany at from S25 to :35.
It is safe to assume that, by virtue Of this com
bination, these manufacturers do now recoiy
ovor SO, ,Ooo, 900 ayonr for machines in e1ceas c
what they would gat II this "Wl'Hon foed
/ patent was allowed to expire. Thore 1a no pre-
D tonse that these persons lavo not been COZ
ponanted for their Inventions, nnd, in the case
i the Wilson feed, the original inventor never &
. dollar for It, while others arc geaping millior
from tho product Of his brain. all that Coz
gress should 10 in thia matter, is to lot thes
: patents expire, and it necessary take ava
d any discretion In any person In tho Patel
: Office to extenl, reuew, or revive any OF theE
t Certainly, 1t ie time to put stop to any furth
j. monopoly under the "WilRon feed patent.