The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-09-19
PATENTS, AM THE WORKINGS OF TIL
PATENT OFFICE.

PATENTS, AND THE WORKINGS OF THE
PATENT OFFICE.
As every one is interested in the in zen
ton OF labor saving machinery and in the
method of obtaining patents for the same,
a letter descriptive OF the |. 5. Patent
Office and its workings, may prove inter
esting to your readers. As they may be
aware, the Patent Office is a bureau OF the
Interior Department and occupies the
principal part OF the large building de.
voted 10 that department, located midway
between the Capitol and the White
House. The Model Rooms, consisting OF
four spacious halls, each about 270 feet
long. occupy the second floor, and contain
u model OF every patent issued since 1886,
except in cases where the invention could
not be represented by u model. These are
arranged in glass cases, on which are cards
indicating their contents, and are grouped
under AS classes, and suOdiyided for con
v~enience OF reference. The reader need
only consider that about 100, 600 patents
have beer granted, and that about 1900
are now granted annually, TO form some
idea OF the extent OF the Model Rooms,
and of the immense number of models
stored there.
The officers Of The Patent Office COM
prise a commissioner, IN assistant commits
sioner, and q board OF three examiners in
chief, appointed by the President; a chief
clerk, an examiner of interterences, an ex
aminer of labels and trade marks, % prin-
cipal, - first assistant, % second as
sistant, and - third assistant examiners,
a librarian and a machinist. There are
also employed several craftsmen, 4 large
clerical force, consisting mostly Of ladies,
mainly adxilia,J to the examining corps.
and occupied principally in copying,
and a number OF messengers,
Each of the principal examiners has
charge of a class relating to one OF more
kindred subjects. and with the aid al his
three assistants, he examines all applic4-
lions in his class. in the order OF their re-
ceipt, as 10 patentability decides all ques-
tons of law and fact relating thereto.
making such examination into the rec jrdS
OF the Office, and foreign putt cations and
pItents, as may be necessary to enable him
to decide as 70 the novelty ofthe invention.
II he decides in favor OF granting a patent
to the applicant, his decision is final, and
the patent issued upon the payment Of The
second fee. Should he 6etide adversely,
he must state explicitly tn the applicant
the reason OF rejection. The applicant or
his attorney may then amend the claims.
as set forth IN the specification. aud ask
for a re examination. II The second de-
cision is favorable, the patent will issue,
but if adverse, the case is lost, unless APP
peal be taken. by the payment of an ad
ditional tee Oslo, from the decision OF the
principal examiner, to The board OF exam
iners-in-c hiet, whose dgty il is 10 hear ap-
peals from adverse decisions Of the princi-
pal examiners. After reviewing the de
cision they may reverse or confirm ii.
Should the Board decide adversely, appeal
may be taken TO the commissioner in per
son.
When two or more perEons nav claim
TO be the frat inventor Of the same thing,
an Interference is declared and the parties
are heard in support OF their claims as 10
priority of the invention, by the examiner
of intrfferences, from whose decision an
peal may be taken TO the Board, aad from
them to The commissioner. This may hap
pen even after one ofthe claim ants has Oh
tanned a patent, for if the commissioner
concludes that the second claimant has an
equal right. he will grant him q patent
also.
Patents sfe How granted tor seventeen
years, without the privilege Of renewal,
A fee Of Sl5 is required by the government
upon the filing OF an application. and $50
when tho patent is allowed. This final
fee is contingent upon the success of the
application. On filing q caveat a ice of
$40 will be required, and on application
Tor a reissue a fee OF $3l. The iao for a
trade mark varies according 10 the time
for which II Is granted The application
for a'rltept must be made by the Inventor.
but il may be. assigned and issued in the
name OF the assignee.
The application addressed to the com
missioner consists ola petition, ~ eats...
and a s~pecifpaflan, ihs tsisat pansis,ing of
9 iall description % tie Invention. drawing
6f tho model, and the ''claims. In the
petition the applicant states that he be-
iieves himself TO be the original and first
inventor or d~iscoyerer, To lhi, he makes
bath. In the qualification the Invention
or discovery, and the manner and process
oi making and using il must be fuzzy de-
scribed, reference being made hy Ielpr or
figures 10 The different rs.I,s Of the model,
az GsAova ip iae drawing and in the
claims the pirt. Improvement, or com
bination, claimed AS new. must be partic-
ularly specified. that the extent Of The in.
vention may be fixed with accuracy.
A patent may b. obtained by the first
inyentor ar %discoyerer Tor any art. ms
chine. manufacture, composition of nat
ter, or any new and useful improvement
thereof" Principles are not patentable,