National Republican., 1883-09-11
THE COURTS.
An Injunction Against the United States
Electric Light Company Asked For
Other Legal Business Transacted.
AN ELECTRIC LIGHT SUIT.

other Legal business transacted.
AN ELECTRIC LIGHT SUIT.
A suit for injunction, discovery, and ac-
count was filed by the Consolidated Electric
Light company, of New York, by their attor-
neys, Messrs. Hunton and Chandler, yester-
day, against tho United States Electric Light
company, of this city. The bill sets forth
that the consolidated company was organized
under the laws of the state Of New York by
an act passed Feb. IL 1S4S, and several acts
supplemental thereto, and that the defend
ant was incorporated under the laws Of the
state of Virginia on Oct II, 49,.
The orator complains that before the first
day of May, 1878, William Edward Sawyer, of
lyn, n. Y, were the first, original, and joint
inventors of a certain electrical lighting sys-
tenn, and also for the purpose of periecting
the system and as adjuncts to be used in con-
nection Herewith and making part thereof
before May /, 1873, were the first, original,
and joint inventors of improvements in regu-
lators for electric lights improvements in
electric lamps, improvements in the treat
ment of carbons for electric lighting, and also
an improved carbon for electric lighting. In
all cases one or more of these inventions were
intended to make part of the first mentioned
electric lighting system. Upon application
and after examination, letters patent were
issued to these parties. dating between June
25, 1873, and June 30, 1881, which granted to
Sawyer & Mann, their heirs and assigns, for
seventeen years, the sole and exclusive right
to make and vend each of the inven-
tions in all the states and territories By
certain instruments in writing, dated July
Is, 1873 Oct. IA, 1873, Nov. g. 1873, Feb 3,
1879, and April 8, 1881, Sawyer & Mann as
signed to the Electro Dynamic Light COM
pany, of New York, the whole of the letters
patent. 1t was discovered that the letters
patent for the invention of the electric light
ing system, dated June 25, 1873 were in
operative by reason of a defective and INSULT
cent specification and by reason of the
patentee claiming as their own invention or
discovery more than they had right to
claim as new, and which error, it is said,
arose through accident and without any
fraudulent intent, and thereupon Sawyer &
Mann, with the consent of the Electro
Dynamic Light company and its assignee,
the Eastern Electric Manufacturing company,
on May ID, 1881, surrendered the letters
patent to the commissioner of patents and
applied for new ones on an amended specih-
cation, which were granted to the Electro
Dynamic Light company as tho assignee of
Sawyer & Mann, dated June g. 1889. BY the
reissue the company claims that there was
granted to it, or its successor from Juno 25
1873, seventeen years exclusive right TO the
invention in this country.
The title to the letters patent were con-
company, of Middletown, Conn.,, on the sixth
o. April, 1881, who, on Sept. 80, 1882 trans
fsrred the same to the complainant. The
orator claims to be the sole owner of the let
tiers patent that ii has expended large sums
of money in the purchase of and perfecting
TIL inventions TO introduce the same in public
use that they are of great public utility, and
but for the Infringement the complainant
would be in peaceable possession of the patents
and enjoying the income to be derived there
from. 1t is charged that the defendant, hav-
ing notice of all these letters patent, and
without the license of the orator, against his
will. and in violation of his rights, has made,
sold, and used, and Is now making and sell
ing, the patent invention of the Electric
Lighting System, and is now infringing the
patent in this district; also, that the defend
aut is infringing on the inventions for
regulator for electric lights, electric lamps,
improvement in the treatment of carbons
for electric lighting, and improved carbon for
electric lighting.
1t is charged that the defendants have had
notice of the infringement; have conspired
with tho intention to iniure the orator, and
denied that Sawyer 4 Mann were the original
Inventors, or that they had any right to
letters patent, and this has been done to
delay the complainant 1t is believed, from