Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14
PATENT CONVENTIONS,
Tho First One Held in 1843 and the Good
Results That Followed.

Results That Followed.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The convention Of inventors. and others in
terested in patents Of the United States, to be
held next month in Washington city, will not
he the first OF its kind in this country. In Oc-
tober, 1916, similar convention was held in
New York city, and the proceedings we're car
ried on in great spirit and enthusiasm. 1t ap-
pointed an executive committee, of which
Charles NJ. Keller of Washington was chairman.
The particular duties of this committee as
outlined by the convention, were to prepare a
memorial to be presented to Congress, in
which the views of the convention were to be
set forth, pointing out the defects in the exist
ing laws OF patents and the beneficial effects
anticipated from the proposed change. The
second annual meeting of this convention was
held in Philadelphia in October, 1916. and the
third annual meeting In Boston in September
iS41; Among the points urged upon Congress
by the executive committee of the convention
was the necessity Of increasing the salaries of
the examiners. They very forcibly argued
that If the government expected to retain COM
petent persons in the Office in that capacity the
salaries must be made adequate to the abilities
required: that the inventors themselves paid
for this work; that they asked the increase in
salaries. and, as matter of simple Justice
Congress should grant their request. Fifteen
years later the request was granted.
tions and to briefly show from their proceed
ings that they worked on lines similar to some
OF the lines OF work proposed to be done in the
approaching convention. but when wrote the
name OF Charles M. Keller it reminded me of
the part he is said to have taken in framing the
patent act OF 1836-the act which marked a re-
birth OF the patent system in this country. Mr..
Kellers father was appointed by President John
Quincy Adams to have charge of the models in
the patent office and in 1929, on his death Young
Keller Riven ha
story begins. In 1894 Mr., Pickett succeeded
DIR. Craig as superintendent of the Office The
patent law Of 1898 was then in force and the
practice OF the Office was to issue patent with.
out making an examination as to the patent
ability OF the invention. This practice seemed
to Mr. Keller to be q violation Of the words and
spirit OF the law, as it declared that the patent
should be issued only for ''any new
s sested 's to- Mr. Pickett ds ' tSa. he 'sg
animation of the merits of the applications
should be made. The knowledge of Inventions
by this time acquired by Keller from his posi-
ton In the model room induced Pickett to as
sign the new duty Of determining novelty, &C.,
upon Keller. In 1885 Henry L. Ellsworth be-
came superintendent. BY this time Keller's
ideas had still further advanced, and he shortly
submitted for Mr.. Ellsworth's consideration
not only plan for recognizing the Office, but
also a project of law. Ellsworth's compre-
hensive mind readily saw the benefits of the
plan and the law, and he took hold Of the mat
ter Immediately with zeal and intelligence
AT this time Hon. John Ruggles was in thu
Senate. He was greatly interested in patent
matters. &C., and to him Mr.. Ellsworth sub
mitted kellers idea, and the three worked to-
gether on them. Mr.. Ruggles subsequently
moved for the appointment OF q select COM
mittee to report on the condition Of the patent
office: This committee made report through
its chairman, Mr.. Ruggles, and at the same
time submitted q BILL which, as amended. be-
came the patent act Of 1886. In the personal
intercourse and interchange OF opinions be-
tween Ruggles and Keller, incident to formulas
ing this bill, Keller got his first lessons in the
science OF the law. After the passage Of the
act he was appointed to the first and only en-
auiinership under it. In May, 1845 he RESIGNED
his position to practice in patent law. and he
became in time to be among the foremost nat
ent advocates in the country.
got this story substantially from letter
published in the Scientific Amerfcan in 1859 Mr..
Keller was then practicing law in New York
city and must have read the letter; moreover.
Its writer was In that city when he wrote Il and
had been client Of his. Besides, from the
style OF the letter, believe that Il Mr. Keller
did not himself inspire il he q least furnished
the facts. In the absence OF any other cyi-
dence bearing on the matter il would seem 10
be proper to cohclude that Il sets forth the
true account OF the Inception Of the lew Of 1885
L. H. c.
Before W we're married" said she. sshis
displays Of Affection we're positively overdone" |
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