New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-03
MEANS A BIG SAVING.
ELECTRIC PATENT COMBINE OF MUCH
BENEFIT.
wrsrrxcuor,sE AND GENERAL ELECTRIC COM
PANIEs-Now IN CONTROL OF POWER FIELD
IN THE CoUNTRY-ELECTRICITY HAS
PASSED THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OF Il"
ROADS IN PROSPECT.

ward Of 900 suits brought by the General Electric ana
Westinghouse companies against each o'her anu
their customers has created favorable impression
as to the future policy of the companies resarui"s
patent matters and indicating the immense saving
10 them which will be effected by the exchange OF
licenses under their respective patents Out OF the
300 suits pending. less than a score had come 10
final hearing. and the cost In these cases was ehor
nous II have taken the testimony and brought 10 u
hearing all of the suits which have been discontinued
could easily have exhausted the resources OF ooth
companies.
1t is true that In the matter OF the trolley patents
the General Electric Company was successful IN the
two suits which came TO final hearing. ana that
company has already been granted numoer OF IN
functions restraining various manufacturers from
further infringement OF the patents In question: ana
numerous other important suits with motions for In
functions pending against various other IN
fringers.
The ARA ngement between the two companies for
the exchange OF licenses Of made II necessary
TO discontinue all of the suits referred to- FOR they
would have been looked upon cousve, and the re-
suits obtained at a final hearing would nave mad no
value In stopping other infringers. To reach the
numerous nfringers OF the multitude Of patents
owned by the two companies will require new suits.
and. II report be true the manufacturing nfringers
and their agents will be proceeded against rathei
than the users of the apparatus.
inventions have only a nominal value has arisen
from the fact that the General Electric Company
its business, though the most determined efforts
were made in that direction. 80 bitter was the
fight over patents between these companies
that neither had the time inclination TO under
take to enforce its rights against the scores of
smaller infrngers; in fact. whenever a suit was
brought by either OF the big companies against any
other party the other big company would undertake
OF an unfavorable decision. and in this way all of
smaller nfringers had the best possible patent
and limos n irelN x
pense.
tanned In proportion the suits which have come
to a final hearing is such az to indicate that large
nercentage ~ the important electrical patents will
finally be sustained. In the of these two great
companies they 10th owned so many patents OF
Importance that either could make defence against
tho oiher-whch cannot easily be done by any other
parties I'm existence. The General Electric Company
became the possessor OF all Of the patents taken out
In the interest OF tho Edison Brush Thomson
Houston. Nandepoel and other companies, whiie
the Westinghouse company required those which
had been gathered together by the United states
Electric Lighting Company. the Consolidated ana
SAWYER Man companies and the Waterhouse, Iesia
and other companies and Il IL said the patents OF
the two big companies cover about four thousand
inv ntOns
greatly changed by the agreement between the
General Electric and Westinghouse compan,es 10
hereafter work their patent interests In harmony
and It is not hard to prophesy taat .nspe W." ,bs
purchaser. and users OF apparatus ana by inlrirs
me manufacturers and more particularly since the
,wo grest companies have determined upon tho
policy Of nsurinR the purchasers or thelr aPpaidtus
against loss. damage or ANNOYANCE arising a.o ~
such value that no customer can anori 70 ignore Il"
There Is an unusual discussion going on at pres,
eni among the vast number OF inanu'ast ieis W.
electrical DEVICES as 10 the possible erect upon
,he,r Enterprises OF this arrangement between the
/ General Electric and Westinghouse companies WIN
~. Manufacturers large or small. who does no,
realize that MS freedom from patent litgatoh,
due 10 the Aght heretofore waged between me TWO
great c5mpanie. IS at an end Hundreds OF people
have been tempted 10 10 into the eiecUir may
featuring business on tho assumption t Una, INC
patent claims covering the apparatus they Pre-
posed to nanufacture woui , never h,vr bm tti" ex
pens" IN engne"r'ns and patent , 'natee.s' anu
The most disturbing f"aure 10 IN. SINAI Ins'u ",
fartur.rs is the TACT that tho patent strength OF
was such that they were obliged 20 arrange their
tifrerenceA because II finally became evident that
number %, ,n.cs against the other. or. IN other
words that tho patents 81 ne Two cpnpan,I, mao 40
the courts IT, - large number OF cases IN such
manner ne - involve themselves and an otner
Manufacturers and users IN serious consequences
II 81 reported on very good AUTHORITY tnat nu t
on. inrrlnsers are already s'-knS some adjust
fn.ei ,or their past 'nfringcments ana some ar
iansem-nt far the future.
IN addition TO the difficulties arising from the
N.thirAwM o. thc patent protection ~n,n I'm ne
panics infringing manufacturers are conrronted
with more serious situation which ~ NE I'D
,-al ara far-sshtcl policy on the part OF the two
Great clu ems toward all purchasers and users
-, electrical apparatus How tho small manu-
- he General Electric and Westinghouse com
panie r boy INK san give any sns H n an ,nkng
mo risk o, patent suits Is Of the most serious
things to be- sufmountel.
In connection with this matter 81 electrical pat
,.islou against the construction OF underground rail-
ways IN Ncw-York viii make necessary the almost
electricity the managers Of that property have
studied That problem for years. ana have. on a the
OH. adj off
action. pending the results OF the daily working
- ihe app"na,us %" and ne Hartfori raroads and the
eleya,el roads IN Chicag3 ana tne RsrirwStlng OF
house people have completed two Tesla motors OF
The Kind required for the elevated railroad work
a,~ rosneci 20 the direct current apparatus
train OF cars VIII be n,ted and tested IN the very
syvania road running past the works OF the West
ingSouse COMPANY yo,a will, IN a. probability be
obliged to make largo extension to It's system
% sS and viii 'n nscs.:a EsSs am
equipment, costing some millions Of dollars
Electric nrpf and Westinghouse companies there were
difficulties which stood In the way OF the offering OF
n best sspse AoT that 30 o %n
win cooperate. not only In respect to patents. but
Ts Tssc' ana tho roads viii be great
galncrs by the delay which has occurred.
Another matte. Which ,,m. nis ter 70 con
sasr at as ss nS sssm
New-York This Is something which has been
looked for by many electricians, Tor II Is claimed
an underground electric conduit system, unless the
maj the managers OF the surface roads In Now-
York have been. considering what Is known as The
CLOSED conduit system or the type manufactured
by the Westinghouse company. There are already
several notifications Of this system in successful
| operaton in various places one In Washington
has been operated successfully FOR nearly
There & another piece on Thirty fourth-st.. Now
York and quito a large experimental section In
Philadelphia while the Westinghouse company has
about three ana half miles at its works AT East
pittsburg The OF the closed conduit system
il less than half Of The open slot system With It
M least $50 volts be carried, and IL operates
successfully and satisfactorily at all times
If the Metropolitan company has In view tho
use OF compressed air, as has been reported. they
will first have to run Il through winter to deter
mine It's value. for. during the winter the power
..Ia. q