Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-05
WORLDS PATENT LAW
Regulations Of Sixteen leading Ma
tions.
INFORMATION FORT FHE3 INVENTOR
Advantage Taken Of the Unwary te
Obtain, Fees
HOW PRACTICES DIFFER

The Patent Office Gazette will shortly
contain a summary of the patent laws of
sixteen of the lea ding nations of the world.
The dissemination of this informa ton IT is
thought, will do much to prevent inventors
from wasting money upon foreign patents.
when they are useless. or issued under such
conditions that inventors would not care
fer them if they knew the real facts con-
corning them.
Investigations carried on by the United
States patent Office during the past year
have developed the fact that many. invent
ors are misled by attorneys, and persuad-
ed to take out patents in foreign countries
Only to discover, after they have parted
" III their money, that their patents have
10 real value. In many countries patent
| is merely registration, the courts being
depended upon to establish priority of in
vertion If the question is ever raised
| large number of attorneys, it is said send
cut circulars every week to all the invent
cTs who are granted patents here, suggest
ing the ACCESSIBILITY of having their inyen-
tons protected abroad. Nothing is said in
most CT these circulars about the fact that
unless the application fer patent abroad is
tiled before the publication of the United
States patent reaches the foreign offices it
will be useless when granted. In some conn
tries patents are taxed, and unless this tax
is paid promptly the patent lapses but it
frequently happens that the inventor knows
nothing of this condition, to his great in
jury.
The summary of patent laws of foreign
nations to be published here is taken from
La Propriete Industrielle. the official organ
of the international bureau for the pro-
lection of industrial property. The publi-
cation embraces the patent laws of Aus
tria, Belgium. BrsIH. Denmark, France
Germany, Great E1tain, Hungary Italy,
Norway, Portugal Russia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and Tunis.
Austria and Belgium.
In Austria the following inventions are
not given the protection of a patent:
Inventions whose object or use is con-
trary to the laws, immoral or Injurious to
health or that tend evidently to lead the
public into error; scientific theories or prin-
ciples as such; inventions whose object is
reserved to the monopoly of the state and
inventions bearing food products and
objects of consumption for the human race
medicines and disinfectants, products OBJ
tanned by chemical means, in so far as the
Inventions mentioned do not relate to a
determined technical process.
A patent is given for fifteen years except
in certain case. In order to keep the pat
ent alive an annual tax. ranging from 20
to $40 forms. is provided for an increased
tax being provided as the age of the in
NShtioil dHCtS "A mOuol is not neceS-
sary except it is necessary in describing
the invention
In Belgium the life Of a patent granted
on an entirely new Invention is twenty
years, while patent on an Improvement
on an invention runs during the life of the
original invention. 2 ~
brazil and Denmark.
In Brazil patents are taxed annually. the
tax Increasing during the fifteen years for
which they are granted, Patents are grant
ed without preliminary examination, ex-
cept as relates to food products, chemicals
or drugs. In such case the government
orders a preliminary secret examination.
In case of rejection the applicant may ad-
dress an appeal to the council of state.
Among inventions not patentable in Dem
mark are those relating to medicines food
compounds and beverages and those bear
Ing on processes for manufacturing food.
There is also an annual tax on all pat
ents, and unless it is paid the patent
lapSeS.
France und England.
The French government does not grant
patents on pharmaceutical compositions or
remedies of any kind nor on plans and
combinations Of credit or finance. Patents
are granted for fifteen years and a tax of
100 francs year is levied on all patents.
Patents are not given inventions the
use of which would be contrary to the
objects of consumption and medicines, as
we'll as materials obtained by chemical
means, In so Tar as these inventions do not
relate to the process of manufacture. A
tax of thirty marks is levied on all pat
ents during the first year with an increased
tax during each of the fifteen years of the
lie OF the patent, this tax growing an
nually by the addition Of fifty marks, max
Ing 1t 100 marks in the fifteenth year.
In Great Britain a patent is given for
fourteen years There is an annual tax,
five pounds in the fifth year and increas-
ing one pound year during the life OF
the patent.
Other Countries.
In Hungary no patent is granted relat-
ing to objects necessary for the develop
ment of the force of the army or the navy
II the minister of commerce opposes the
granting of the patent, bearing upon theor-
les and scientific theories as such, or for
food products and medicines, though the
process OF manufacture of these products
Is patentable. Fifteen years Is the life
or the patent, the annual tax increasing
yearly from 40 to 800 crowns.
Medicines are not patentable in Italy.
Fifteen years is the period during which
patent runs, and there is an annual tax.
An invention regarded as contrary to
public morals is generally not patentable,
and In most countries patents of improve
ments on existing inventions continue dur
ing the life of the inventions. Models are
not required unless specially necessary for
proper understanding of the invention.
The United States patent office advises in
Ventors not to attempt to take out their
own patents but to employ a competent
attorney in orcer that their papers may be
drawn In such form as to give them the
maximum OF protection for their inven-