New-York tribune., 1897-01-31
ROYALTY on ELECTRIC LIGHT LAMPS.
SMALLER CONCERNS MUST PAY IT 10 THE
WESTINGHOUSE COMPANY or GO


SMALLER CONCERNS MUST PAY IT 10 THE
WESTINGHOUSE COMPANY or GO
Law
number Of companies engaged In the manu-
facture of incandescent electric light lamps have
been confronted recently with .hc necessity Of
making a choice between lawsuits and the pay
ment Of royalties to the Westinghouse company.
Some months ago there was an exchange Of patents
between the Westingh house and the General Elec-
trio companies by which the former obtained con-
troll Of the patents covering the use Of cellul .
faments in sealed glass globes for electric light
ing. and covering the treatment Of other flaments
in use. AS a result Of the exchange Of interests
the Westinghouse company has Issued licenses to
other companies. upon contracts, by which the
companies arc bound to pay royalties for the use
OF the patents In the manufacture OF the incan-
descent electric light lamps.
About % per cent OF the lamps manufactured are
turned out by ten companies. but there are some
thirty smaller concerns which went into the busi-
ness after the Edison patent on the flament ex-
pired. and some of them have supposed that there
was no patent in existence which prevented them
from carrying on the manufacture without trouble
Some Of them have not yet agreed to pay the
ROYALTIES demanded. Representatives Of the Wes.-
nghouse company have denied report that the
contracts with other companies prevented any cut
ting In the prices Of the electric lamps or globes
The prIce has been as low as /, cents a lamp, but
attorney of the Westinghouse company yesterday
made the following statement TO Tribune re-
porter:
The Edison patent. which was sustained by the
courts ami was claimed to cover broadly the In
candescent lamp expired two or three years ago
The Sawyer-Man patent. for which a similar claim
was made was declared invalid by the courts.
These were the two most important patents affect
ing the ncandescent lamp industry. and the htiga-
ton regarding incandescent lamp patents was un-
IN lately mainly confined 10 these two patents ,
The Westinghouse company owns a considerable
number of patents covering various features OF in
candcscent lamps. and also processes and ap-
neratus used In the manufacture Of incandescent
amps One Of these patents covers cellulose Ma
ments which are very widely used Another
covers the treatment OF fbrous hlaments. and
Others cover other important and In some respects
essential features Of the incandeSceni lamp
Now that the lamp litigation. which formerly
absorbed so much money and attention. Is az an
end the Westinghouse company Is In a position
to give attention to the enforcement OF its other
natents H. however, has pursued the policy or
rranting to other lamp manufacturers licenses un.
Der these patents at moderate rates. and most OF
The princpal lamp companies have taken such
icsrses and arc now paying moderate royalty
m the Westinghouse company. There OF course
20 n no no litigation regarding these patents with
The holders Of licenses but the patents VIII have
70 he enforced by suits against such manufacturers
ae do not hold licenses.