The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-19
A DAMAGE
SUIT FOR
S5O,OOO,OoO
S. +. Van Choats Begins Ac.
tlon Against General Electric
Co. for Alleged Infringement

Boston, June 19.-Financial interests
back Of 8. F. Van Choate. who was at the
mead Of the Van Choate Electric company
when 1t failed several years ago, entered
suit today In the United States circuit
court against the General Electric COM
pany for the alleged infringement OF pa
tents. The plaintiffs set the damage at
$50, ,000. 900 and the defendants property
in Essex county has been attached.
Mr.. Van Choate is the inventor or
several electrical machines and he al
leges the infringement OF the following
inventions: The multipoar dynamo. or
generator and multipolar motor; the con-
trolling OF electrical motors and electric
cars by variable resistance; the enclosing
OF electrical motors in a metallic casing.
He asserts that the alleged infringements
by the General Electric company have
been OF long standing and that he has
never received any consideration for the
right TO manufacture and use what ne
says are his inventions.
The printed reports OF the General
Electric company show that the total
receipts of business during the 10 or IL
years OF the alleged infringement OF tho
inventions have exceeded 100000 600. ana
II Is asserted that at least one-hah OF the
receipts were derived from the use ana
sale OF the Van Choate inventions
ARE GREAT FARMERS.
It Is asserted by those interested In
| the suit that the inventions are the great
| est money earners In the entire electrician
field. and that they are the foundation
| Of all commercial industries In the world
today. The plaintiffs charge that before
| the General Electric company began the
| manufacture and sale of the inventions
| its receipts did not exceed $1,000,000
year. but since the use and manufacture
| OF the inventions its receipts have been
| at least So, 000. 900 yearly.
Mr. Van Choate asserts that the Gen.
| eral Electric company and every elec-
trio railway company In the united
| States today that was In operation be-
fore Oct 16. 1900 have infringed upon
| his inventions by the use In their sta
| tions of large multipolars for producing
| electrical currents and by the use OK
| controlling switch on the platform OF every
car for varying the resistance OF tne
electrical current through. or In the COILS
| OF. the motors. He says that tnere Is no
device they were using up TO that time
| that can antedate or overlay his inven-
| ton for the control of electric cars ana
motors by variable resistance. All sys.
tens OF throwing In and out or CIRCUIT
coils Of wire and every other form OF
control are simply variations. he says IN
the plan Of changing or varying the re-
sistance All this. Mr.. Van Choate says
is covered by his patents.
BACKED BY SYNDICATE.
| Mr.. Van Choate says that q. syndicate
| has taken up his affairs, ana tnat INC
! suit will be carried to a finish. he says
| that the multipolar generator ana .no'v. a.,
| Is now in practical and extensive use IN
| all civilized countries He asserts tnat ~
| Is noted for its simplicity, durabiiity anu
efficiency, and that II is the pest gen
orator for producing alternating cui'o"'s
| md for ell SnaQd
The plaintiffs assert that IL Is utterly
| impossible for anyone to produce gem
| orator or motor by forming ring or
magnetic metal with poles and coils pro
! jecting inward and practically integrs!.
with the rim or ring and producing
magnets around its internal periphery
without infringing his invention and pa
| tent These are the fundamental tea-
lures OF his invention. Mr.. Van Choate
asserts.
DEFENDANT NOT DISTURBED.
The General Electric company OFFICIALS
do not take the suit seriously. direc.
| tor said Yesterday: 1--WE are not at all
disturbed by the suit. and | personally
am satisfied that the company would not
! have been manufacturing the appliances
named for all these years. IL II had not
| contention is made that Mr.. Van
| Choate notified the company In 1891 or
the alleged infringement of patents.
Mr. Van Choate was formerly president
which built plant at Foxboro. and was
capitalized under the laws OF the state
| OF Maine at S6000.000 of which 10000
was I'm preferred stock. The concern
went into the hands of a receiver on Jan.
20, 1900, and the plant. the original cost
of which was in the neighborhood OF
900 600. was sold to satisfy a claim OF the
i Attleboro Savings bank for $500.