South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-02
Inventions PropeI the Worlds Progress

IL would be against public policy 70
hold the same as belonging 70 his en-
ployer and any contract calling FOR
his ASSIGNING all inventions made by
him" would be held invalid unles II
included suitable cOmpensations for
inventions outside OF his line OF en-
pigment.
Many OF the business handicaps due
10 the carrying OF ideas 10 other es-
tahliShments by former employees
might have been avoided by more
shTewdly drawn contracts with these
employees. On the other hand. many
an employee has been bluffed out OF
MS rights. or has let them lapse. by
misunderstanding the laws regarding
the same. Generally speaking, only
experienced patent attorneys know
how to draw valid contracts or inter-
pref existing contracts covering such
matters Indeed. surprisingly large
proportion Of the contracts drawn by
those engaged in general law practice
are faulty although often accepted as
valid by all concerned until some i'm
portant issue is raised.
In all involved questions the law Is
the same regardless Of whether the
employer is an individual a firm or
corporation, a municinalitv or state
States: with the exception that gov
eminent employees may obtain pat
ents without the payment Of govern
ment fees If they relate To certain
classes of inventions and are 10 be
used free Of royalties by the govern
ment and its employees. SO. also. IL
does not matter whether the inventor
is man or woman. whether he or she
is of age, nor whether native or for
eign born. The rights are the same
In each case, though some OF the
formalities involved in legal docu-
ments will vary slightly.
RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEES.
The same rules to the relations be-
tween employers and employees also
apply TO principal and assistant even
when they are fellow employees, as in
the case of "A foreman and those work
ing under him. Hence. the foreman
who outlines an original idea OF a
means for accomplishing a certain re-
suit explaining the same with suffi-
cient detail 20 enable an employee TO
put the idea into practice. is entitled
to the Improvements made by the en-
plOyee in working out that idea and
may include these under his own pat
ent. Thus, the practice OF having a
foreman take out patents covering not
only his own inventions but also the
accessory details as worked out by the
men under him, Is justified whenever
the foreman can show that he set the
employees al the task or developing
an idea Of his own. Consequently.
such of the patent rights of employees
as relate to inventions made by them
under the immediate direction and in
spiration OF a superior may be con-
trOlled by contract between the lat
ter and hts employer.
However neither a foreman aor
anyone else has a right to any inven-
ton made by an inferior. or BY a fell
low employee, while not working
along lines suggested by the former.
II the foreman or employer applies
for a patent on the invention in such
q case. ii devOlves upon the actual
inventor to file an APPLICATION So that
the patent Office may decide In his
favor. This he must do with reason
able diligence. otherwise his apparent
acquiescence in the matter viii cause
him 10 forfeit his rights. If in such a
case devices are marked Patent Az
piled For" with the knowledge Of the
employee and without any protest on
the part Of the latter. the presumpti n
is that the invention does not belong
to him.
My Dear Friend Inventor;
You know Just as well as ] know.
that it is easy to get patent. but il il
percent Of the granted patents are ly-
ing in drawers or safes. covered with
dust. for many years. and have never
been on the market Many OF the
said patents are valuable 20 the in
VentOr and at the same time 10 the
people: but the fault lies in the fact
that the inventor has not the capital
required 10 put the said invention on
the market
In many cases the inventor is afraid
TO ask the help required TO put II on
the market. because he thinks his
benefactor will cheat him out Of his
invention
All these and other causes are over
come by presenting your patent.
either for selling or securing. TO THE
International Patent Soliciting Offica.
MAIN KEY.
II you have an invention. and You
give il 10 rs 10 secure Patent on
same. the said invention is advertised
by us thereby getting people interest
ed, and when the Patent is issued the
buyer is on hand.
We do not want to give more de-
tails in this line After reading this
page carefully and thoroughly YOU
viii see that we know ~ur business
and we are able TO protect your rights
i'm every way.
Now it is up 10 YOU as TO what you
are going 10 do with your invention.
II the inventor takes his invention
to people who are not familiar with
the up-to-date mechanisms and up
tO-date Patent Laws. which change
very often. the inventor is on the
wrong track. II your invention IS N
a good Mechanical Engineers hands.
he viii improve those parts in your
invention which YOU may have over
looked
The soul IF q good invention is a
good clear drawing and a very COM
pIete and clear description. II your
representative is not familiar with all
the mechanical parts required in your
invention. your invention is very
weakly protected In one word. he
must possess good mechanical ability.