Evening star., 1924-02-02
HOUSE RAISES SUM
.f0RPA1ENT OFFICE
Goes Above Budget Figures
in Order to Relieve Con-
gestion in Work.

The situation in the United States
patent ONCE. which has resulted in
long delay in passing upon patent ap-
piications. and thereby putting the
brakes on the wheels of industry
throughout the country and which
was emphasized in the annual report
of the commissioner of patents, has
been relieved in the Interior Depart
ment appropriation bill, which has
just passed the House
The appropriations committee went
above the budget bureau figures TO
provide relief for the patent office
and made funds Immediately avail
able so that the accumulation of work
can be cleaned UP in about two years.
This was confirmed today by Repre-
sentative Louis c. Cramton of Mich
iean, chairman of the subcommittee.
WI ~nicn grated the appropriation bill
in the House.
One hundred additional temporary
patent examiners are provided for,
which Is about all that the commits
sioner OF patents felt could work ef-
f1ctent1y at this time. representative
Cramton let 1t be known that he and
his committee think that Thomas L.
Robertson. the commissioner Of pat
ents, is doing "a great job" and that
the examiners are very faithful and
better spirit Of cooperation be-
tween the working force Of the patent
developed.
New Stock Provided.
Two items were put In the bill. one
providing $4,000 for d temporary
roll to be used in the redistribution
of about 100000 copies of printed
patents. This accumulation has been
piling up for years and it had been
generally understood that it would
cost more to sort them over and file
them than to have new copies printed.
Commissioner Robertson, however,
after a practical experiment advised
cents a copy to have them printed
and that he could have them re-
distributed for about half cent a
copy.
steel stacks. in which these copies OF
patents are TO be filed. These steel
stacks replace wooden sticks that
have been declared u dangerous fire
hazard and they will make an actual
saving of $4,000 square feet of floor
space.
Representative Cramton also calls
attention to the convenience which
Commissioner Robertson is installing
for the public which has access to the
being Installed on the ground floor
at the 9th street side of the building,
which will be kept open evenings.
This will relieve those desiring TO
being forced to climb TO the top
floor OF the building. Commissioner
Robertson is also bringing his 40
cent store" which is room where
the copies OF the patents are sold
for 10 cents. down to the ground floor.
Appeals Work Catching Up.
Representative Cramton. has put
the Congressional Record correspond
making constructive recommends
tions regarding the patent office and
letters from Commissioner Robert
son showing what improvements have
already been made in expediting
work at the patent Office.
Regarding the appellate work, Com
missioner Robinson says: "A year
ago our board of appeals was almost
a year behind in rendering their de
cisions after patent cases had been
orally argued. One month ago the
eldest case that was awaiting de-
cision after hearing was two months
ana twenty days, ana tHere were very
few that old. So far as the appellate
work in the office of the commissioner
and the two assistant commissioners
is concerned on the first day OF this
year there was. only one ease which
hearing longer than four weeks. This
is almost a phenomenal showing for
this Office. Certainly when it is conf
pared with the courts. and you will
recall that our decisions are reviewed
nv YhA r0nrt Of aHnealS of the Dis
frict, the comparison is most favor
able to the patent office"