Case Name: Matthews v. Boston Machine Co.
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1882-03-27
Citations: 12 F. 221
Docket Number: 
Parties: Matthews v. Boston Machine Co.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter
Volume: 12
Pages: 221–221

Head Matter:
Patent — Reissues—Enlarging Scope of Original,
Matthews v. Boston Machine Co.
Appeal from the circuit court of the United States for the district of Massachusetts. This case was determined on appeal in the supreme court of tho United States on
March 27, 1882.
George Harding and George L. Roberts, for appellants.
Gausten Browne, for appellees.

Opinion:
Mr. Justice Bradley
delivered the opinion of the court affirming the decree of
the circuit court.
Where complainants, in their reissue, split up and divided the elements of their invention, and claimed them separably and not in combination, it is an enlargement of the scope of their patent; and where no one could infringe the original patent unless he uses all the elements of the combination, and any one will infringe tho reissue who uses any of the elements which, in the reissue, are separably claimed, such reissue is void. Where there is a wide departure from the original invention, and not only for a broader claim made many years after the original was granted, but for a different invention, the reissue cannot be sustained.