Legal Document

333 U.S. 127 68 Supreme Court Reporter 440 92 L.Ed. 588 FUNK BROS. SEED CO.v.KALO INOCULANT CO. Number 280. Jan. 13, 1948. Decided Feb. 16, Mr. or Haw. Hawai‘i Reports KFH45 A2 Atlantic Toulmin, Jr., of Dayton, Ohio, for petitioner. Judge Bernhard Thiess, Chicago, Ill., respondent. Justice DOUGLAS delivered the opinion Court. 1 This is a patent infringement suit brought by The charge limited to certain product claims1 Patent 2,200,532 issued Bond on May 14, 1940. Petitioner filed counterclaim asking declaratory judgment that entire be adjudged invalid.2 District held claims invalid want invention and dismissed complaint. It also counterclaim. Both parties appealed. Circuit Appeals reversed, holding were valid infringed should not have been dismissed. 7 Cir., 161 Federal Reporter, 2nd Series 981. question validity only presented this petition certiorari. 2 Through some mysterious process leguminous plants are able take nitrogen from air fix it in plant conversion organic nitrogenous compounds. ability these depends presence bacteria genus Rhizobium which infect roots form nodules them. These root-nodule fall into at least six species. No one species will all plants. But each well-defined groups those plants.3 Each made up distinct strains vary efficiency. Methods selecting strong producing bacterial culture them long known. produced laboratory methods placed powder liquid base packaged sale use agriculturists inoculation seeds has well 3 was general practice, prior patent, manufacture sell inoculants containing bacteria. inoculant could therefore used successfully particular cross-inoculation group corresponding Thus if farmer had crops clover, alfalfa, soy beans he would three separate inoculants.4 There few mixed cultures field legumes. they proved generally unsatisfactory because different Rhizobia an inhibitory effect other when common base, with result their efficiency reduced. Hence d assumed mutually inhibitive. discovered there do exert inhibitive other. He ascertained non-inhibitive can, selection testing, isolated cultures. provided capable inoculating belonging several groups. disclose valid. 4 We whether testing patentable. here claims. does create state inhibition non-inhibition Their qualities work nature. Those course For patents cannot issue discovery phenomena See Le Roy versus Tatham, 14 How. 156, 175, 367. bacteria, like heat sun, electricity, metals, part storehouse knowledge men. They manifestations laws nature, free men reserved exclusively none. who discovers hitherto unknown phenomenon nature no claim monopoly law recognizes. If such discovery, must come application new useful end. Telephone Cases, 126 1, 532, 533, 8 778, 780, 781, 31 863; De Forest Radio company General Electric Co., 283 664, 684, 685, 51 563, 568, 569, 75 1339; Mackay & Tel. Corp., 306 86, 94, 59 427, 431, 83 506; Cameron Septic Tank Saratoga Springs, 159 KF105 F3 453, 462, 463. thought did much more than discover since composition noninhibitive contributed utility economy distribution commercial inoculants. we think aggregation fell short within meaning statutes. 5 Discovery fact can without harmful properties either non-inhibition. handiwork hence select newly-discovered natural principle. however ingenious principle may been, hardly advance packaging contained package infects same always infected. acquires use. combination produces change enlargement range utility. had. perform way. improve any way functioning. serve ends originally act quite independently effort patentee. 6 is, course, advantage combination. need buy packages crops. his And, as respondent says, hold advantages dealers manufacturers reducing inventory problems like. patented; satisfy requirements discovery. Cuno Engineering corner Automatic Devices 314 84, 90, 91, 62 37, 40, 41, 86 58, cases cited; 35 United States Code KF62 § 31, Annotated KF65 U5 R.S. 4886. problem important advance. once nature's secret quality discovered, art production simple step. Even though skill, certainly invention. call unless borrowed itself. That say, thus safely so allowing ancient secrets now disclosed. All remains, therefore, themselves. enough. Since conclude statutes, consider statutory 4886 satisfied. Reversed. 9 FRANKFURTER, concurring. 10 My understanding Bond's contribution attempts, presumably applicable two kinds legumes time prepared, but met indifferent success. reasons failure understood, authorities concluded pure alone reliable mixtures ineffective due mutual combined might special lacked inhibition, events compatible. Using techniques previously developed test promoting introgen fixation various strains, tested strains. confirmed notion compatible finding gave good legumes, while incompatible. 11 correct analysis endeavors originality involved: (1) idea (2) experimental demonstration Insofar court below mixture patentable, N Dec. Immigration Nationality Decisions agree, property results combination, identifiable adequately identified. find satisfies requirements. secured compatibility identified compatibility. 12 Unless misconceive record, makes Funk Brothers found appears originator practically demonstrated exist, everyone else forbidden identical combinations selected together. that, understand it, which, valid, infringed. 13 defined 'cover composite included plurality bactr ia genus, carried conventional base.' 981, 983. phrase 'the cover culture' mean 'a 'any culture.' seems me proceeded assumption devised patented Bond, then applies arrived deletion inhibiting culture. consequences conclusion its rejection. Its acceptance require, instance alloys, alloyed desirable properties, merely alloying metals purpose, exclude contriving alloyed, properties. In patenting alloy, assume both specific specified. put together specified mixture. Court, praising achievement, patentability. reversed undistributed middle—that 'composite syllogism whereby 15 confuses issue, however, introduce terms nature' 'laws nature.' vague malleable infected too ambiguity equivocation. Everything happens deemed nature,' patentable exemplifies Arguments drawn ascertaining patentability fairly employed challenge almost every patent. On hand, suggestion 'if end' readily validate claim. Nor contended ingredients isolation. multi-service applicability. Multi-purpose tools, multivalent vaccines, vitamin complex composites, examples complexes whose sole conjunction components. Surely unwittingly pass products formulating criteria future issues prejudged. tried avoid formulation justify bond's lay basis denying large area existing legislation. 16 BURTON, whom JACKSON concurs, dissenting. 17 grounds stated affirmed. 18 When patentee existence loss respective nitrogen-fixing efficiencies, utilized segregating combining inoculants, agree FRANKFURTER satisfied discovery.1 promt substantial success, filling long-sought agricultural need. 19 However, invl id clear, concise description how used. requirement inventor discoverer— 20 'shall file Office written same, manner making, constructing, compounding, using full, concise, exact enable person skilled science appertains, most nearly connected, make, construct, compound, same; case machine, shall explain thereof, best mode contemplated applying principle, distinguish inventions; particularly point out distinctly part, improvement, * declared ground noncompliance section complete reasonably possible.'2 21 completeness character subject described. Machines lend themselves descriptions mechanical principles physical characteristics. species, distinguished another recognized practice solely observed effects, definable effects. present case, non-inhibiting effects upon abilities place soil. observation effects—they uses made. differentiate heretofore members commercially valuable named identification making novel shown highly useful. petitioners identify described record indicates sufficiently persons appertains connected compound same. possible describe completely. covers inhibit other's nitrogen. Bacteriologists, art, difficulty employing standard tests 22 statute itself shows Congress inherent presented. While technically 'plant patent' precise sense term Section, references Section differences expected obviously support position taken. An denied otherwise defies terms. Terms ordinarily unsuitable distinction appearance appropriate distingus h appearance, easily being sought art. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14. Claim illustrative challenged. reads follows: FC 'An comprising Rhizobium, said unaffected respect specific.' contains well-recognized (cross-inculation groups) are: trifolii meliloti phaseoli leguminosarum lupini japonicum Red crimson mammoth alsike clover Alfalfa, white yellow sweet clovers Garden peas vetch Lupines Soy note supra. 4886, amended, 46 Statutes-at-Large 376, 53 1212, 31. 4888, 38 958, 959, 33, 33.

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