United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Sargent v. Hall Safe & Lock Co., 114 U.S. 63 (1885)

Sargent v. Hall Safe and Lock Company

Argued January 21, 26, 1885

Decided March 30, 1885

114 U.S. 63

Syllabus

In letters patent No. 186,369, granted to James Sargent, January 18, 1877, for improvements in time locks, the combination lock forming a member of the combinations claimed by the two claims of the patent, is one which has a bolt or bearing that turns on an axis or revolves, as distinguished from a sliding bolt, and those claims are not infringed by a structure in which the combination lock has not a turning or revolving bolt.

Claim 2 of the patent requires that the tumblers of the combination lock and its spindle shall be free to rotate while the bolt work is held in its locked position, by the bolt or bearing of the combination lock.

In patents for combinations of mechanism, limitations and provisos imposed by the inventor, especially such as were introduced into an application after it had been persistently rejected, must be strictly construed against the inventor, and in favor of the public, and looked upon as in the nature of disclaimers.

Bill in equity to restrain the infringement of a patent. The facts which make the case are stated in the opinion of the court.