United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Pomace Holder Company v. Ferguson, 119 U.S. 335 (1886)

Pomace Holder Company v. Ferguson

Argued November 19, 1886

Decided December 6, 1886

119 U.S. 335

Syllabus

The claim of letters patent No. 187,100, granted to John Clark, February 6th, 1817, for an "improvement in cheese formers for cider presses," namely, "The guide frame D, in combination with an extended pomace rack, and a cloth to enclose a layer of pomace therein, substantially as described," is invalid because it did not require invention to use the described guide frame in connection with the racks and the cloths.

The racks and the cloths had been before used in connection, and an enclosure was used with them, which enabled the operator to make the pomace of uniform depth on each rack, and prevented the lateral spreading of the pomace, and it required only ordinary mechanical skill and judgment to make cider the guide frame or the rack of the desired size.

This was a bill in equity to restrain the infringement of letters patent. Answer denying the validity of the patent. Decree below for respondent from which complainant appealed. The case is stated in the opinion of the Court.