United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Haughey v. Lee, 151 U.S. 282 (1894)

Haughey v. Lee

No. 189

Argued January 3, 1894

Decided January 15, 1894

151 U.S. 282

Syllabus

Letters patent No. 379,644, granted March 20, 1888, to Michael Haughey for an improvement in interfering devices for horses, in view of the state of the art at that time as shown by the evidence, are void for want of patentable novelty in the invention covered by them.

On October 24, 1889, Michael Haughey filed a bill of complaint against Jesse Lee, Lewis E. Lee, and Walter Lee, as partners, under the style of Jesse Lee & Sons, alleging that the United States had on March 20, 1888, granted him letters patent for an improvement in interfering devices for horses; that the defendants were infringing complainant's rights as such patentee, and praying for an injunction and account. On January 21, 1890, the defendants filed an answer denying infringement and alleging the invalidity of complainant's patent because of certain specified anticipations and because, under the condition of the art, of want of invention. Replication was duly filed, evidence was taken, and, on May 13, 1890, after argument, the court below decreed the dismissal of the bill. From this decree an appeal was duly taken and allowed to this Court.