United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Boyd v. Janesville Hay Tool Co., 158 U.S. 260 (1895)

Boyd v. Janesville Hay Tool Company

No. 305

Argued April 23-24, 1895

Decided May 20, 1895

158 U.S. 260

Syllabus

Under letters patent No. 300,687, granted June 17, 1884, to John M. Boyd for improvements in hay elevators and carriers, the patentee, in view of the state of the art, was entitled, at most, only to the precise devices mentioned in the claims, and that patent, so construed, is not infringed by machines constructed under patent No. 279,889, granted June 19, 1883, to F. B. Strickler.

John M. Boyd filed a bill in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Western District of Wisconsin against the Janesville Hay Tool Company and its officers, charging the defendants with infringement of letters patent granted the complainant, numbered as No. 300,687, and dated June 17, 1884, for an improvement in hay elevator and carrier.

The answer denied that complainant was the original and first inventor, and alleged anticipating patents, prior knowledge and use by others, and that defendants have made and sold hay carriers in accordance with patent No. 279,889, granted June 19, 1883, to F. B. Strickler.

There was a general replication; evidence was put in; on November 9, 1888, a decree was entered dismissing the bill of complaint, and from this decree an appeal was taken to this Court.