United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Computing Scale Co. v. Automatic Scale Co., 204 U.S. 609 (1907)

Computing Scale Company of America

v. Automatic Scale Company

No. 175

Argued January 25, 1907

Decided February 25, 1907

204 U.S. 609

Syllabus

While a combination of old elements producing a new and useful result may be patentable, if the combination is merely the assembling of old elements producing no new and useful result, invention is not shown.

Where an inventor, seeking a broad claim which is rejected, acquiesces in the rejection and substitutes therefor a narrower claim, he cannot afterwards insist that the claim allowed shall be construed to cover that which was previously rejected, and in this case the contention of the inventor is not sustained that, after striking out his broad claim, he presented and obtained another claim equally broad, and is entitled to relief thereunder.

Complainant's patent for improvements in computing scales is of the narrow character of invention which does not, as a pioneer patent would, entitle the patentee to any considerable range of equivalents, but it must be limited to the means shown by the inventor, and in this case the defendant's construction does not amount to an infringement.

The facts are stated in the opinion of the court.