United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Exhibit Supply Co. v. Ace Patents Corp., 315 U.S. 126 (1942)

Exhibit Supply Co. v. Ace Patents Corporation

No. 154

Argued January 15, 16, 1942

Decided February 2, 1942*

315 U.S. 126

CERTIORARI TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT

1. In a case involving a patent, concerning which there was no conflict of decisions by Circuit Courts of Appeals, certiorari was granted because of the nature of the questions involved and because it was shown that the industry affected by a decision sustaining the patentee's contentions was located in a single circuit, so that litigation resulting in such conflicts would not be likely to occur. P. 315 U. S. 128.

2. Claim 4, as amended, of the Nelson patent, No. 2,109,678, relates to the structure of a resilient switch or circuit closer, so disposed on the board of a game table as to serve as a target which, when struck by a freely rolling ball, will momentarily close an electrical circuit. It claims as elements of the invention a conductor standard anchored to the table, a coil spring surrounding the standard, means carrying the spring pendantly from the upper portion of the standard, with the coils of the spring spaced from the standard,

"and conductor means in said circuit and embedded in the table at a point

Page 315 U. S. 127

spaced from the standard and engageable by a portion of the spring when it is flexed to close the aforementioned Circuit."