Consolidated Roller Mill Co. v. Walker, 138 U.S. 124 (1891)
U.S. Supreme Court
Consolidated Roller Mill Co. v. Walker, 138 U.S. 124 (1891)
Consolidated Roller Mill Company v. Walker
No. 1485
Submitted January 9, 1891
Decided January 26, 1891
138 U.S. 124
Syllabus
Claim 1 of letters patent No. 228,525, granted June 8, 1880, to William D. Gray for an improvement in roller grinding mills, namely,
"1. In a roller grinding mill, the combination of the countershaft provided with pulleys at both ends and having said ends mounted in vertically and independently adjustable bearings, the rolls C E having pulleys connected by belts with one end of the countershaft, and the rolls P F independently connected by belts with the other end of the countershaft, as shown,"
is invalid because, in view of the state of the art, it does not embody a patentable invention.
The combination set forth in that claim evinces only the exercise of ordinary mechanical or engineering skill.
That claim is not infringed by the use of a roller mill made in accordance with letters patent No. 334,460, granted January 19, 1886, to John T. Obenchain.
In Equity. Decree dismissing the bill. Plaintiff appealed. The case is stated in the opinion.