Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co. v. Star Electric Co.
Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Co. v. Star Electric Co.
Opinion of the Court
The defendant, Star Electric Company, is making and selling a fire alarm signal box alleged by the complainant above named to be an infringement of United States letters patent No. 553]873, dated February 4, 1896, and which will expire February 4, 1913. The present Star Electric Company was organized in July, 1910, and purchased the assets, etc., of a corporation of the same name, which became bankrupt shortly before. That company made and put upon the market a fire alarm signal box which was held to be an infringement. The defendant does not make that type of box. In another suit by the above-named complainant against the Hackensack Improvement Commission (199 Fed. 182) the patent was held valid, and an order for an injunction granted, which is now pending on appeal.
So long as the statute gives the right to the complainant to bring suit against every user of the alleged infringing device, it is probably unwise for the court to interfere by injunction with the assertion of that right. Whether preliminary injunctions shall be granted or not must be determined by the judge who hears the application on the papers presented, and I doubt not that, in the condition of the present litigations between the parties, these judges will exercise their discretion wisely, and so as to promote justice so far as possible.
Motion denied.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH CO. v. STAR ELECTRIC CO.
- Status
- Published