United States Metal Cap & Seal Co. v. American Keyless Kap Corp.
United States Metal Cap & Seal Co. v. American Keyless Kap Corp.
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts as above). [1, 2] The Clay patents disclose a bottle closure consisting of a metal stopper, which by reason of its resiliency may be buckled inwardly and forced against a ledge within the neck of the bottle, and removed by buckling in the reverse direction. I think Clay first devised a method of closing bottles by utilization of a reversible buckling piece of metal. It is probable, also, that Spengler employed the same mechanical forces in closing a bottle by a cap which grasps the neck of the bottle. In other words, each used a cap of resilient metal with a central bulged portion having a circumference with split edges forming fingers. In either device, when the central bulged portion is sprung into one position it is on one side of a plane, and when sprung into the reverse position it is on the other side of the plane. In each invention there is a bearing surface against which the disc shall buckle. In spite of the fact that each invention employed similar mechanical forces, I cannot regard Clay as anticipating Spengler. I think much more than mechanical skill was necessary to adapt a resilient metal cap to the bottle used by Spengler. It may be that the crown cork and seal stopper in general use, plus a resilient pie'ce of metal, makes the Spengler stopper; but the crown cork and seal device consisted of a piece of nonresilient metal crimped over the neck,
A decree should be granted in the first suit sustaining the Spengler patent, with the usual injunction and accounting. In the second suit the bill should be dismissed, on the ground that the Spengler device does not infringe either of the Clay patents. Costs are awarded in each suit.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- UNITED STATES METAL CAP & SEAL CO. v. AMERICAN KEYLESS KAP CORPORATION AMERICAN KEYLESS KAP CORPORATION v. UNITED STATES METAL CAP & SEAL CO.
- Status
- Published