In re Carey
In re Carey
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court:
On certain references the Patent Office rejected claims 1 and 2, which read as follows:
“1. A hydraulic pump, motor, or like apparatus of the rotary type having a circular series of cylinders co-operating with a valve having one inlet and one exhaust opening, a freely rolling piston arranged for reciprocation in each cylinder, and a substantially circular track around which said pistons roll.
“2., A hydraulic pump, motor, or the like apparatus of the rotary type having a circular series of cylinders, a freely rolling piston arranged for reciprocation in each cylinder, a substantially circular track arranged eccentrically of said circular series of cylinders on which said pistons roll, and a fluid-controlling valve encircled by said series of cylinders.”
The rejection was based on a patent to Benham, No. 459,735, September 22, 1891, and on one- to Beckfield, No. 683,834, October 1, 1901. Appellants, Bobert P. Carey and Andrew A. Todd, assert that there is a patentable difference between the claims of the issue and the references just mentioned, but we do not think so. The claims would be satisfied by the substitution of the ball pistons of Benham for the cylindrical pistons of Beckfield, figures 7 and 8. There would be no difficulty in making such a substitution. Any intelligent mechanic could do it without invention. Where this is so, the device is not patentable. Re Iwan, 17 App. D. C. 566; Re Davenport, 23 App. D. C. 370.
It is further urged in behalf of the appellants that the references are not in point, because they deal with steam, while their device is intended for use in pumping heavy oil. Primarily, this is its purpose, but it may be used in connection with steam. In their original application appellants state that the device is also applicable “to other fluid mediums, such as air, gas, steam.” Clearly, the references are pertinent.
A proposed substitute claim was offered for consideration by the Commissioner of Patents which differs from the appealed claims in that it provides for a track in which “all curves bend
The decision of the Commissioner of Patents in rejecting the appealed claims is affirmed. Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.