United States v. Colgate

This suit is brought by direction of the attorney general, to repeal letters patent granting exclusive rights to inventions, and has now been heard on a motion fora preliminary injunction to restrain commencement or prosecution of suits for infringement. The patent has expired, and no injunction is asked against assignment of the patent. The' right to maintain such a suit is placed upon the same ground as that to repeal a patent for land. U. S. v. Gunning, 18 Fed. Rep. 511. In a suit to vacate a patent for land it would hardly be claimed that the patentee should be restrained from preventing,…