Keystone Driller Co. v. General Excavator Co.

The question presented is whether the Circuit Court of Appeals rightly applied the maxim, He who comes into equity must' come with clean hands.

Petitioner owns five patents which may be conveniently identified as .the Clutter patent and the four Downie patents. * They all cover devices constituting parts of a ditching machine operated on the principle of a mechanical hoe or mattock. The Clxitter patent is basic and the Downie patents are for claimed improvements.

Prior to the commencement of these suits, the petitioner brought a suit in the Eastern Division of the Northern Ohio District against…