Harry Fredman v. Harris-Hub Company, Inc., Harry Fredman v. Estee Sleep Shops, Inc.

STEVENS, Circuit Judge.

In 1962, plaintiff invented a novel, sophisticated and valuable bed assembly which, by joining originally designed side rails at their centers with an interconnecting tension member, eliminated the need for wooden slats to support bed springs and solved significant problems associated with the use of conventional bed assemblies. His invention was clearly patentable. The questions presented are (1) whether claim 3 of his patent, 1 which may be read to describe defendant’s crude device, is valid; and (2) whether defendant’s simple approach to the goal of slatless beds is…