Dunlop Holdings Limited v. Ram Golf Corporation

STEVENS, Circuit Judge.

Plaintiff sued Ram for infringement of its patent covering an unusually durable golf ball. 1 Ram convinced the district court that the patent was invalid because the invention had been made by a third party named “Butch” Wagner. Ram proved that Wagner had publicly used the new golf ball before February 10, 1965, the earliest date that plaintiff can claim invention; 2 however, Wagner had not disclosed his formula to the public. The questions on appeal are (1) whether the district court’s findings on the prior invention issue are supported by the record, and (2) whether…