Thomas v. Webster Spring Co.

Kenneth H. Thomas, the plaintiff, invented a novel bedding spring and on June 12, 1987, executed a printed form titled “Assignment,” whereby he assigned to his employer, Webster Spring Company, Inc. (Webster), “for good and valuable consideration” all rights to his invention and to an application for letters patent to that invention. The signature block to the instrument of assignment recited that the signatory had set his “hand and seal,” i.e., it was a sealed instrument. Webster never exploited the invention and did not pay Thomas anything for it. Thomas brought an action *181against Webster2…