Reich v. Reed Tool Co.

GUITTARD, Chief Justice.

This suit was brought for commissions alleged to be due under a written contract for sale of an invention and the inventor’s rights to a patent, which had been applied for but not issued when the contract was signed. One of the defenses was that the inventor had “misused” the patent by requiring the purchaser to pay commissions on sales of equipment not covered by the patent applied for. After a trial and verdict, the judge disregarded findings favorable to plaintiffs and rendered judgment for defendant based on a single finding relating to the defense of patent…