CHAPTER 18

VARIOUS WAYS EMPLOYED TO CHEAT AND ROB INVENTORS

While it is impossible to enumerate all of the different methods employed in bringing about the proverbial slip between the cup and the inventor's lip, a few of the usual means, and those generally adopted, in fact so general, that they have come to be looked upon as almost legitimate, established precedents, are as follows:

If the inventor is in the employ of a company manufacturing goods, to which his invention is a valuable addition, the company simply "takes it," and applies for a patent on the same, as being the original inventor. In most cases the inventor is not even informed of the patent application, and generally some high official in the company's employ claims and gets the credit and reward for inventing it. Should that invention be very valuable, or the inventor commits the indiscretion of making other inventions, he will be promptly discharged on one pretense or another, to be rid of his presence, so as to "nip any possible trouble in the bud," and the poor inventor has to "drift" for a while until he strikes something again and probably has a similar experience in the course of time, if he did not get "wise" by his last experience.

Another pet practice is for a concern to boldly take another man's invention that is valuable to it, and work it as if it were its own, of course making money out of it, and very often doing so undisturbed. This may be possible for a variety of reasons, such as, being at a distance from the inventor and his having no means of finding it out; or, again, he may be dead, and his rightful heirs may have no knowledge of the patent, its value or its infringement. But should even the inventor be alive and find them out and attempt to call them to account, he will promptly be informed to "go and see their lawyers," which is only another way of telling him, "well, what are you going to do about it?" For if he goes to see their lawyers, they will most condescendingly and patronizingly inform him that that patent is not "valid," and advise him not to bother his head about it, as it would do him no good. And unless he has the means to engage lawyers, who require fat "retainers," he is absolutely helpless, and the exploiters of his invention can enjoy their ill-gotten gains with impunity.