A Fundamental Patent for Alternating Currents

It would be interesting to know who makes the most money from United States patents, the inventors or the lawyers. It seems sometimes as if our patent office methods were arranged for the benefit of the lawyers rather than for the inventors. A patent has just been issued which appears to claim broadly the transmission of electricity by means of high tension alternating currents, which are transformed at the distant station to low tension currents by means of some induction apparatus. As this appears to cover a broad field, embracing practically all the already existing alternating current installations, and will include many similar installations of the future, it appears to be a matter of importance. The greater part of the text and claims are given in another column. Being issued, it carries with it the indorsement of the patent office that the matter is patentable. As it was patented in France by the same parties as early as 1881, or 11 years ago, it cannot run very much longer in this country, but if it can be sustained it will play an important part in the alternating current industry of this country even for the short remaining period of its life. Deprez, the patentee, was one of the earliest workers in this field, and it can be assumed that he has furnished good proof of priority to the patent office. The immediate effect will probably be litigation, and there will be much of it, too, if there is any chance of its being sustained. That such an occurrence is possible in our patent office is unfortunate, and cannot fail to have a very bad effect on the investments in patented articles in this country. As it is, any one who wishes to start the introduction of some article, patented or not, will never know if there is not some fundamental patent lying dormant in the patent office to be thrust upon him unexpectedly at some future date, after he is well established in an honest business. Such a law is like some others in this country, for the benefit and profit of lawyers rather than for the good of the people. Let us hope the patent will prove to be a dead letter rather than a legal monopoly or even only a scarecrow.