Tesla Split-phase Patents Upheld

Judge Archbald of the United States Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has just handed down a decision in the suit of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company against H. C. Roberts and the Sangamo Electric Company, which may have an important bearing upon alternating-current meters and fan motors. The suit was under the so-called Tesla split-phase patents. The defendants' device against which suit was brought was a meter formerly made by the Sangamo Electric Company, but the manufacture of which was discontinued about two years ago. The court, after a careful review of the testimony, decided that the complainant had satisfactorily proved that Tesla's date of invention preceded that of Farraris' and others, and that the device in question was an infringement. Evidence was adduced by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company showing that Tesla's date of invention was several months prior to the Farraris' publication.

On the part of the Westinghouse company it is declared that "the importance of these patents can scarcely be over-estimated as the most successful alternating-current meters and motors of small size are tributary to them."

For the defendants an appeal will be taken from Judge Archbald's decision to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.