ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

that application to which he was entitled, he could have brought a motion to obtain copies of other parts of the application, and this motion, under the practice set forth in Riker v. Law (C. D., 1906, 86; 120 O. G., 2754) and Kugele v. Blair, (C. D., 1906, 477; 125 O. G., 1350,) would have been determined after a hearing before the Primary Examiner. Without deciding the second ground urged by Shaver, it must be held that whatever rights he may have had to obtain access to other parts or all of the earlier application of Dilg and Fowler he waived that right by not making objection at the time that the certified copy was filed.

Counsel for Shaver further contends that when Dilg and Fowler made their motion to shift the burden of proof they thereby made profert of their earlier application and were not entitled later to withdraw this and file the certified copy referred to. This contention, however, is believed to be not well taken, since the record shows that at the time that the motion to shift the burden of proof was filed there was therewith filed a stipulation signed by counsel for both parties that counsel for Shaver might have access to so much of the earlier application as related to the issue of this interference.

In his brief counsel calls attention to the decision in the case of United States, ex rel. Pollok, v. Hall, Commissioner of Patents, (C. D., 1889, 582; 48 O. G., 1263,) in which the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia held that applications in the Patent Office were public records and that any one upon a proper request could obtain copies thereof under section 4892 of the Revised Statutes. The court stated in this decision that the only papers required by statute to be kept in secrecy were caveat applications and applications for patent interfering therewith. The holding in this decision was, however, overruled by later decisions of the same court in United States, ex rel. United States Electric Lighting Company, v. Commissioner of Patents, (C. D., 1891, 271; 54 O. G., 267;) United States, ex rel. Fowler, v. Commissioner of Patents, (C. D., 1893, 268; 62 O. G., 1968;) and United States, ex rel. Bulkley, v. Butterworth, Commissioner of Patents, (C. D., 1897, 685; 81 O. G., 505.)

For the reasons above indicated it must be held that Shaver is not entitled to have access to Dilg and Fowler's application No. 260,435 or to obtain copies of parts of the specification and drawing other than those contained in the certified copy. He is, however, entitled to obtain a certified copy of the petition and the last page of the application, which includes the signatures of the applicants and witnesses and the oath, which were not included in the certified copy filed.

The decision of April 16, 1909, is therefore modified to the extent that Shaver will be allowed to have a certified copy of the petition and the last page of the application No. 260,435.

EX PARTE THE AMERICAN SUGAR REFINING COMPANY.

Decided May 28, 1909.

144 O. G., 562.

1. TRADE-MARKS-GEOGRAPHICAL-MAP OF THE UNITED STATES.

A mark consisting of a map of the United States, with the boundaries of the several States clearly indicated thereon and with the characters "H & E" appearing upon the face thereof, was properly refused registration on the ground that it is geographical.

2. SAME-SAME-ALTERNATIVE.

A map of the United States and the words "United States" are alternatives.

ON APPEAL.

TRADE-MARK FOR GRANULATED SUGAR.

Messrs. Munn & Co. for the applicant.

BILLINGS, Assistant Commissioner:

This is an appeal from the refusal of the Examiner of Trade-Marks to register a mark consisting of the representation of a map of the United States, surmounted by an eagle and having the letters and characters "H & E" appearing upon the face thereof, as a trademark for granulated sugar, upon the ground that the mark shown is geographical in character.

There can be no question that the words or term "United States " is geographical in character, and therefore not capable of appropriation as a trade-mark. In this respect such a mark is similar to the following marks, which have been held by the courts not to constitute valid trade-marks. "Columbia," (Columbia Mill Company v. Alcorn, C. D., 1893, 672; 65 O. G., 1916; 150 U. S., 460;) "International," (122 N. Y., 65;) "Continental," (Continental Insurance Co. v. Continental Fire Association, 101 Fed. Rep., 255;) "East Indian," (Cornell et al. v. Read et al., 128 Mass., 477;) "Old Country," (Allen B. Wrisley Co. v. Iowa Soap Co., 122 Fed. Rep., 796;) “Orient,” (in re Crescent Typewriter Supply Co., C. D., 1908, 318; 133 O. G., 231; 30 App. D. C., 324;) "Oriental," (in re Hopkins, C. D., 1907, 549; 128 O. G., 890; 29 App. D. C., 118;) "America," (in re Meyer Bros. Coffee and Spice Co., post, 312; 140 O. G., 756.)

The contention of appellant is however that its mark does not consist of the geographical name or term "United States" and that the mark does not therefore come within the prohibition of section 5 of the Trade-Mark Act.

While it is true that appellant's mark does not consist of the words "United States," nevertheless it is a correct representation of a map of the United States. It clearly indicates the United States and

would be recognized as having such meaning as readily as the words themselves. The mark not only shows the outlines of the United States, but each State is indicated by its boundary-lines and by its initials placed thereupon, the whole unmistakably constituting the United States. In other words, the map of the United States and the words "United States" are merely alternative forms and mean the same thing. It is well established that such alternative forms constitute the same mark. Thus in Morrison v. Case (2 O. G., 544) it was held that whether a mark included the word "Star" alone or the figure of a star it constituted one and the same trade-mark. See, also, Hutchinson et al. v. Blumburg (C. D., 1892, 652; 61 O. G., 1017; 51 Fed. Rep., 829.) In ex parte Weaver (C. D., 1876, 139; 10 O. G., 1) it was held that the word "Lion " and the picture of a lion should be treated as one trade-mark. In ex parte Gregoire and Company (C. D., 1903, 39; 102 O. G., 1293) one ground on which a mark consisting of a cluster of maple-leaves was refused registration was because of its descriptive element when applied to maple-syrup. In ex parte Woolwine (C. D., 1901, 185; 97 O. G., 1373) the word "Donkey" was held to constitute the same trade-mark as the pictorial representation of a donkey. In ex parte Hecht & Son (C. D., 1901, 115; 96 O. G., 1648) it was held that the word "Ivy" and the representation of an ivy-leaf were alternative. In ex parte Taylor & Lockett (C. D., 1900, 198; 93 O. G., 2531) applicant was permitted to register "the word-symbol Rabbit' or the representation of a rabbit." See, also, cases cited in Johnson et al. v. Bauer et al., (62 Fed. Rep., 662.) In the case of Crescent Typewriter Supply Company, supra, the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia held a mark consisting of the word "Orient" inclosed in a wreath and with the letters "E" and "I" printed as a monogram to be geographical in character and not registrable as a trade-mark. In this case the Court said:

It will be noted that this section of the Trade-Mark Act does not permit the use of “a geographical name or term." We think this provision of the statute is broad enough to prohibit the use of any word that has an exclusive geographical significance, or that would suggest any particular geographical location.

In re Hopkins, supra, a mark consisting of the words "Oriental Cream," in connection with the figure of an eagle, was held not registrable as a trade-mark, on the ground of its geographical character.

For the reasons stated, the decision of the Examiner of TradeMarks is affirmed.

EX PARTE SOC.TA PROD.TI CHIM.CO FARMAC.CI A. BERTELLI & C.

Decided July 9, 1909.

144 O. G., 817.

TRADE-MARKS-REGISTRATION BY FOREIGNERS-NEED NOT INCLUDE NON-REGISTRABLE FEATURES OF FOREIGN REGISTRATION.

When a foreign applicant presents for registration a mark which is a replica of the arbitrary features comprised in the mark registered in the country in which applicant is located, registration should not be refused merely because such mark differs from that registered in the foreign country by the omission of matter which is itself non-registrable in character. (Ex parte Pietro, C. D., 1907, 107; 127 O. G., 2394, modified.)

ON APPEAL.

TRADE-MARK FOR SOAP.

Messrs. Wilkinson, Fisher & Witherspoon for the applicant.

MOORE, Commissioner:

This is an appeal from the action of the Examiner of Trade-Marks refusing to register a trade-mark for abrasive, detergent, and polishing materials, the mark consisting of the representation of a comet upon which is printed the word "Sapol."

The applicant is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Italy and is located at Milan, Italy. The mark is described in the foreign registration as follows:

A rectangular label with a background covered with stars and minute lettering, saying "Sapol A. Bertelli & C.," carrying at the top the figure of a comet containing the word " Sapol" and accompanied by the inscription “Marca Oro" and "Deposited," by the facsimile of the firm, A. Bertelli & C., and by the indication of the perfume of the soap. Then below there is read, in five rectangular spaces, an inscription relative to the quality of the product repeated in various languages, and at the bottom there is found the indication "Societa di Prodotti Chimico-Farmaceutici A. Bertelli e C. Milan (Italy)."

The specimens filed include the features thus described, but the mark shown in the drawing of the application consists merely in the representation of a comet containing the word "Sapol."

The action of the Examiner is based upon the decision of the Commissioner in ex parte Pietro, (C. D., 1907, 107; 127 O. G., 2394,) in which it is held that under section 4 of the statute the mark which the applicant is entitled to register in this country is the identical mark which he has registered in Italy. In that case it was said that—

The mark registered in Italy is presumably that set forth and shown in the Italian registration, and the Office must so assume until furnished with proofs to the contrary. There appears to be no evidence in this case that the Italian registration is a registration of a trade-mark right in that country in the mark shown upon the drawing of this application.

Under the decision of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in the case of Johnson v. Brandau (post, 298; 139 O. G., 732) an applicant may not be permitted to include as a part of the regis

tration of a technical trade-mark words which are in themselves of a non-registrable character. In that case the mark sought to be registered comprised the representation of an ass with the word "Asbestos" printed across the same and also contained certain other non-registrable words. The Court in discussing this mark said:

There was no suggestion that because the figure was registrable, the words could be treated as merely accessory. When an applicant describes and illustrates his trade-mark and applies for its registration as so described, the Commissioner must likewise consider it in its entirety. We are of the opinion that, in this case, he should have denied registration as claimed, giving the applicant, at the same time, an opportunity to amend by disclaiming and omitting the word objected to.

In view of the holding of the court of appeals that where a technical trade-mark is presented for registration by citizens of the United States non-registrable matter should be eliminated from the drawing or disclaimed, it is believed that similar restrictions should be imposed upon citizens of foreign countries.

Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property concluded at Paris March 20, 1883, provides that

the subjects or citizens of each of the contracting States shall enjoy, in all the other States of the Union, so far as concerns patents for inventions, trade or commercial marks, and the commercial name, the advantages that the respective laws thereof at present accord, or shall afterward accord to subjects or citizens. In consequence they shall have the same protection as the latter, and the same legal recourse against all infringements of their rights, under reserve of complying with the formalities and conditions imposed upon subjects or citizens by the domestic legislation of each State.

Italy, as well as the United States, is an adherent to this Interna tional Convention, and it therefore follows that no greater restrictions should be imposed upon subjects of Italy than are placed upon citizens of the United States. Manifestly no greater privileges should be granted to the former than to the latter. Since, therefore, citizens of the United States are required to eliminate non-registrable matter, such as descriptive words, from the technical trade-marks sought to be registered under the act of February, 1905, the same requirement should be imposed upon citizens of foreign nations seeking to register technical trade-marks under that act. It is believed that the requirement of section 4 of the Trade-Mark Act of 1905

that certificate of registration shall not be issued for any mark for registration of which application has been filed by an applicant located in a foreign country until such mark has been actually registered by the applicant in the country in which he is located--

is for the purpose of preventing the registration in this country of marks which are not entitled to registration in the country in which the applicant is located.

21895-H. Doc. 124, 61-2- -9

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »