Henry Billings Brown

“ The truth is, the essence of the Taylor invention was the guard, C, and the presser pin, L, and any argument which tends to prove that the feed roll was an essential part of the Eickemeyer device is equally cogent to show that the guard and presser pin are essential to the Taylor patent, since they were designed to take the place of the feed roll, and assist the operator in bringing every part of the hat in contact with the pouncing cylinder. ”

“ It is true that the Taylor machine seems to be capable of doing more work, and at less expense for labor and pouncing material, than the prior devices, which it appears to have largely supplanted; but this consideration, while persuasive, is by no means decisive, and is only available to turn the scale in cases of grave doubt respecting the validity of the invention.
The decree of the court below, holding the fifth claim of this patent to have been anticipated by the second claim of the Eickemeyer patent, is therefore affirmed. ”

“ Attention was also called to the fact that this was the only machine that was self-feeding. 'It does not,' said the patentee, 'depend upon feed rolls for pouncing the hat, but the pouncing cylinder is the only force that moves or presents the hat to the pouncing surface. The claim is for the combination of the self-feeding pouncing cylinder with the support for the hat, as described, in which the only motive power is the rapidly revolving pouncing cylinder. ”