Howell Edmunds Jackson

“ The air cooled by the ice in the upper or saloon ice box, and the water produced by the melting of the ice, flow down through the air passage, coming in contact with the beer-supply pipe, thereby reducing the temperature of the beer contained terein, and passing through it. The beer is forced from the keg upward through the beer-supply pipe to the faucet by air pressure introduced in the keg by any suitable air apparatus. ”

“ The suits were brought by the appellant as assignee of letters patent No. 248,646, granted to Charles Gordon, October 25, 1881, for 'an improved apparatus for cooling and drawing beer,' against the respective appellees for the alleged infringement of the patent. The defenses interposed by the answer of each respondent were want of patentable novelty in the invention covered by the letters patent, the anticipation thereof by certain prior devices, and noninfringement. ”

“ These two causes present the same questions on the same state of facts. They were heard in the lower court and in this court as practically one case, and will therefore be considered and determined together. ”