Samuel Blatchford

“ I claim as my invention (1) a pawl for lever-jack with two or more teeth, and adapted to move in inclined slots, grooves, or guides formed in the frame, substantially as described; (2) The combination of the pawl, A, with its pins, C, C', slots, D, D', and ratchet-bar, B, substantially as described.' Each defendant put in a separate answer, alleging want of novelty, and setting forth sundry prior patents in which it was averred the invention was contained, and also giving the names of sundry prior inventors. ”

“ When the ratchet-bar is raised, its teeth crowd or slide the pawl up the inclined slots out of the way, so as to allow it to pass, until it has traveled the length of a tooth, when the weight of the pawl causes it to fall back into the next tooth below, ready to hold the ratchet-bar at the point gained, ready for another lift, and so on. ”

“ In the opinion of the circuit court the following statement is made as to the defendants' jack, which we deem to be correct: 'The defendants manufacture a jack having a many-toothed pawl resting at its bottom upon a seat slightly inclined towards the rack-bar, and actuated by a spring placed behind it within the frame. The inclination of the seat is not sufficient to actuate the pawl by gravity, nor are there any slots or other means of guiding the pawl in the sides of the frame ”