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Rubber-Tip Pencil Co. v. Howard (87 U.S. 498, 1874)

Decision Parameters

Case: Rubber-Tip Pencil Co. v. Howard
Type: [USEFUL]
Date: 1874
Code: 87 U.S. 498
Court: Supreme Court
Vote: 9-0
URL: supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/87/498/case.html
Patent: 66938

Decisions It Cites

Decisions That Cite It

Rules & Quotes

[USEFUL] {1} An idea of itself is not patentable, but a new device by which it may be made practically useful is. The idea of this patentee was a good one, but his device to give it effect, though useful, was not new. Consequently he took nothing by his patent.

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