The Washington Times

NEW PATENT BILL.
All Innocent Purchasers to Be Fully Protected Under the Proposed Law.
The bill amending the patent laws in various particulars recently agreed on by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Patents has been printed. The expectation is now that it will be laid before the full committee at its next meeting, and speedy action is hoped for by friends of the bill. The measure contains provisions for the protection of innocent purchasers of patents and limits to one year the time within which applications for patents on articles already patented abroad must be made in this country. The section for the protection of innocent purchasers of patents provides that whenever a patent is alleged to be infringed, the patentee shall seek his remedy by bringing suit, in the first instance, against the manufacturer or vender of the article alleged to infringe said patent. It provides that in no case shall an action be maintained against any individual who shall have purchased in good faith a patented article of a regular dealer in the open market for his own use.