UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE

The claim of letters patent No. 172,346, granted to Herman Royer, January 18, 1876, for an improvement in machines for treating rawhides, namely,

"In combination with the drum A of a rawhide fulling machine, operating to twist the leather alternately in one direction and the other, a shifting device for the purpose of making the operation automatic and continuous, substantially as described,"

does not cover any patentable combination, it being a mere aggregation of parts.

The automatic shifting device was old, as attached to a washing machine, and there was no modification of its action produced by attaching it to the fulling machine. Therefore, its application to that machine did not require the exercise of invention.

In equity for the infringement of letters patent. Decree dismissing the bill, from which plaintiff appealed. The case is stated in the opinion.