Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1894, by RICHARDS & CO

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at

Washington.

E desire to call attention to the fact that we

WE

devote ourselves exclusively to the transac

tion of business for Patent Solicitors and members of

the Legal Profession. We neither solicit nor receive orders from inventors direct.

GENERAL INFORMATION.

Execution of documents.—It is important that full names, the full address. (street and house number if any) and the occupation of each applicant should be clearly set forth in the preamble to the specification. In signing documents the applicants should write out all their names in full, as, for instance, John Henry Augustus Smith. When the specifications sent are not written in the English language the signatures of the inventor and witnesses for each specification required should always be sent on separate sheets of paper in the following form:

this

"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at......

.day of.......

.18...."

Witnesses:

(Signature of Inventor.)

(Signature of two Witnesses.)

Where the applicant is a corporation all documents should be executed in the fol lowing manner :

Seal of Corporat on.

The......
.Company,
By (Name of Officer who signs).
(Title of Officer.)

Provisional Patents or Caveats.-Provisional protection may be obtained in the following countries and for the following terms:

Caveats may be filed, and are operative for the following terms, in

Argentine Republic, 1 year, and may be renewed from year to year.
Canada: 1 year.

Hawaii, 1

Russia, 3 months.
South Australia, 1 year.

Confirmation of Invalid Patents.-Where the patentee is proved not to be the inventor, although he believed himself to be so, in some countries, the patent may be confirmed, or a new patent may be issued to the patentee, confirming the grant. This is at present the case in British Guiana, British Honduras, Cape Colony, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Natal, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

:

Compulsory Licenses.-Whenever it is shown that, by reason of the failure of a patentee to grant licenses, the patent is not being worked, or that the reasonable requirements of the public with respect to the invention cannot be supplied, or that any person is prevented from working or using to the best advantage an invention of which he is possessed, the patentee may, in the following countries, be ordered to grant licenses, on such terms as may be just, according to the circumstances of the case:

The State may buy and use an invention which it deems useful, in the following countries:

Bolivia,
Ecuador,
Luxembourg,
Norway,

Russia,
Sweden,
Switzerland.

Patents for Communicated Inventions.-This is a strictly English procedure, and the practice is confined to Great Britain and a few of its Colonies.

Importation of Patented Articles. None of the principal foreign countries, except France, Canada, Tunis, Turkey and Peru, make any restrictions as to the importation of patented articles. In Canada, unless an extension of time is procured, the patented article must not be imported by the patentee, or by others with his knowledge or consent, after the expiration of one year from the issue of the patent. In the other countries patented articles must not be imported at all except under special permit. Such permit may usually be obtained for the importation of a single model or sample, at a cost of about $10. France and Tunis now belong to the International Union, however, and citizens or subjects of countries belonging to the International Union may now import into these countries without restriction, but others are prohibited from so doing under the penalty of forfeiture of the patent.

Marking of Patented Articles. It is not compulsory to place any mark upon articles to indicate that they are patented, except in Canada, where the word "Patented" and the year of the date of patent must be stamped or engraved on each article, as "Patented, 1887," or as the case may be; in Switzerland, where all patented articles must be marked with the Federal Cross () and the number of the patent, and in Mexico, where the word "Patentado," the number and the date of patent must be marked upon all patented articles.

The German Patent Office has suggested that patented articles be marked "Deutsches Reiches Patent," or with the letters "D. R. P.," adding thereto the official number of the patent. For France, if the articles are marked at all, or if the patentee mentions his title of patentee, or his patent, in advertisements, prospectuses or signboards, or by means of marks or stamps, the words "Sans Garantie du Government” must be added, under the penalty of a tine of from fifty to one thousand francs. In the event of a repetition of the offence the fine may be doubled. The patentee is liable to the same fine if he uses the title or mark after the patent has expired. The usual practice is to employ the initial letters S. G. D. G., although several persons have, at various times, been condemned for not using the words in full. The law in Tunis and Turkey on this subject is substantially the same as in France.

Time Required to Obtain Patents. With but few exceptions it may be said that foreign patents are granted and issued within six months from the filing of the application therefor. The principal exceptions are as follows: Austria, about one year; Bolivia, from eight months to one year; Chili, from six months to one year; Ecuador, very uncertain, from one to two years, or more; Germany, uncertain because of the examination as to novelty, from six months to one year, or more; Guatemala, very uncertain, from six

months to one year, or more; Norway, uncertain because of the examination as to novelty, from six months to one year, or more; Orange Free State, from six months to one year; Peru, very uncertain, from one to two years; Russia, usually eighteen months to two years; South African Republic, from six months to one year; Sweden and Switzerland, uncertain because of the examination as to novelty, from six months to one year; Uruguay, uncertain, from six months to two years.

The time required to obtain special grant is usually from six months to one year.

Time Required to Obtain Trademark Registration.-Trademark applications are usually acted upon very promptly, and the certificates issued within from three to six months from the filing of the application therefor.

Examination as to Novelty, Patents.-In but very few foreign countries is any examination made as to the novelty or utility of the invention, the patent being granted as a matter of course upon the filing of the application, provided the documents filed are complete and in proper form. The countries making a more or less exhaustive examination as to novelty and utility are as follows; Bolivia, Canada, Chili, Denmark, Ecuador, Germany, New South Wales, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Queensland, Russia, South African Republic, South Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Victoria. In Cape Colony, Ceylon, Natal, Straits Settlements and some other countries applications may be referred to experts for a report as to the novelty and utility of the invention, but this is seldom done. In Germany the examination is particularly severe.

ex.

Examination as to Novelty, Trademarks.-Trademark applications are amined to ascertain: 1, whether the mark presented for registration is a lawful trademark within the meaning of the law; and 2, whether the mark has already been registered with respect to the same article or the same class of goods.