Automatic Age

November, 1982
A u t o m a t ic A
123
ge
U n e th ic a l C o m p e titio n R e c e iv e s
D e a th D e a lin g B lo w
A refreshing bit of evidence that uneth­
ical competition in the coin machine indus­
try is being effectively fought and elim­
inated, is found in the recent suit brought
by Claude R. Kirk, holder of United States
patent D-87,840 on the “ Steeplechase”
against infringing manufacturers. The pat­
ent above mentioned is a design patent and
the suit was brought in the United States
Federal Court and decision rendered by
Judge George E. G. Johnson, November 2,
1932.
Mr. Kirk was ably represented by the
well known patent attorneys, Clarence E.
Threedy, Chas. B. Cannon and Sidney Burn-
stein of Chicago.
The injunction as granted the plaintiff
by the Federal Court is powerful and con­
clusive and reads in part as follows:
“ That the injunction be and the same is
hereby issued strictly commanding and en­
joining the defendants, K. Wilkinson, in­
dividually and doing business as the Bruns­
wick Manufacturing Co., and the Midwest
Furniture Co., a corporation, individually
and doing business as the Ogden Engineer­
ing Co., their clerks, agents, attorneys, serv­
ants, employees, and those in concert with
or in participation with them, and any and
all others acting under the protection or
authority of the said defendants, or either
of them, from making, or causing to be
made, using, or causing to be used, selling,
or offering for sale, or causing to be sold
or distributed, any amusement machine
cabinet or cabinets made in accordance
with or embodying the invention embraced
in and claimed in said United States De­
sign Letters patent D-87,840 . . .”
The Steeplechase machine is further cov­
ered by Mechanical patent No. 1,826,215,
said patent being held by Thomas S. Hutch­
ison. This patent has been in existence for
some time and was originally exercised and
applied in the manufacture of a child’s toy
which enjoyed remarkable sales success in
the general mercantile and toy fields. It is
understood from reliable sources that sim­
ilar legal action is to be brought within
the next few days in Federal Court against
the same defendants by Mr. Hutchison, who
claims infringement on the Mechanical pat­
© International A rca de M useum
ent above mentioned.
It is evident that the “ Steeplechase” ma­
chine is adequately protected by both design
and mechanical patents and that the man­
ufacturer of that machine is in a strong
position and well able to establish the valid­
ity of said patents and to prevent infring­
ers from imitating or attempting to capital­
ize on the imitation of this remarkable ma­
chine.
Perhaps no field of commercial endeavor
calls for greater skill in the elements of
true invention and ingenuity than does the
coin machine industry. The demand for such
skill promises to become greater in the fu ­
ture than it has ever been in the past. What
a manufacturer originates is his own pro­
perty and belongs to no one else unless pur­
chased for a mutually satisfactory consid­
eration. In behalf of the future progress of
the coin machine industry, it is to be hoped
the commercial parasite, the thief of other
men’s ideas, money and skill, will be forever
driven out. More action of the type de­
scribed above is desirable for the general
welfare of the industry as a whole.
In Larger Quarters
The Universal Novelty & Manufacturing
Company of Chicago have moved to larger
quarters at 1209-11 W . Washington Blvd.
and the two Ginsberg boys are busy wel­
coming their many Chicago and out of town
operator friends and showing them around
the spacious new offices. Universal is now
in the process of filling many orders for
their new game— K U K U which seems to
have made quite a hit.
The boys are particularly proud of their
ability to handle second hand equipment.
Their repair and rebuilding department is
unexcelled in the city and their customers
have come to depend upon them to assist in
the disposal of used equipment as well as
supplying them with replacement boards,
parts and service on all types of machines.
A hearty invitation has been extended to
the trade for out of town operators and
manufacturers to make their office Chicago
headquarters.
h ttp ://w w w .a rca d e -m u se u m .co m /