VARIOUS WAYS EMPLOYED TO CHEAT AND ROB INVENTORS
While it is impossible to enumerate all of the different methods
employed in bringing about the proverbial slip between the cup and
the inventor's lip, a few of the usual means, and those generally
adopted, in fact so general, that they have come to be looked upon as
almost legitimate, established precedents, are as follows:
If the inventor is in the employ of a company manufacturing goods,
to which his invention is a valuable addition, the company simply
"takes it," and applies for a patent on the same, as being the
original inventor. In most cases the inventor is not even informed
of the patent application, and generally some high official in the
company's employ claims and gets the credit and reward for inventing
it. Should that invention be very valuable, or the inventor commits
the indiscretion of making other inventions, he will be promptly
discharged on one pretense or another, to be rid of his presence, so
as to "nip any possible trouble in the bud," and the poor inventor
has to "drift" for a while until he strikes something again and
probably has a similar experience in the course of time, if he did
not get "wise" by his last experience.
Another pet practice is for a concern to boldly take another man's
invention that is valuable to it, and work it as if it were its
own, of course making money out of it, and very often doing so
undisturbed. This may be possible for a variety of reasons, such as,
being at a distance from the inventor and his having no means of
finding it out; or, again, he may be dead, and his rightful heirs
may have no knowledge of the patent, its value or its infringement.
But should even the inventor be alive and find them out and attempt
to call them to account, he will promptly be informed to "go and see
their lawyers," which is only another way of telling him, "well, what
are you going to do about it?" For if he goes to see their lawyers,
they will most condescendingly and patronizingly inform him that that
patent is not "valid," and advise him not to bother his head about
it, as it would do him no good. And unless he has the means to engage
lawyers, who require fat "retainers," he is absolutely helpless, and
the exploiters of his invention can enjoy their ill-gotten gains with
impunity.