The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

Transcription

Letterhead of Eaton & Lewis Law Offices  
April 5th, 1892, Thomas A. Edison, Esq., Orange, N.J.  
Dear Sir:- 
Referring to your favor of the 24th ulto,. Enclosing a letter of Messrs. Seligman & Seligman to yourself, dated March 23rd, I beg to state that I have examined the following documents which were enclosed therewith, namely:  
Copy of correspondence between Edison United Phonograph Company and its foreign patent agents.  
Seven assignments by you to Edison United Phonograph Company of certain phonograph patents in the following countries, namely: Sweden, Norway, Italy, Germany, and Austria. 
Three powers of attorney authorizing local agents to assign certain patents in Spain and Turkey to Edison United Phonograph Company.  
In the above name letter Messrs. Seligman & Seligman to yourself, you are asked to execute the forgoing assignments and powers of attorney. I have examined these documents, and also the above correspondence, and beg to report as follows: 1. It appears that the laws of various countries differ in the provisions made for transfer of patents from one party to another. In some of the countries a separate assignment must be made for each patent, while in other countries, any number of patents may be included in one assignment. The countries in which a number of patents can assigned in one instrument are Sweden, Norway, Italy, Germany and Austria.  
2. In the countries where a separate assignment must be made for each patent, the law allows a power of attorney to be made for a person living in such country, authorizing such person to make the transfer of the patents. In this way, the expense of notarial and consular fees are avoided. In order to save expense, therefore, the Edison United Phonograph Company have had prepared powers of attorney for those countries in which patents must be assigned separately. These powers of attorney will allow their agents in Spain and Turkey to make the proper transfers.  
3. It further appears that in some countries a reservation of certain uses (such as a reservation as to dolls, etc.), is not allowed to be incorporated in an assignment. These countries are Austria, Germany, Italy and Spain. Messrs. Seligman & Seligman state, however, that the Company will in each case where such reservation is not included execute without expense to you a license in the form already agreed upon for dolls, etc., after the patents have been recorded in the various countries in the name of the Company.  
4. I see no reason, therefore, why the said documents may not be executed by you, as the Company has requested, and I therefore return to you the ten documents which were sent to you by Seligman & Seligman, for execution. They should be signed by you with your full name where it is written in pencil, and then each should be signed by a notary public at the place indicated on each instrument.  
If you will do this and forward these documents to me I will deliver them to the Edison United Phonograph Company and obtain from them at the same time a definite agreement to execute to you without charge a license for dolls, etc.  
5. In order that a complete record may be preserved as to these documents, I annex to this letter a schedule showing just what is sent you, and the patents covered thereby.  
Trusting the above will be satisfactory, I remain.  
Very truly yours,  
[Signed] S.B. Eaton Schedule Referred To In The Letter From Mr. Eaton to Mr. Edison, April 4th, 1892.
SWEDEN. One document, being assignment to Edison United Phonograph Company of the following patents, namely:
No. 1,752, filed March 21st, 1889
No. 2,298, filed April 24th, 1890
No. 2,315, filed May 1st, 1890. 
No. 2,532, filed August 28th, 1890.
No. 2,594, filed October 2nd, 1890.
No. 2,950, filed April 23rd, 1891.
No. 3,057, filed May 28th, 1891.
No. 3,051, filed June 18th, 1891. 
No.  3,131, filed July 23rd, 1891. 
NORWAY. One document, being an assignment to Edison United Phonograph Company of the following patents, namely:
No. 870, dated February 17th, 1888.
No. 1,298, dated December 8th, 1888.
No. 1,299, dated December 8th, 1888.
No. 1,300 dated December 15th, 1888.
No, 1642, dated July 19th, 1889.
No. 1,632, dated December 7th, 1889 ITALY. Two documents, being assignments, to Edison United Phonograph Company of the following patents, namely:
No. 26,976, Vol. 24, Reg. Gen., dated June 12th, 1890.
No. 23,889, Vol. 22, Reg. Gen., dated September 11, 1888.
No. 23,894, Vol. 22, Reg. Gen., dated September 15, 1888.
No. 24,002, Vol. 22, Reg. Gen., dated November 1st, 1888.
No. 24,003, Vol. 22, Reg, Gen., dated November 1st, 1888.
No. 24,416, Vol. 22, Reg. Gen., dated Match 28th, 1889.
No. 25,723, Vol. 23, Reg. Gen., dated September 3rd, 1889.
GERMANY. Two documents, being assignments to Edison United Phonograph Company of the following patents, namely:
No. 44,173, dated January 8th, 1888.
No. 49,732, dated October 14th, 1888.
No. 50,598, dated October 14th, 1888.
No. 50,256, dated October 16th, 1888.
No. 49,667, dated November 17th, 1888. 
No. 51,470, dated June 7th, 1889
No. 51,795, dated June 7th, 1889
No. 51,068, dated June 7th, 1889.
No. 51,067, dated June 7th, 1889. GERMANY. No. 51,161, dated June 7th, 1889.
No. 54,370, dated December 14th, 1889.
No. 54,369, dated December 14th, 1889.
AUSTRIA. One document, being an assignment to Edison United Phonograph Company of the following patents, namely:
Tom. 38/XXII, fol. 1193/1098, dated April 16th, 1888.
Tom. 38/XXII, fil. 2329/2306, dated September 24th, 1888.
Tom. 39/XXIII, fol. 938/924, dated April 9th, 1889
Tom. 39/XXIII, fol. 936/916, dated April 6th, 1889
Tom. 39/XXIII, fol. 1344/1370, dated June 13th, 1889
Tom. 40/XXIV, fol. 588/463, dated February 24th, 1890.
Tom. 40/XXIV, fol. 731/583, dated March 15th, 1890.
SPAIN. Two documents, being powers of attorney to D. Alberto Clarke to assign to Edison United Phonograph Company the following named patents:
No. 8,234, dated August 20th, 1888.
No. 8,239, dated August 20th, 1888.
No. 8,762, dated January 16th, 1889.
No. 8,712, dated January 16th, 1889.
No. 9,092, dated March 15th, 1889. SPAIN (continued) No. 9,647, dated August 29th, 1889.
No. 10,485, dated April 11th, 1890.
TURKEY. One document, being power of attorney to Henry Walter Stock to assign to Edison United Phonograph Company the following patents, namely:
No. 114, No. 117, No. 129, No. 128, No. 143, No. 145, No. 168.