US Patent: 3,615,087
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| Workbenches
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Patentee:
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| Ronald Price Hickman (exact or similar names) - Essex, England |
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Patent Dates:
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| Applied: |
Mar. 03, 1969 |
| Granted: |
Oct. 26, 1971 |
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Jeff Joslin
Wikipedia biography of Ron Hickman
Vintage Machinery entry for Black & Decker Mfg. Co., Ltd.
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Description: |
| This invention became the Black & Decker Workmate. About 50 million Workmates were sold during the term of the patent. Hickman sold the patent rights to Inventec International Ltd., which licensed it to Black & Decker. The patent was subject to considerable litigation; the inventor and has assignee had to be forced to participate in at least one of the earlier suits: Black & Decker filed suit against Hempe Manufacturing Co., and, after Inventec declined to participate, the United States Court of Appeals, Eight Circuit, ruled that the suit could not proceed without Inventec's participation, and Black & Decker convinced the court to name Inventec as an "involuntary plaintiff". Hempe's infringing product was the "Porta Bench" which the manufactured for Sears, Roebuck, and the court ruled against Hempe.Another lawsuit involving this patent was the 1978 Black & Decker v. Emerson Electric; Emerson Electric was manufacturing the "Porta Bench" portable workbench for Sears, Roebuck, and was promptly sued by B&D (Sears was also sued by B&D but due to an indemnification agreement, Emerson covered Sears' costs and was the lead defendant.) Emerson counter-sued to declare this patent and 4,076,229 invalid. |
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