Page images
PDF
EPUB

developed the invention on which the claim is based. July 19, 1952, c. 950, § 1, 66 Stat. 806.

Section 184.

Filing of application in foreign country.

Except when authorized by a license obtained from the Commissioner a person shall not file or cause or authorize to be filed in any foreign country prior to six months after filing in the United States an application for patent or for the registration of a utility model, industrial design, or model in respect of an invention made in this country. A license shall not be granted with respect to an invention subject to an order issued by the Commissioner pursuant to section 181 of this title without the concurrence of the head of the departments and the chief officers of the agencies who caused the order to be issued. The license may be granted retroactively where an application has been inadvertently filed abroad and the application does not disclose an invention within the scope of section 181 of this title.

The term "application" when used in this chapter includes applications and any modifications, amendments, or supplements thereto, or divisions thereof. July 19, 1952, c. 950, § 1, 66 Stat. 807.

Section 185. Patent barred for filing without license.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law any person, and his successors, assigns, or legal representatives, shall not receive a United States patent for an invention if that person, or his successors, assigns, or legal representatives shall, without procuring the license prescribed in section 184 of this title, have made, or consented to or assisted another's making, application in a foreign country for a patent or for the registration of a utility model, industrial design, or a model in respect of the invention. A United States patent issued to such person, his successors, assigns, or legal representatives shall be invalid. July 19, 1952, c. 950, § 1, 66 Stat. 807.

Section 186. Penalty.

Whoever, during the period or periods of time an invention has been ordered to be kept secret and the grant of a patent thereon withheld pursuant to section 181 of this title, shall, with knowledge of such order and without due authorization, willfully publish or disclose or authorize or cause to be published or disclosed the invention, or material information with respect thereto, or whoever, in violation of the provisions of section 184 of this title, shall file or cause or authorize to be filed in any foreign country an application for patent or for the registration of a utility model, industrial design, or model in respect of any invention made in the

United States, shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both. July 19, 1952, c. 950 § 1, 66 Stat. 807.

CHAPTER 27.-GOVERNMENT INTERESTS IN PATENTS Section 266. Issue of patents without fees to Government

employees.

The Commissioner may grant, subject to the provisions of this title, to any officer, enlisted man, or employee of the Government, except officers and employees of the Patent Office, a patent without the payment of fees, when the head of a department or agency certifies the invention is used or likely to be used in the public interest and the applicant in his application states that the invention described therein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to him of any royalty thereon, which stipulation shall be included in the patent. July 19, 1952, c. 950, § 1, 66 Stat. 811.

CHAPTER 28.-INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS

Section 271. Infringement of patents.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, whoever without authority makes, uses or sells any patented invention, within the United States during the term of the patent therefor, infringes the patent.

(b) Whoever actively induces infringement of a patent shall be liable as an infringer.

(c) Whoever sells a component of a patented machine, manufacture, combination or composition, or a material or apparatus for use in practicing a patented process, constituting a material part of the invention, knowing the same to be especially made or especially adapted for use in an infringement of such patent, and not a staple article or commodity of commerce suitable for substantial noninfringing use, shall be liable as a contributory infringer.

(d) No patent owner otherwise entitled to relief for infringement or contributory infringement of a patent shall be denied relief or deemed guilty of misuse or illegal extension of the patent right by reason of his having done one or more of the following: (1) derived revenue from acts which if performed by another without his consent would constitute contributory infringement of the patent; (2) licensed or authorized another to perform acts which if performed without his consent would constitute contributory infringement of the patent; (3) sought to enforce his patent rights against infringement or contributory infringement. July 19, 1952, c. 950, § 1, 66 Stat. 811.

PART XVI, TITLE 40

CHAPTER 3.-PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WORKS

GENERALLY

MILLER ACT

Section 270a. Bonds of contractors for public buildings or works; waiver of bonds covering contract per

formed in foreign country.

(a) Before any contract, exceeding $2,000 in amount, for the construction, alteration, or repair of any public building or public work of the United States is awarded to any person, such person shall furnish to the United States the following bonds, which shall become binding upon the award of the contract to such person, who is hereinafter designated as "contractor":

(1) A performance bond with a surety or sureties satisfactory to the officer awarding such contract, and in such amount as he shall deem adequate, for the protection of the United States.

(2) A payment bond with a surety or sureties satisfactory to such officer for the protection of all persons supplying labor and material in the prosecution of the work provided for in said contract for the use of each such person. Whenever the total amount payable by the terms of the contract shall be not more than $1,000,000 the said payment bond shall be in a sum of one-half the total amount payable by the terms of the contract. Whenever the total amount payable by the terms of the contract shall be more than $1,000,000 and not more than $5,000,000, the said payment bond shall be in a sum of 40 per centum of the total amount payable by the terms of the contract. Whenever the total amount payable by the terms of the contract shall be more than $5,000,000 the said payment bond shall be in the sum of $2,500,000.

(b) The contracting officer in respect of any contract is authorized to waive the requirement of a performance bond and payment bond for so much of the work under such contract as is to be performed in a foreign country if he finds that it is impracticable for the contractor to furnish such bonds.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of any contracting officer to require a performance bond or other security in addition to those, or in cases other than the cases specified in subsection (a) of this section. Aug. 24, 1935, c. 642, § 1, 49 Stat. 793..

Section 270b. Same; rights of persons furnishing labor or material.

(a) Every person who has furnished labor or material in the prosecution of the work provided for in such contract, in respect

of which a payment bond is furnished under section 270a of this title and who has not been paid in full therefor before the expiration of a period of ninety days after the day on which the last of the labor was done or performed by him or material was furnished or supplied by him for which such claim is made, shall have the right to sue on such payment bond for the amount, or the balance thereof, unpaid at the time of institution of such suit and to prosecute such action to final execution and judgment for the sum or sums justly due him: Provided, however, That any person having direct contractual relationship with a subcontractor but no contractual relationship express or implied with the contractor furnishing said payment bond shall have a right of action upon the said payment bond upon giving written notice to said contractor within ninety days from the date on which such person did or performed the last of the labor or furnished or supplied the last of the material for which such claim is made, stating with substantial accuracy the amount claimed and the name of the party to whom the material was furnished or supplied or for whom the labor was done or performed. Such notice shall be served by mailing the same by registered mail, postage prepaid, in an envelope addressed to the contractor at any place he maintains an office or conducts his business, or his residence, or in any manner in which the United States marshal of the district in which the public improvement is situated is authorized by law to serve summons.

(b) Every suit instituted under this section shall be brought in the name of the United States for the use of the person suing, in the United States District Court for any district in which the contract was to be performed and executed and not elsewhere, irrespective of the amount in controversy in such suit, but no such suit shall be commenced after the expiration of one year after the day on which the last of the labor was performed or material was supplied by him. The United States shall not be liable for the payment of any costs or expenses of any such suit. Aug. 24, 1935, c. 642, § 2, 49 Stat. 794; as amended Aug. 4, 1959, Pub. L. 86–135, § 1, 73 Stat. 279.

Section 270c. Same; right of person furnishing labor or material to copy of bond.

The Comptroller General is authorized and directed to furnish, to any person making application therefor who submits an affidavit that he has supplied labor or materials for such work and payment therefor has not been made or that he is being sued on any such bond a certified copy of such bond and the contract for which it was given which copy shall be prima facie evidence of the contents, execution, and delivery of the original. Applicants shall pay for

[ocr errors]

such certified copies and certified statements such fees as the Comptroller General fixes to cover the cost of preparation thereof. Aug. 24, 1935, c. 642, § 3, 49 Stat. 794; as amended, Aug. 4, 1959, Pub. L. 86-135, §2, 73 Stat. 279.

Section 270d. Same; definition of “person” in sections 270a, 270b, and 270c.

The term "person" and the masculine pronoun as used in sections 270a-270c of this title shall include all persons whether individuals, associations, copartnerships, or corporations. Aug. 24, 1935, c. 642, § 4, 49 Stat. 794.

Section 270e. Same; waiver of sections 270a-270d with respect to Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard contracts.

The Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, or the Secretary of the Treasury may waive sections 270a-270d of this title, with respect to cost-plus-afixed fee and other cost-type contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of any public building or public work of the United States and with respect to contracts for the manufacturing, producing, furnishing, construction, alteration, repair, processing, or assembling of vessels, aircraft, munitions, materiel, or supplies of any kind or nature for the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard, respectively, regardless of the terms of such contracts as to payment or title. As amended June 3, 1955, c. 129, 69 Stat. 83. DAVIS-BACON ACT

Section 276a.

Rate of wages for laborers and mechanics.

The advertised specifications for every contract in excess of $2,000, to which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party, for construction, alteration, and/or repair, including painting and decorating, of public buildings or public works of the United States or the District of Columbia within the geographical limits of the States of the Union, or the District of Columbia, and which requires or involves the employment of mechanics and/or laborers shall contain a provision stating the minimum wages to be paid various classes of laborers and mechanics which shall be based upon the wages that will be determined by the Secretary of Labor to be prevailing for the corresponding classes of laborers and mechanics employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work in the city, town, village, or other civil subdivision of the State, in which the work is to be performed, or in the District of Columbia if the work is to be performed there; and every contract based upon these specifications shall contain a stipulation that the contractor or his subcontractor shall pay all mechanics.

« PreviousContinue »