McAleer v. United States

Citations

• 150 U.S. 424
• 14 S. Ct. 160
• 37 L. Ed. 1130
• 1893 U.S. LEXIS 2393
• 29 Ct. Cl. 560

Syllabus

<p>An employ® in the Treasury Department, having obtained letters patent'for an invention which proved to be of use in the department, executed an indenture to the department in which he said: “ For .the sum of one dollar and other valuable consideration to me paid by the said department, I do hereby grant and license the said United Stateá Treasury Department and its bureaus the right to make and use -machines containing the improvements claimed in said letters patent to the full end of the term for which said letters patent are granted.”' Held, that -this instrument constituted a contract fully executed on both sides, which gave the right to the Treasury Department, without liability for remuneration thereafter, to make and use the machines containing the patented improvements to the end of the term for which the letters were granted; which contract could not be defeated, contradicted, or varied, by proof of a collateral parol agreement inconsistent with its terms.</p>