Fred Locke wins one appeal of Boch law suit

F. M. Locke Wins Important Patent Case

Smith and Denison of Syracuse, attorneys for Fred M. Locke of Victor, have received an important decision from the United States Patent Office in two actions and which involve thousands of dollars. The appliance for which the suits were brought is a porcelain insulator used in telegraph poles. In the conducting of electricity, trouble arises from a waste caused by the grounding of the current which works its way through the porcelain to the pin in an imperfectly constructed insulator. This is overcome in the Locke insulator by an outer shell of very thin porcelain, between which and the two inner shells melted glaze was poured, making the waste practically impossible. The old insulators would withstand a voltage of 15,000 to 20,000, while Locke's insulators will withstand 75,000 to 100,000 volts.

The two cases of interference with the invention were brought against John W. Boch, general manager of the R. Thomas and Sons company of East Liverpool, Ohio. Both filed patents on the device and this decision determines the fact that Mr. Locke is entitled to the claim of priority of invention.