Rava v. Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Decision Date21 March 1950
Citation90 F. Supp. 707
PartiesRAVA v. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION.
CourtU.S. District Court — Southern District of New York

Richard J. Stull, New York City, for plaintiff.

Ostrolenk & Faber, New York City, Samuel Ostrolenk, New York City, for defendant.

McGOHEY, District Judge.

This is a suit by a citizen of New Jersey for alleged patent infringement by a Pennsylvania corporation. The defendant moves to transfer the suit to the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Defendant asserts by affidavit that it never manufactured, sold or used in the Southern District of New York the device which is supposed to infringe the plaintiff's patent. It is admitted, however, that defendant did manufacture, but only in Pennsylvania, and sell in Ohio, Michigan and Massachusetts, but only in those states, devices known generally in the industry as "capacitor welder controls." (It is these which plaintiff claims infringe his patent.)

Since the defendant is a Pennsylvania corporation, the suit is maintainable in this district only if the defendant has a regular and established place of business here and committed an act of infringement here. 28 U.S.C.A. § 1400(b); Stonite Products Co. v. Melvin Lloyd Co., 315 U.S. 561, 62 S.Ct. 780, 86 L.Ed. 1026. And it is the plaintiff's burden to show jurisdiction in this district. Thomson v. Gaskill, 315 U.S. 442, 62 S.Ct. 673, 86 L.Ed. 951. A regular and established place of business here is not denied by the defendant, so it is necessary to consider only whether plaintiff has shown an act of infringement in this district.

A patent may be infringed by manufacture, use or sale. 35 U.S.C.A. § 40. Plaintiff makes no attempt to show manufacture or use in this district. In reply to the defendant's affidavits, plaintiff submits merely an affidavit of an attorney who says the plaintiff has "informed" him that the defendant's devices "are offered for sale in New York"; and that "I further understand" that a corporation in this district has "heretofore and within the period of the statute of limitations, purchased one of defendant's panels constituting such infringement in New York City." This is far from proof of anything. It certainly does not prove a sale by the defendant in this district which includes only two of the five counties in New York City.

Motion granted. Settle order on notice.

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11 cases
  • Ruth v. Eagle-Picher Company, 5072.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Tenth Circuit
    • July 18, 1955
    ...v. Karl, D.C.E.D.N.Y., 84 F. Supp. 53; Arkay Infants Wear, Inc., v. Kline's, Inc., D.C.W.D.Mo., 85 F.Supp. 98; Rava v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., D.C.S.D.N.Y., 90 F.Supp. 707; Curtis v. Madovoy, D.C.E.D.N.Y., 84 F.Supp. 637; Nachtman v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., D.C.D.C., 90 F.Supp. 7......
  • Otto v. Koppers Company
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Northern District of West Virginia
    • September 1, 1955
    ...F.Supp. 739; Arkay Infants Wear v. Klines, D.C.Mo.1949, 85 F.Supp. 98; Fischer v. Karl, D.C.N.Y.1949, 84 F.Supp. 53; Rava v. Westinghouse, D.C. N.Y.1950, 90 F.Supp. 707; Federal Electric Products Co. v. Frank Adams, D.C.N.Y.1951, 100 F.Supp. 8; Ronson Art Metal Works v. Brown & Bigelow, D.C......
  • CO-Two Fire Equipment Co. v. Barnes
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Seventh Circuit
    • April 21, 1952
    ...v. Hook et al., 3 Cir., 183 F.2d 11; Arkay Infants Wear, Inc., v. Kline's Inc. et al., D.C., 85 F.Supp. 98; Rava v. Westinghouse Electric Corp., D.C., 90 F.Supp. 707; Curtis et al. v. Madovoy et al., D.C., 84 F.Supp. 637; Aetna Ball & Roller Bearing Co. v. The Federal Bearing Co., Inc., dec......
  • Dalton v. Shakespeare Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit
    • April 18, 1952
    ...109 was of old sections 111 and 112. Citing in his support Ackerman v. Hook, 3 Cir., 183 F.2d 11, he relies also on Rava v. Westinghouse Electric, D.C., 90 F.Supp. 707; Arkay Infants Wear, Inc., v. Kline's Inc., D.C., 85 F. Supp. 98, and Fischer v. Karl, D.C., 84 F. Supp. Its main reliance,......
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