for advances being made to them by way of purchase of shares in the patents. Sales of patents or shares in them, either to individuals or to companies, both in simple cases and also on what may be termed "the hire system," are provided for. A sale of the latter kind is intended to be carried out by the grant of an exclusive licence until all instalments of the purchase-money are paid, or the total amount of royalties paid have reached a particular sum at least. Precedents of agreements and assignments appear, in which are laid down the conditions under which co-applicants for, or co-owners of, patents, with or without the intervention of trustees, are separately to work the patents. An assignment of a patent for a district, the partition of a patent into districts, mortgages of patents, assignments and mortgages of licences, and the grant of a sub-licence are also provided for. There are also to be found precedents of exclusive, non-exclusive, and partially exclusive licences, with or without reservations, some of which contain special clauses relating to the supply of raw material or patent articles by one party to the other, or by the licensee to other licensees. The miscellaneous precedents relate to documents subsidiary to those dealt with in the other precedents, and include forms of notices. also many common forms and special clauses. There are The Introductory Chapter gives a short outline of the late and present practice. The other Chapters deal with the contents of the precedents, taking special notice of covenants, and questions as to the nature and extent of the liability of assigns as to them, and also consider points in the general law relating to covenants and contracts. The amendment of an application for a patent by introducing a lender or purchaser, the present system of registration, the rights and obligations of co-owners inter se, assignments of patents for districts, and the liabilities of lenders as partners, are also particularly considered. The Appendix contains not only the Patent Acts and Rules but also the clauses of the International Convention, the Partnership Law Amendment Act, and parts of the Conveyancing, &c. Acts of 1881 and 1882. Many thanks are due to the Comptroller-General and other officials at the Patent Office for information supplied respecting the practice at the Office. The Author is also much indebted to Mr. F. B. PALMER, of the Chancery Bar, Author of "Company Precedents," &c., many valuable suggestions in relation to this work. for R. M. 5, NEW SQUARE, LINCOLN'S INN. June, 1887. TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Definition of letters patent; definition of patent... Who is an inventor; the term includes "first importer;" t Former mode of application for a patent; provisional specific Amendment of specification by disclaimer; what persons co Registration under old practice; effect of registration (old pr THE NEW ACTS. The Acts of 1883, 1885 and 1886; comptroller; general ru Present mode of application; an importer must be resident; f Provisional protection under new Act; times for leaving and Times for sealing patent (new practice); opposition to gra Amendment of specification by disclaimer, &c., retrospective effect of amendments of specifications; extension of term of patent; revocation of patents; revocation now by petition only; who may petition; compulsory licences; Secretary for War may hold certain inventions; inventions and specifications kept secret; new Acts how far applicable to patents and proceed- ings existing and pending at commencement Registration under new practice; what documents may be notified Principal matters in the precedents of agreements.... Disclosure and trial of the invention; confidential communications Interest on a loan according to net profits of a patent; effect of bankruptcy of inventor; interest equal to share in net profits Improvements or additions to an invention or discovery of other process; for what improvements patents can be obtained.. 33-36 Some points in general law of contracts now to be noticed; requi- sites of a simple contract; agreement by deed; estoppel. 39-41 Specific performance of contracts generally; specific performance of contracts for sale of patents; specific performance of agree- |