Author Topic: confusing patent  (Read 1806 times)

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Offline amertrac

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confusing patent
« on: April 21, 2012, 03:11:26 PM »
this ratchet has a usa patent applied for by a Korean and manufactored in Korea . unique in design fits 7/16 to 3/4 in witha push and release of your thumb   bob w.
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Offline rusty

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2012, 04:32:58 PM »
>applied for by a Korean and manufactored in Korea

Foreign patent protection became very common after the turn of the century. It prevented some American company from copying the design and exporting them back into or near the inventors country.

It also happened a lot the other way, American inventors often cross patented in England to protect their markets there....(This caused interesting problems in it's own right, with the Brit's passing some rather interesting patent laws..)

It still is common today, tho it is often not as critical. Getting a patent in another country will generally bar someone here from getting a patent on the same thing here because it runs afoul of the prior art rules (it's not new and novel anymore). However, to licence the patent here you generally want to have a patent here (multi country litigation is not pretty), so many things still get patented across multiple countries.

Interesting and unusual ratchet :)
Just a weathered light rust/WD40 mix patina.

Offline Lewill2

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2012, 07:15:54 PM »
I have 2 sizes of that one, mine are marked 9/16 - 13/16 or 14mm-21mm and the small one is marked 5/16-17/32 or 8mm-14mm. The big one is 10 inches long and the small one is 8 inches long. 

Offline amertrac

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2012, 05:16:48 AM »
i SPENT EIGHTEEN MONTHS ON FEDERAL FUNDED ( 1951/1952  )VACATION  in korea  and for the longest time when ever it was mentioned  the hair would stand up on the back of my neck.Apparently it does not bother me any more .I can hold something that came from there .LOL THIS ratchet is something that I have not seen before the way it adjust to size .I do not know if i can give it room among my collectables or put it in my trade bin   bob w.
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Offline Lewill2

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2012, 08:30:55 AM »
I purchased mine new and have them stored away. Almost the whole wrench is made from some type of reinforced plastic material. I figure they wouldn't last or work to well so maybe they will be a future collectable that my grand kids can sell when I am long gone.

The jaws adjust with a lever and cable system. Patent date of Feb. 6, 1990, Patent 4,898,052
 

Offline amertrac

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2012, 08:51:44 AM »
the patent number on mine is 4813308  1987
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Offline Lewill2

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Re: confusing patent
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2012, 10:36:20 AM »
Now I am confused, Patent 4813308 was issued March 21, 1989 and is for a right angle adapter for a ratchet. It was issued to David Petrus Park Forest IL. Patent 4898052 was issued Feb 6, 1990 to Byung Kang Pusan Rep of Korea. Maybe Mr. Kang had an earlier patent but the one you listed doesn't seem to be correct.