Ex parte Murphy et al.
United States Patent and Trademark Office Board of Appeals
200 U.S.P.Q. 801 (1977)
- Written by Eric Miller, JD
Facts
Murphy and others applied for a patent on a slot machine known as a one-armed bandit. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) examiner rejected the application on the ground that the device was intended for gambling purposes—i.e., an activity that could be considered harmful to public morals. The rejection came before the PTO board of appeals.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Messenheimer, J.)
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