Certain commis whom may or Master I. The Lord Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, 15 & 16 her Majesty's Attorney General for England, her Vict. c. 83. Majesty's Solicitor General for England, the Lord persons Advocate, her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scot- constituted land, her Majesty's Attorney General for Ireland, sioners of and her Majesty's Solicitor General for Ireland, for patents for inventions, the time being respectively, together with such other three of person or persons as may be from time to time ap- act, the pointed by her Majesty, as hereinafter mentioned, Chancellor shall be commissioners of patents for inventions; of the Rolls and it shall be lawful for her Majesty from time to being one. time, by warrant under her royal sign manual, to appoint such other person or persons as she may think fit to be a commissioner or commissioners as aforesaid; and every person so appointed shall continue such commissioner during her Majesty's pleasure; and all the powers hereby vested in the commissioners may be exercised by any three or more of them, the Lord Chancellor or Master of the Rolls being one. commis II. It shall be lawful for the commissioners to Seal of the cause a seal to be made for the purposes of this act, sioners. and from time to time to vary such seal, and to cause to be sealed therewith all the warrants for letters patent under this act, and all instruments and copies proceeding from the office of the commissioners, and all courts, judges, and other persons whomsoever shall take notice of such seal, and receive impressions thereof in evidence, in like manner as impressions of the Great Seal are received in evidence, and shall also take notice of and receive in evidence, without further proof or production of the originals, all copies or extracts, certified under the seal of the said office, of or from documents deposited in such office. commissioners to III. It shall be lawful for the commissioners from Power to time to time to make such rules and regulations (not inconsistent with the provisions of this act) respect- make rules and regula 15 & 16 Vict. c. 83. tions, be laid before parliament. ing the business of their office, and all matters and things which under the provisions herein contained are which shall to be under their control and direction, as may appear to them necessary and expedient for the purposes of this act; and all such rules shall be laid before both houses of parliament within fourteen days after the making thereof, if parliament be sitting, and if parliament be not sitting, then within fourteen days after the next meeting of parliament; and the commissioners shall cause a report to be laid annually before parliament of all the proceedings under and in pursuance of this act. Commis sioners to report annually to parliament. Treasury to IV. It shall be lawful for the commissioners of provide offices. Commissioners, with con her Majesty's treasury to provide and appoint from time to time proper places or buildings for an office or offices for the purposes of this act. V. It shall be lawful for the commissioners, with the consent of the commissioners of the treasury, sent of the from time to time to appoint for the purposes of this Treasury, to appoint act such clerks and officers as the commissioners clerks, &c. may think proper; and it shall be lawful for the commissioners from time to time to remove any of the clerks and officers so appointed. Petition and decla accom panied with a provi cification. VI. Every petition for the grant of letters patent ration to be for an invention, and the declaration required to accompany such petition, shall be left at the office of the commissioners, and there shall be left therewith a sional spe- statement in writing, hereinafter called the provisional specification, signed by or on behalf of the applicant for letters patent, describing the nature of the said invention; and the day of the delivery of every such petition, declaration, and provisional specification, shall be recorded at the said office, and endorsed on such petition, declaration, and provisional specification, and a certificate thereof given to such applicant or his agent; and all such petitions, declarations, and provisional specifications, shall be preserved in such manner as the commissioners may Vict. c. 83. direct, and a registry thereof and of all proceedings 15 & 16 thereon kept at the office of the commissioners. Every ap be referred VII. Every application for letters patent made under this act shall be referred by the commissioners, plication to according to such regulations as they may think fit to one of to make, to one of the law officers. the law offi cers. cification to be referred certificate shall be VIII. The provisional specification shall be referred The provito the law officer, who shall be at liberty to call to sional spehis aid such scientific or other person as he may think fit, and to cause to be paid to such person by the to the law officer, who, applicant such remuneration as the law officer shall if satisfied, appoint; and if such law officer be satisfied that the may give a provisional specification describes the nature of the of his allowinvention, he shall allow the same, and give a certifi- ance, which cate of his allowance, and such certificate shall be filed. filed in the office of the commissioners, and thereupon the invention therein referred to may, during the term of six months from the date of the application for letters patent for the said invention, be used and published without prejudice to any letters patent to be granted for the same, and such protection from the consequences of use and publication is hereinafter referred to as provisional protection: Provided always, that in case the title of the invention or the provisional specification be too large or insufficient, it shall be lawful for the law officer to whom the same is referred to allow or require the same to be amended. IX. The applicant for letters patent for an inven- Inventor tion, instead of leaving with the petition and declara- may deposit, in lieu tion a provisional specification as aforesaid, may, if of a provisional spehe think fit, file with the said petition and declaration cification, a an instrument in writing under his hand and seal complete (hereinafter called a complete specification), particu- tion, such specificalarly describing and ascertaining the nature of the deposit to said invention, and in what manner the same is to be limited time performed, which complete specification shall be the like mentioned in such declaration, and the day of the letters parights as delivery of every such petition, declaration, and com- tent. confer for a 15 & 16 Vict. c. 83. to be invali plete specification shall be recorded at the office of the commissioners, and endorsed on such petition, declaration, and specification, and a certificate thereof given to such applicant or his agent, and thereupon, subject and without prejudice to the provisions hereinafter contained, the invention shall be protected under this act for the term of six months from the date of the application, and the applicant shall have during such term of six months the like powers, rights, and privileges, as might have been conferred upon him by letters patent for such invention, issued under this act, and duly sealed as of the day of the date of such application; and during the continuance of such powers, rights, and privileges under this provision, such invention may be used and published without prejudice to any letters patent to be granted for the same; and where letters patent are granted in respect of such invention, then in lieu of a condition for making void such letters patent in case such invention be not described and ascertained by a subsequent specification, such letters patent shall be conditioned to become void if such complete specification, filed as aforesaid, does not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; and a copy of every such complete specification shall be open to the inspection of the public, as hereinafter provided, from the time of depositing the same, subject to such regulation as the commissioners may make. Letters paX. In case of any application for letters patent for tent granted to the first any invention, and the obtaining upon such applicainventor not tion of provisional protection for such invention, or dated by of protection for the same, by reason of the deposit protection of a complete specification as aforesaid in fraud of fraud of the the true and first inventor, any letters patent granted first inven to the true and first inventor of such invention shall not be invalidated by reason of such application, or of such provisional or other protection as aforesaid, obtained in tor. Vict. c. 83. sioners to or of any use or publication of the invention subse- 15 & 16 quent to such application, and before the expiration of the term of such provisional or other protection. XI. Where any invention is provisionally protected Commisunder this act, or protected by reason of the deposit cause proof such complete specification as aforesaid, the com-tections to missioners shall cause such provisional protection or tised. such other protection as aforesaid to be advertised in such manner as they may see fit. be adver tion for letters pa advertised, to the same. XII. The applicant for letters patent, so soon as Applicahe may think fit after the invention shall have been provisionally protected under this act, or where a tent to be complete specification has been deposited with his and also petition and declaration, then so soon as he may think oppositions fit after such deposit, may give notice at the office of the commissioners of his intention of proceeding with his application for letters patent for the said invention, and thereupon the said commissioners shall cause his said application to be advertised in such manner as they may see fit; and any persons having an interest in opposing the grant of letters patent for the said invention shall be at liberty to leave particulars in writing of their objections to the said application at such place and within such time and subject to such regulations as the commissioners may direct. tion and XIII. So soon as the time for the delivery of such Specifica-` objections shall have expired, the provisional specifi- objections cation or complete specification (as the case may be) to be referand particulars of objection (if any) shall be referred red to law to the law officer to whom the application has been referred. officer. to order by or to whom costs shall XIV. It shall be lawful for the law officer to whom Power to law officer any application for such letters patent is referred, if he see fit, by certificate under his hand, to order by or to whom the costs of any hearing or inquiry upon be paid. any objection, or otherwise in relation to the grant of such letters patent, or in relation to the provisional (or other) protection acquired by the applicant under |