Jacuzzi Bros. Inc. v. Berkeley Pump Co.

Appellants hold two United States patents (Nos. 2,424,285 and 2,344,958) and bring suit for infringement by structures manufactured by defendant. The defendant denied and asked for declaratory judgments of invalidity of both patents.

These patents describe multi-stage centrifugal pumps with low and high pressure discharge openings. Distinct pumping systems are outlined, embodying such' pumps and injector assemblies as integral parts thereof. It is represented that these patents cover three pumping systems: Patent 2,424,285 is said to- cover Systems A ánd B. -System A unites an injector with a pump unit of the impeller type. The discovery claimed is that a discharge is obtained at low pressure from an intermediate stage of the pump without adversely affecting the rest of the system, which thus may deliver large volumes of water at low pressure. However, a control valve is still required. System B is also embodied in 2,424,285. This device involves a dual purpose pressure system which can smiultaneously supply high pressure low volume requirements of- the household and low pressure high volume requirements of irrigation, and additionally provide automatic pump starting from either…