Ralph F. Stallman v. Casey Bearing Company, Inc., a Corporation, and T. W. Crosby

Appellant Stallman sued for damages for infringement of his United States Patent No. 2,334,227. On the trial, with a jury, a verdict was rendered in favor of appellant, finding Claims 3, 4, 5 and 9 valid and infringed. Defendant moved pursuant to Rule 50(b) of the Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A. for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The District Court granted this motion upon the ground the patent was invalid. In so doing, the trial court said:

Appellant claims there was error in such conclusion, that it was not the only reasonable conclusion to be reached, and that reasonable men could reach a different conclusion. The sole question raised by the appeal goes to the propriety of the trial court granting defendant’s motion for judgment as a matter of law.

The invention had to do with “roller” or “needle” or “quill” bearings. Such bearings must in operation be separated sufficiently to permit their rotation. They must also be held in some manner to prevent excessive lateral movement. If held closely by flanges or side rails, they accomplish the elimination of endwise movements of the rolls, but this results in friction between the ends of the rolls and the flanges or…