Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 2.djvu/92

 BELT ». CHITTBNDEN. 85 �to interfere with the nails in case of the expansion or con- traction, lengthwise, of the corrugations. �"This invention is applicable to wooden structures of any kind, and we propose to use it on bridges, cars and the like. We are aware that buildings have been made in -which the walls, both inside and out, were composed of corrugated sheet. metal, seeured to metal bars and wooden frames, and we do not claim such." �The claim is "a metallic covering for -wooden structures composed of the metallic sheets, B, applied to the surface of the structure, in the manner shown, whereby an air space is left between the metal sheets and the wall or structure at ail points except the edges of the sheets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth." �The defendants rely, among other defences, on want of novelty, and, in my view of the case, it will not be necessary to consider any other defence. �In the drawings accompanying the letters patent are three different shaped metallic sheathings, showing as many differ- ent corrugations, or air spaces, and the defendants submit exhibits and designs of corrugated iron sheets which had been in use long anterior to the complainant's patent. The only difference between the form of the complainant's draw- ings and exhibits and these is that in the former the iron is so shaped or corrugated that the spaces between the wood-work and the iron are larger, and at the point where the sheathing is nailed only a small surface of iron cornes in contact with the wood, and, as the air chamber is larger, the shape of the com- plainant's sheathing is, perhaps, a better protection againstfire, and a more serviceable covering. But any person has the right to increase or diminish the size of corrugations or wrinkles in iron sheathing. There is no novelty in doing this. If the ordi- nary form of corrugated iron, when applied to the roof or sides of a building, does not give suf&cient air spaces, there is nothing new in the idea of making them larger, and dimin- ishing the surface of iron at the point where it is nailed to the wood-work, although it might remedy the objection. ����