I've pulled out more of the little hair I have left trying to find German papers for a Swiss Nipper marked with a Swiss patent and a German D.R.G.M. 313471 number. I found the Swiss patent, but can't find the German patent doing every cross reference check I can think of. I understand that the DRGM is a registration number and not a patent number. Does anyone know where there is a database for the DRGM numbers ? The number and Swiss patent are from 1907. There is a German patent with this number, but it is not for the Nipper.
Thanks
Hi to all,
I thing there is much rummor about these terms. In fact the classification which is valid worldwide uses three terms:
1) Patent = new, unique technical solution, which is of the higher level than usual skills of average constructor.
2) The second step is something in my free translation as "Use pattern", in german language Gebrauchsmuster, in czech "Uzitny vzor". It is a technical solution, but not so strong as patent, it is something that average constructior can design, it is new, but not of worldwide importance. In english it is called as small patent, I couldn´t find any exact term.
3) The third term is "Industrial pattern" - this is a protection of the design of a product. In czech it is called as "Prumyslovy vzor". It isomething different from 1) and 2), this is only a look of the thing.
Patents and use patterns (Gebrauchsmusters) and listed in their databases together. Especiall old patents can be found in one certain country only. I don´t know why, I found patents for old Czechoslovak cuffs in Austrian archives and not in my country. This I don´t understand.
And consider this aspects - many inventors applied for the patents in other countries than they lived - very often France, Swiss and so on... Possibly because of the political situation in the 1930s...
Perhaps this helps. I guess many german cuffs either has never had a petent, although they are stamped with DRGM or these files were damaged during WW II.
Josef from
www.pouta.org