Supreme Court PYRAMID MOWER PATENT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28973, 14 August 1959, Page 3

Supreme Court PYRAMID MOWER PATENT

“Motor Not Novel Feature”

The use of a hydraulic motor to drive the Pyramid mower was not a novel feature of the patent, said Rex Webster Baker, a director of Pyramid Machines, Ltd., when he was further crossexamined in the Supreme Court yesterday during the hearing of the mower dispute. He told Mr R. A. Young, counsel for W. H. Price and Son, Ltd., that the principle of using the tractor hydraulics to drive the mower was possibly novel, but he disagreed that the motor was the basis of the patent. Whenever the plaintiffs complained to the defendant company about the motor they were told by Fraemohs (the works manager): “The motor is not your job; leave the hydraulics to us. we know what we’re doing,” Baker said.

“We left the motor to him and here we are,” he added. By the time the plaintiffs had taken delivery of the 10 experimental machines in 1955 there were no crops to test them on. “If that were so why did you not wait until the following year before placing your order?” asked Mr Young. “Fraemohs assured us on more than one occasion that he knew all about hydraulics; the motor was their job and they had put their name on it, and we were not to worry about it,” replied Baker.

He was asked by Mr Young if he had been prepared to accept any motor Fraemohs made available. “Fraemohs said the motor was nothing to do with us,” answered the witness. “He put Price's name on' it and appeared at all times to know what he was talking about, and as I said before —here we are.”

Baker told Mr Young he had a garden mower which he believed had an output of one horse power because that was printed on it. From that you assume it produces one horse power?—lt’s one of the best makes in the world and they would hardly print that on it if it was not true. Will it mow? —No. If it was established that the output of the Pyramid mower was only .8 horse power could the machine have cut 500 acres in three weeks, he was asked. “Sir, it did,” replied Baker.