OpenLegislation

Patents Act 1949

12 & 13 & 14 Geo. 6 c. 87 · Enacted 16 December 1949 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 5 June 2010.

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to patents.

[16th December 1949] I1C1C2C3C4C5

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act restricted (retrospectively) by 1994 c. 26, s. 106(1), Sch. 4 para. 2(4); S.I. 1994/2550, art. 2

C2

Act extended (8.2.1997) by S.I. 1996/3120, reg. 5

C3

Act extended (2. 1. 1993) by S.I. 1992/3091, regs. 1(1),5

C4

Functions of Board of Trade and of President of Board of Trade now exercisable concurrently by Secretary of State: S.I. 1970/1537, art. 2(1)

C5

Act excluded by British Telecommunications Act 1981 (c. 38, SIF 96), s. 88 Sch. 5 para. 3(3)

Commencement

I1

Act not in force at Royal Assent see s. 107(2); Act wholly in force at 1st January 1950.

Contents

  1. Application, investigation, opposition, etc.
  2. 1Persons entitled to make application.
  3. 2Application.
  4. 3Complete and provisional specifications.
  5. 4Contents of specification.
  6. 5Priority date of claims of complete specification.
  7. 6Examination of application.
  8. 7Search for anticipation by previous publication.
  9. 8Search for anticipation by prior claim.
  10. 9Reference in case of potential infringement.
  11. 10Refusal of application in certain cases.
  12. 11Supplementary provisions as to searches, etc.
  13. 12Time for putting application in order for acceptance.
  14. 13Acceptance and publication of complete specification.
  15. 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  16. 15Refusal of patent without opposition.
  17. 16Mention of inventor as such in patent.
  18. 17Substitution of applicants, etc.
  19. 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  20. Grant, effect and term of patent
  21. 19Grant and sealing of patent.
  22. 20Amendment of patent granted to deceased applicant.
  23. 21Extent, effect and form of patent.
  24. 22Date and term of patent.
  25. 23Extension on ground of inadequate remuneration.
  26. 24Extension on ground of war loss.
  27. 25Extension on ground of war loss of licensee.
  28. 26Patents of addition.
  29. Restoration of lapsed patents and patent applications
  30. 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  31. 28Restoration of lapsed applications for patents.
  32. Amendment of specifications
  33. 29Amendment of specification with leave of comptroller.
  34. 30Amendment of specification with leave of the court.
  35. 31Supplementary provisions as to amendment of specification.
  36. Revocation and surrender of patents
  37. 32Revocation of patent by court.
  38. 33Revocation of patent by comptroller.
  39. 34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  40. Voluntary endorsement of patent
  41. 35—41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  42. 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  43. 43—45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  44. Use of patented inventions for services of the Crown
  45. 46Use of patented inventions for services of the Crown.
  46. 47Rights of third parties in respect of Crown use.
  47. 48Reference of disputes as to Crown use.
  48. 49Special provisions as to Crown use during emergency.
  49. Anticipation, etc.
  50. 50Previous publication.
  51. 51Previous communication, display or working.
  52. 52Use and publication after provisional specification or foreign application.
  53. 53Priority date in case of obtaining.
  54. Miscellaneous provisions as to rights in inventions
  55. 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  56. 55Power of comptroller to give directions to co-owners.
  57. 56Disputes as to inventions made by employees.
  58. 57, 58. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  59. Proceedings for infringement, etc.
  60. 59Restrictions on recovery of damages for infringement.
  61. 60Order for account in action for infringement.
  62. 61Counterclaim for revocation in action for infringement.
  63. 62Relief for infringement of partially valid specification.
  64. 63Proceedings for infringement by exclusive licensee.
  65. 64Certificate of contested validity of specification.
  66. 65Remedy for groundless threats of infringement proceedings.
  67. 66Power of court to make declaration as to non-infringement.
  68. 67Reference to comptroller of disputes as to infringement.
  69. International Agreements, etc.
  70. 68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  71. 69Supplementary provisions as to convention applications.
  72. 70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  73. 71,72. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  74. Register of patents, etc.
  75. 73—75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  76. 76Power to correct clerical errors, etc.
  77. 77—79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  78. 80Loss or destruction of patent.
  79. 81—83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  80. The Court and the Appeal Tribunal
  81. 84—86. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  82. 87Appeals to Court of Appeal and Court of Session.
  83. 88, 89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  84. Offences
  85. 90, 91. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  86. 92Unauthorised assumption of Royal Arms.
  87. 93. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  88. Rules, etc.
  89. 94, 95. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  90. 96Proceedings of Board of Trade.
  91. Supplemental
  92. 97—100. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  93. 101Interpretation.
  94. 102Saving for Royal prerogative, etc.
  95. 103Application to Scotland.
  96. 104Application to Northern Ireland.
  97. 105Isle of Man.
  98. 106Repeals, transitional provisions and amendment.
  99. 107Short title and commencement.
  100. Schedule FIRSTSchedule FIRST