Wapin Bridge

[carl meyer]

Patents can not be renewed.  You can patent an improvement and if your
improvement is soooo good that the original would be second rate without
the improvement you've got something. Then you can license the
improvement to the original inventor.  I remember when Baldwin proudly
offered PTG members free use of their patented plate mounting methods
and their accu-hitch pins.  When I looked up these patents I found that
they had expired many years ago.  Unless its been changed, no!, patents
are for 17 years and can not be renewed 


Richard Brekne wrote:
> 
> Jesus Christmas... get real... a decal (trademark) has nothing in the world to
> do with a patented idea. And it is a fact that Steinway released all its patents
> a few years back. They did so because they realized that there was simply no
> point in holding on to them.. Perhaps you never noticed how the front duplex of
> the Yamaha looks .....er.... idendical to that of Steinway..
> 
> Sorry to get a bit hot under the collar... but sometimes I wish people would
> read twice before shooting off broadsides about something or some point not even
> brought up. This started off as a disscussion on how Wapins income and how
> technicians ability to make an informed decision regarding Wapin is best
> served... This tangent of captilism and what not is way off base
> 
> JIMRPT@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> > In a message dated 2/15/2000 5:00:43 PM, Richard wrote:
> >
> > <<Perhaps you were not aware that even Steinway gave up on holding on too
> > these
> > patents with such an over driven sense of protectionism...>>
> >
> > Oh??? is that a fact???  Then why do you have to get "authorized" S&S decals
> > from and "authorized" Distributor and swear to use them only on S&S
> > pianos....and why did Bob Pierce have to stop selling
> > them.....................and why can you not use the S&S logo on merchandise
> > at your pleasure...??
> > I thought "patents" had a finite life so that companies can't "hold on to
> > these patents"...am I mistaken??
> 
> When the life of a patent expires.. it can be renewed.. if the holder wishes.
> 
> >
> >
> > just a couple of questions??
> > Jim Bryant (FL)
> 
> --
> Richard Brekne
> Associate PTG, N.P.T.F.
> Bergen, Norway