Lorenz v. Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Co.

Lorenz (plaintiff) disclosed his soap-manufacturing process to Colgate chemist Ittner, who expressed disinterest, and Lorenz's own patent application was subsequently rejected and abandoned; years later, Ittner patented essentially the same process and Colgate (defendant) used it in its factories for two years before Lorenz discovered the patent, ultimately securing his own interfering patent through a later application and interference proceeding. The district court found Colgate's factory use constituted prior public use barring Lorenz's patent rights, and Lorenz appealed, arguing the bar shouldn't apply because the invention had been pirated.