From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Solicitor's letter advising on the trademark protection for the term 'POWER-DOME'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\1\ scan0111 | |
| Date | 20th April 1939 | |
| CLAREMONT, HAYNES & CO. SOLICITORS COMMISSIONERS FOR OATHS. TELEGRAMS: AORTA,WESTCENT,LONDON. TELEPHONES: HOLBORN 8811 (4 LINES). H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} L. STUART. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} R.{Sir Henry Royce} TILDESLEY, LL.B. F.{Mr Friese} C. CHAMPNEYS. Handwritten Note: 1247- or 1256 ? VERNON HOUSE, Sicilian Avenue, BLOOMSBURY SQUARE, LONDON, W.C.1. 20th April 1939 Stamp: PATENTS DEPARTMENT. Stamp: REC'D 21 APR 1939 W/D C/G Dear Sir, POWER-DOME. With reference to Mr Walker's enquiry on the telephone whether this word could be protected as applied to a particular type of piston, or piston in association with a combustion chamber, the answer we think is "No". The only way of protecting a word is to register it as a Trade Mark and where a word such as this can only be registered if it falls under one of three headings :- (a) It has been in use for a considerable time and become recognised by the trade as applying to articles of a particular manufacturer. (b) It is an invented word (e.g. Kodak) (c) It is a word having no reference to the nature or quality of the article to which it is applied (e.g. Dagger for aero engines) The present word does not fall within any one of these three categories since it is descriptive of this and any other piston which is domed at the top in order to increase its power. It might be possible to make a portmanteau word out of Power dome which would come into the heading of invented words. | ||