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).
Strategy, control, and expenditure for patent renewals.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\March1931-September1931\ Scan086 | |
| Date | 25th March 1931 | |
| SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} RG.{Mr Rowledge} (crossed out) HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (crossed out) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) (Stamp: ORIGINAL) (Stamp: RECEIVED) (Handwritten: X1898) Copy to MOR. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} (crossed out) PATENT RENEWALS. It seems difficult to lay down any hard and fast rule. There are patents from which we never hope to get a royalty that ought to be worth maintaining, so shall we leave it that every economy should be used, that EY. be given the control, and Mr. Sidgreaves and myself sanction the expenditure on all foreign patents, and renewals of the British, after the inexpensive period. Many of our patents are diplomatic for the good of the reputation, several referring to things which are too expensive for mass production, and therefore we need not worry to retain because they will not copy. Generally speaking they protect the Company from being attacked for royalties. In other words they bring power to the firm. They justify some expenditure and there ought to be a patent account which ought not to exceed some fraction of 1% on the output. R | ||