I have not been able to find a date for the Sykes Patent. There may well be more than one as he seems to have tried to patent both the slanted scoop and shutter system that we are considering here and a fireproof powder flask shutter.

It certainly predates 1824 as on 1st January 1824 the Court of the Kings Bench gave Judgement in his son’s favour the case, Sykes v. Sykes, being reported at 107 ER 834. The son was the Plaintiff. It is unclear whether the Defendant was another relation but they shared the same surname.

The head note reads in part that the Plaintiff “made and sold for profit a large quantity of shot-belts, powder flasks, etc, which he was accustomed to mark with the words “Sykes Patent””.

This was a passing-off action for a Declaration in the Kings Bench rather that an action to enforce Patent rights.

The Plaintiff’s father had been granted a Patent, but it had subsequently been found to be invalid.

Last edited by Parabola; 04/16/22 05:39 AM. Reason: Corrected