Judicial Committee Act 1844

IIOn Petition, Her Majesty may grant an Extension of Patent Term in certain Cases.

And whereas it is expedient, for the further Encouragement of Inventions in the useful Arts, to enable the Time of Monopoly in Patents to be extended in Cases in which it can be satisfactorily shown that the Expence of the Invention hath been greater than the Time now limited by Law will suffice to reimburse ; be it enacted, That if any Person, having obtained a Patent for any Invention, shall before the Expiration thereof present a Petition to Her Majesty in Council, setting forth that he has been unable to obtain a due Remuneration for his Expence and Labour in perfecting such Invention, and that an exclusive Right of using and vending the same for the further Period of Seven Years, in addition to the Term in such Patent mentioned, will not suffice for his Reimbursement and Remuneration, then, if the Matter of such Petition shall be by Her Majesty referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the said Committee shall proceed to consider the same after the Manner and in the usual Course of its Proceedings touching Patents, and if the said Committee shall be of opinion, and shall so report to Her Majesty, that a further Period greater than Seven Years Extension of the said Patent Term ought to be granted to the Petitioner, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, if She shall so think fit, to grant an Extension thereof for any Time not exceeding Fourteen Years, in like Manner and subject to the same Rules as the Extension for a Term not exceeding Seven Years is now granted under the Powers of the said Act of the Sixth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty.