Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1954 [PAGE 1307]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

[April 21

Preceding the regular meeting of the Board, and on call of the Chairman, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees was held in the Chicago Illini Union Building of the Chicago Professional Colleges on Wednesday, April 21, 1954, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The following members of the Executive Committee were present: Mr. H. B. Megran, Chairman, Mrs. Frances B. Watkins; Mr. Park Livingston was absent when the Committee convened, but joined the meeting later. Also present and participating in the discussion of the business considered by the Committee were the other members of the Board of Trustees, the officers of the University, and the officers of the Board as recorded above. The Committee considered the following reports and recommendations submitted by the President of the University.

PATENTABLE DISCOVERIES (1) The University Patent Committee submits the following recommendations relating to potentially patentable discoveries: 1. W . H . Bruckner, Research Associate Professor of Metallurgical Engineering, has developed a method of processing ferritic steels so as to decrease the tendency to fracture in a brittle manner. Some of the basic work on this invention was done under a contract with the Office of Naval Research. Members of the Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering believe that the possibility of commercial application for this invention is remote, with the exception of ordnance manufacture for the government. However, the Offices of Naval Research and Ordnance Research have indicated that they are not interested in any patent action or in further support of this work. After receiving notice of the attitude of these government agencies, Professor Bruckner published a description of this invention in the March, 1954, issue of Acta Metallurgica. In view of these circumstances, the University Patent Committee, with the concurrence of the inventor, recommends that this invention be dedicated to the public through publication, and that no application for a patent be instigated by the University or any other party. 2. Wayne L. Shick, Assistant Professor of General Engineering, has developed a device resembling a drawing board to simplify, systematize, and accelerate the method of perspective drawing whereby scale measurements of any object may be directly made and the measured points and vanishing points may be used in drawing both left eye and right eye views of a stereoscopic perspective. After investigation, it was apparent that the contributions of the University to the development of this invention are minor. It may have commercial possibilities, but in the opinion of the patent attorneys a great deal of engineering work will be necessary before a patent can be secured. T h e inventor has indicated his willingness to enter into an agreement with the University of Illinois Foundation, whereby a patent would be issued to that agency, and whereby the inventor will receive a share of the net income. T h e University Patent Committee recommends that this invention be released to the inventor under the following conditions: a full disclosure of the nature of the invention be made to the University of Illinois F o u n d a t i o n ; the Foundation will thereupon investigate to determine the commercial possibilities of such invention; if it is determined that the invention has commercial possibilities, the inventor will transfer title to the Foundation which will proceed with the application for a patent and commercial development and an agreement negotiated with the inventor under which he will receive a share of the net income; and if the Foundation decides that it is not interested in becoming a party to such an agreement, the invention will be released outright to the inventor by the Board of Trustees. 3. Dwight G. Bennett, Research Professor of Ceramic Engineering, hai developed an apparatus to heat well-mixed porcelain enamel or ceramic coating frit ingredients, fuse them to a fluid state, and withdraw the resulting molten