Now, they want some Capitalist payback.
Karma is a "MichelleObama" (read: Beyotch).
Posted on 10/03/2009 4:42:03 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Russian firm Izhmash (Izhevsk Mechanical Works) holds the patents for the AK-47, and it is going broke because of all the illegal copies of its weapons being produced worldwide. Izhmash is having little success in trying to force companies in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Israel, China and the United States to pay licensing fees for the AK-47s they produce. The typical defense is that it is a much improved rifle, with only a superficial similarity to the Izhmash AK-47. Some claim that Russia abandoned the AK-47 design in the 1970s, when they switched to the 5.45mm AK-74. Actually, the original AK-47 design was replaced in 1963, at least in Russia, by the similar (in appearance) AKM.
Izhmash is 201 years old, and was originally founded by the Czarist government as a state arsenal, for the production of military weapons. In the 1920s, the firm began to produce motorcycles as well, and later, automobiles, and eventually machine tools. It has long been a major manufacturer of Russian military rifles, machine-guns and pistols.
During the Soviet period (1923-91), there were patent laws on the books, but these were generally not observed, especially when it came to foreign technology. The Soviets would respect patents when it suited their purposes (that is, it was cheaper to get help from the patent holder to implement a technology, than it was to just steal it and figure it out), but generally the concept of intellectual property was ignored. Having allowed that kind of thinking to gain some traction, the Russians have had a hard time enforcing rights to Soviet era Russian inventions in a post-Soviet world.
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
Patent law is specific to each country. In the USA it would have long fallen into the public domain.
I guess what goes around comes around!
if there were no patents we’d have fewer inventions. Then again we have so many bogus patent lawsuits its ridiculous.
Imagine someone suing all the computer and internet companies saying they had an early patent for “putting text on a monitor”. I didn’t know you could patent so absurdly vague ideas, but apparently people and companies have.
Isn’t Izhmash the company that manufactures Saiga firearms?
Great guns. Very reliable... at least my Saiga 12 is. I’ve heard it can be a hit or miss with those guns. I read that in recent years they are much improved from what they used to be. I’ve never had as much as a ‘jam’ with my Saiga 12, with various mags, and even the 20 round drum.
I would ask how much they paid Kalashnikov for his intellectual contribution....
Anyone know why the Russians didn’t go with the AN-94? Was it budget reasons? Izhmash makes them and it’s a vastly superior and modern system to the AK series. Seems like they blew it real bad on that one.
Now, they want some Capitalist payback.
Karma is a "MichelleObama" (read: Beyotch).
The "47" in "AK47" stands for 1947.
If the heirs of John Moses Browning received a nickel for every 1911 copy that's been produced... but they don't. The patents expired in 1927.
Some have noticed the similarities between the German Sturmgewehr 44 and the AK47. I doubt the Germans got around to filing patents in 1944.
200 Rubles, a bottle of vodka, and a really, really nice plastic shower curtain made in Murmansk.
It’s so ironic. Soviet Communists railed against the patent system itself as evil capitalism, and here these guys are dying from not using it properly.
I like my Bulgarian. it’s the Cadillac of AK’s. Looks wicked with a drum on it! Kind of heavy though!!
#6 on the list ( I have a #9)
“10 manliest guns”
http://www.arthurshall.com/x_2007_manly_firearms.shtml
Beautiful rifle...
Well, that should make Mayor Bloomberg of New York wet his panties!
i got one of the first NORINCO's off the boat and it's had ~5k put through it and it still runs like new...
I believe that patent expired before the Internet reached the public, but a long time ago an employer of mine had to pay the absurdly low license fee (pennies/unit) -- I'm sure it was of much more value to know companies' sales volume than for the monies collected.
Its amazing what they allow to be patented. Did someone have a patent on copying and pasting?
Me too... long barreled NHM91. Very accurate for open sights.
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