That may be true, we'd have to consult an attorney.
But what is undeniably true, is that whoever got the money from patented multi-tools since the collapse of the Roman Empire was a THEIF and a PIRATE. The original "IP" belongs to somebody else! And they deserve their money!
I call for an international inquiry from the WIPO to determine who actually invented the multi-tool. After that, it should be a simple matter to determine heirs, get today's multi-tool PIRATES to disgorage funds, and award that money to the legitimate IP owners.
But what is undeniably true, is that whoever got the money from patented multi-tools since the collapse of the Roman Empire was a THEIF and a PIRATE. The original "IP" belongs to somebody else! And they deserve their money!
I call for an international inquiry from the WIPO to determine who actually invented the multi-tool. After that, it should be a simple matter to determine heirs, get today's multi-tool PIRATES to disgorage funds, and award that money to the legitimate IP owners.