Patents and Designs Act 1907

56 Inspection of registered designs

(1) During the existence of copyright in a design, or such shorter period not being less than two years from the registration of the design as may be prescribed, the design shall not be open to inspection except by the proprietor or a person authorised in writing by him, or a person authorised by the comptroller or by the court, and furnishing such information as may enable the comptroller to identify the design, and shall not be open to the inspection of any person except in the presence of the comptroller, or of an officer acting under him, and on payment of the prescribed fee; and the person making the inspection shall not be entitled to take any copy of the design, or of any part thereof:

Provided that where registration of a design is refused on the ground of identity with a design already registered, the applicant for registration shall be entitled to inspect the design so registered.

(2) After the expiration of the copyright in a design, or such shorter period as aforesaid, the design shall be open to inspection, and copies thereof may be taken by any person on payment of the prescribed fee.

(3) Different periods may be prescribed under this section for different classes of goods.