Reverse engineering is std practice in EVERY INDUSTRY
Just about every country does it, including BSA
The BSA 6 spring clutch came out just after the AMC 5 spring clutch and is definately copied from it with just enough differences not to envoke a patient violation.
And reverse engineering is not the golden goose that many would think as all it tells you is the shape, dimensions & materials .
manufacture under lisence gives you the manufacturing proceedure which is far more valuable