Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-29
1q 1qisfsHaHEgns.
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.. !,

nE II known that i, the supsCiiDol ol oc
Id tanned letters patent IN Decemoer 1871, ~,
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch az
pleasure and gas and that in the Judgment Oh
competent persons the invention Oh an aPPaf-
tus recently patented by W. d. Porter cannot DO
used by him or any other person whnou. ha an.
ing nv said patent And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs TO me,
as EXPECT to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, that the use oil
said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the Uhi,eo o'ates
Patent Office. and which has been adJudged TO be
patentable TO the first inventor thereof and which
said W. ID. Porter has formally disciaimed as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, ana also
copy of his claims. - i.g 49,, I.
Mr. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the nexclusive right 10 making gas rom
wood y and threatens prosecution TO all parues
infringing his patent. l ask now this staieneut
comports with the fact Of my patent OF December,
1851 and how far the threat can intimldate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as 1t appears
from the records Of the Patent Once tnat ms
claim was al first refused as interfering with
prior patent 10 Robert Fouls, of Canada, Tor an
equivalent contrivance This claim, as given be-
low and in which the perforated diaphragm Is the
saving clause is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the Exclusive right to making gas from wood.
The statement carries absurdity on It's front, ana
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent once;
If such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manuiactory
in the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Once VIII
show the true state of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854
Sir. In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
if auy patent has been granted TO w. ~. forter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing 10 nm
or them g the saclnsipe right of making gas from
suoodn and whether any such claim was made by
w. D. Porter under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing tne
above date you are informed that w. ". for'e1s
claims are believed to be Mined 10 his appara-
tus; and, further, this office Is not aware tnat
patent has been granted heretofore for the eTcln-
size right Of making gas from acosd. II wouid,
however be unjustifabe TO expect me TO make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
/ am, respectfully, your obedent servant,
G. Mason, Commissioner OF Patents
w. p. McCoNAELL, Esq, n p
Care of Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, d. u
The United States Patent OGce--To all persons TO
4ctons these presents shall come, greting:
This is to certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files OF this Office of an extract from a
paper filed in the matter of the application oil w.
D. Porter for letters patent in accordance win
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said W. d. Porter on the 22d day OF August,
eighteen hundred and fifty-four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
s.of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
IL. 81 this 25th day of August in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and nifty.
four and Of the independence OF the United
States the seventy-nintb. O. Mason.
Com of disclaimer of w ID. Porter IN has apptica.
tion for San improved stiR for making scood
gas fled August 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
subiectins the products Of destructive distlllauon
therefrom 10 a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes SET
forth in the specification Of w. p Mcconnell"
The United States Patent OfEee-To all persons to
tchoua these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records ofthis Office of an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
on the twenty second day Of August eighteen
hundred and fifty -four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office 10 be bereunto
affixed this twentyhhh day OF August,
u y in the year OIL our Lord one inousanu
eight hundred and ifty-four, and oil The
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. o. MASON.
Ea1rao from Specification Of W. d. Porter on
tcJ.ieh letters patent issued august u, 1884.
CLAIM-What claim my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is:
"The construction Of a gas apparatus or stlll,
co insisting. of metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones and ID, disphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth the above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE. :.