Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-23
M MisffIlaMt1ns.
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.


DE IL known that i, the subscriber OBJ
| ID tanned letters patent in December, 1881, for
| an apparatus for the destructive distllation OF
wood and the making therefrom Of tar or pitch at
| pleasure and gas and that in the Judgment OF
| competent persons the invention Of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter cannot be
| used by him or any other person without infring-
| ing my said patent And, further, that what Is
patented by said Porter rightfnlly belongs 70 me,
as expect to prove ere long before the Uniied
States Patent Office and, further that the use OF
| said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adJudged 10 DC
patentabe to the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dsclamed, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said ofice, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
| a copy of his claims.
In the National Iateligencer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusive right to making gas from
| wood" and threatens prosecution 70 all parties
infringing his patent. ! ask how this statement
comports with the fact of my patent OF December,
1851, and how far the threat can lntimidate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porters claim is based
upon a movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as It appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was at first refused as interfering with
prior patent to Robert FOULS, Of Canada, for 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, and
is libel on the good sense OF the fatent omce;
If such claim or right had been granted, it would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manufactory
in the country.
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Ofice 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 any patent has been granted to w. d. Porter
dated 22d August 1854, or at any other time, or
or them {" The ezel,lsipe right Of making gas from
toood," 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. ID. Porter's
claims are believed to be c mined 10 his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the erclu-
sipe right of making gas from scoed. Ii would,
however, be unjustifable to expect me to make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedent servant,
C. mason, Commissioner of Patents.
w. P. McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, D. G.
The United States Patent OEce-Io all persons TO
4chom these presents shall come, grefing:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files of this Office Of an extract from
paper filed in the matter Of the application of w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w. d. Porter the 22d 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 TO be hereunto affixed
IL. 81 this 25th day Of August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and ffy-
four, and of the independence of the United
States the seventy ninth. G. MASON.
Copy of disclaimer of W. d. Porter his applea.
tion for "an improved stiH for making scood
gas fled August S, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjecting the products Of destructive dstillation
therefrom TO 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 Otfce-To all persons to
ichonl these presents shall come greeting:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office Of extract from
the specification Of w. d. Porter's patent, issued
on the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and fffy-four.
In testimony whereof ], Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the |
seal OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto |
r, a, affixed this twenty-flh day OF August,
IL o. in the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffy-four, and Of the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. Mason
Ez1,aa from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
,chieh letters patent issued Angnst %, 1854.
CLAM--What claim as my invention and de. |
sire TO secure by letters patent is:
"The construction Of gas apparatus or still, |
insisting Of a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones E and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe |
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, to which all have
access
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE