Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-10
M MisftHaMfgMs.
WOOD GAS, CAUTION.
IL known that II. the subscri

tNVt WOOD GAS,-CAUTIONs ~
DE II known that 4, the subscriber OBJ
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch al
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
ing my said patent. And, further, thai wha. Is
patented by said Porter rightfnIly belongs 10 me,
as expect to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, that the use Of
said Porters invention involves also a process
which Tam now claiming before The United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged TO be
pateniable to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, as ap-
pears uppp the public records of said Office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
In the Nationd I,,teUigsaosr or the ,25lh instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "excusive right 10 making gas from
woody and threatens prosecution to all parties
infringing his patent. ask how this statement
comporis with the fact Of my patent Of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimidaie under
such circumstances Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as il appears
from the records Of the Patent Office that his
claim was at first refused as interfering with a
prior patent TO Robert FOULS, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance, This claim, as given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragmis the
saving clause. is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the Exclusive right to making gas from wood
The sihtement carries absurdity on its front, and
is a libel on the good sense ofithe Patent Office.
If such a claim or right had been granted ii would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country. ff4 l.,,1 ~
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the true state of the case:
E8a&S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
AVgnst 25, 1854 q
rSIR. In reply TO your letter OF this date asking
if any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1851, or at any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them atke errizsiue right Of making gas from
sooodn and whether any such claim was made by
w. d. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porter's
claims are believed TO be mined. 10 bis appara-
lus; and, further this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for the erclu-
size right Of making gas Jron, scosd. II would,
however, be unjustifable TO expect me to make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest. sa,l iuss n 3Eitt ~
am, respectfully, your obedent servant,
&c. MASON, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. P. MccoNAEII, Esq,
Care OF Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, d. c.
The United STATES Patent OGec- To all persons to
b., a tcA0nl these presents shall come greting
his Is 10 certlly tndt Tue annexed - true copy
from the files OF this Office of an extract from a
paper filed in the matter Of The application of w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. ID. Porter ON the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and hfty-four. l.la ii
In testimony whereof, l, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
i, 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 fifty
Arx(t tl..sr .xfsL
States the seveniy ninth. 8 G. Mason.
copy Of Disclaimers Of W. d. Porter in ,rooS ..
to' foy "an S imFS~I.s5 1881 L,,ters na,.,f fss,,ed
zzasir z#kiass rsss&a 81 li2sa4 isSd'4 : -
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ
subjeeing the products Of destructive distillauon
TO a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. p. Mcdonnell"
The Urnaed States Posent OGoe-To all persons 10
tchon these presents ShoH eoDss creating
This is 10 certify that the annexed rs true copy
from the records ofthis olre of an extract from
the specification of w ID. Porer's patent, issued
on the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred aud ffty-four. II.
In testimony whereof I, Charles Mason, Com
ls,.UJ missioner OF Patents, have caused the
yJt- seal of the Patent Office 10 be hcrennto
:. affixed this tweniy.ffth day OF August,
IL 81 iu the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and iliy-four, and Of the
W. sat Independence of the United States the
seyenty-ninth. frrt C. MASON.
Ezaraot from SPECIFICATION Of W. ID. Porter on
,oLieA kifers patent ,cere issued ANguSt % 1854.
sCLAin--What claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by, letters patent is
The construction Of n gas apparatus or still,
consisting OF n metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones Z and ID, disphram plate G, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cstion, and shown in the accompanying draw
inRs," - t .tisE
The truth ofthe above may be ascertalned from
the records Of The Patent Office, 10 which all have
access. -
- I.tsiso WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
A DAGE