Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-31
.1IisffIlamtgus.
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

DE II known that i, the subscriber OBJ
| I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive dlstllation o.
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in the judgment oi
| competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infrlng-
ing my 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 OF
said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged TO be
patentabe TO the first inventor thereof and which
said w. D. Porter has formally disclaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records Of said office, OF
which an official copy Is hereto annexed, and also
a copy Of his claims.
In the National IsteAigenccr Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the Exclusive right to making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution TO 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 intmdate 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 diaphragm is the
the exclusive right TO making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdty on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Ofice.
IL such claim 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 Office will
show the tree state of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august %, 1854.
r.L:, Il H.,
"if any patent has been granted to w. D. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1851, or at any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing to him
or them eHe earltsiUe right Of making gas from
soood,n and whether any such claim was made by
w. d. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. d. Porter's
claims are believed TO be Mined 10 his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the e1ef't-
size right Of making gas from aosd II would,
however be uniustiiable 10 expect me to make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest
lam, respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. Mason, Commissioner of Patents.
w. p. McCoNAELI- Esq,
Care of Prof, c. G. Page, Washington, d. c.
The United States Patent OGce-To all persons to
Dhons these presents shall come, grating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files Of this Office of an extract from
paper fled in the matter of the application of w.
d. 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 ify-four.
In testimony whereof, /. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
Of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
IL. ST. this 25th day Of August in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
FOUR and of the independence Of the United
States the seventy-nintb. G. MASON
Copy Of disclaimer Of w. d. Porter ia his arplica.
tion for san improped stiH for making rood
gas, fled August 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
AugHst22, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjeciing the products Of destructive distillaion
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. Mcconnell" 4
TIE United States Patent 0Tce-To all persons to
1cion these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records of this Office Of an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porters patent, issued
on the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and filly-four
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
?. affixed this twenty.ffth day OF August,
IL 81 in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and of the
independence of the United States the
seventy-nnth. G. MASON
Ezaraet from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
tcIich letters patent issued Angust % 1854.
CLAIM.--What | claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is:
"The construction Of gas apparatus or still,
consisting of a metallic other cylinder B, the
cones f and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
+, 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, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL.
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.