Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-09
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a@48 WOOD GAs.--CAUTION.i IS bis
DE IL known that 4, the subscrfber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom ofiar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that In the Judgment Of
competent persons the inveniion Of an appar-
tus recentlyp patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by himor any other person without infring-
ing my said patent And, further, that what -
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 20 me,
as 1 expect TO prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, that the use Of
said Poner's invention involves also aprocess
which | am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjndged TO be
patentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, as APP
pears upon the public records Of said Office, OF
which official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy his claims. saslF f i5 e15 sas5aaf3
In the National Iate2i igencer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusive right TO making gas from
wood and threatens prosecution, 10 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 intimidate under
such circumstances2 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 q
prior patent TO Robert Fonlis, 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 absurdlty on its 'front.' and
is a libel on the good sense of the Patent Office.
If such claim or right had been granted, il would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country. hfsNas. b8s hH~5s
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records ofihe Patent Office will
show the true state of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE,
Augua 25 1854.
SIR. In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
!" if any patent has been granted TO w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1851, or at any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing to him
or them the erclusive righ Of making gas from
t0oodp and whether any such claim was made by
W. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent We're issued ID bearing the
claims are believed 10 be mined 10 his appara
tug; and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the ezclat
sivc righ of making gas from scosd. II would,
however, be unjustifable 10 expect me to make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioner of Patents.
W. p. MCDONALD, Esq,
+ Care of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, d, G.
The United STATES Patsnt OGee- To al persons 10
sohom these presents shall come, graing:
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 of w
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
said W. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four. ~.
In testimony whereof l. Charles Mason, Com
missioiier Of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
II. 81 this 18th day of August in the year Of our
II T.~r1 1nrno fhou and aio brnIra1 md
four, and ofthe Independence ofthe United
Il States the seventy y-nintb. c. Mason.
Copy of discLainey of w. d. Porter in has ayyliea.
fion for ian improped sfil for MAKING scood
as,sfisd Angna 8, 1854. Lsffers patent fssnsd
. 81 do not claim my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
the products OF destructive distlation
thereirom 10 high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification OF w. p. Mcconnell
The U1ifed Stofes Patent Ofoe--I To all persons 10
schom fhfsspresenfs staN CONS grscfiag: 81
Thisis 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records ofthis Office Of extract from
the specification Of w. D. Poner's patent, issued
on the twenty second day OF August, eighteen
hundred and fify-four. ID ga bat sslistq
In testimony, whereof, I, Charles Mason, Com |
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
BE y seal Of the Patent Office TO be hercunfo
=, affixed this iwenfy-6fth day OF August,
IL 'I in the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and Of the
independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. rssHtits @. Mason.
Er1raoi from Specifeafion Of w. ID. Porter on
schich letters patent cevs issued Angnsf %, 1854
CIAIM.-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 70 secure by letters patent is:
1.-THE construction Of gas apparatus or STILL |
co insisting OF metallic OF other cylinder B, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe |
f. substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings." ~ i4ftt
The truth ofthe above may be asccrtained from
The records OF the Patent Office, 20 which all have
access. 1Ayt ~
fi WIN p. MCCONNELL.
By his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.