Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-11

WOOD GAs.-CAUTTON.


DE II known that i, the subscriber OBJ
ID tanned letters patent In December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch AT
pleasure, and gas and that IN The Judgment o.
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without iniring-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
patentea by said Porier rightfully belongs to ME,
as l expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office aud, further, that the use Of
said PoFter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Oaice, and which has been adjndged 10 be
patentable 10 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
copy of his claims
In the National Iatelligeaeer of the 25th instant
Mr., Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right 10 making gas from
wood and threatens, prosecution 10 all parties
infringing bis patent. ask how this statement
comports with the fact Of my patent of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimidate under
such circumstances Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm. and was
SO understood by me Patent Office, asst 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 daphragmis IS the
the exclusive right 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense Of the Patent Oaice
If such claim or right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coal-kiln aud charcoal mandatory
in the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the tiue state OF the case
UNITED STATES PATENr OFFICE
A0gn& 25, 1854.
G. 1a,,a sc az; Jot asti
g if any patent has been granted to W. d. Porter,
dated I'D August, 1851, or at any other time, or
TO any other person persons, securing 10 HIM
or them 1he erclnsipe rightof making gGs from
rood, and whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent We're issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porters
claims are believed TO be mined TO his appara-
tus; and further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the ekcln-
however be unjustifable 10 expect me to make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully your obedient servant,
G. Mason, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. p. McCoNAELI., Esq,
Care of Prof. @. G.. Page, Washington. ID. 9.
The United States Patent OGce-7o all persons 10
aciom these presents shall come, grating
This is TO certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from
paper fled in the matter of the application OF w.
D. Porler for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued to the
said w. ID. Porter on the I'D day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four. f1
In testimony whereof, l, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
H. S this 25th day of August in the year Of our
+ Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four and Of the independence ofthe United
States the seventy-nintb c. Mason.
Com of disclaimer of w d. Porter n his applieG.
tion for an Improved stH for making rood
gas,n fled AEgna 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
sAHgSGf %, 1854. fEt E8E
g do not claim as my Invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subecling 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 Stues Patent O6fce--To all persons 10
trhonu tAese 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. Porter's patent, issued
on the twenty second day of August eighteen
hundred and 6fty-our.
In testimony whereof |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal or the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
affixed this twenty-6flh day OF August,
t. % in the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffly-four, and of the
independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. Z. MASON
E1araot from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
,chich letters pate1t tcere issNed Augaa % 1854.
ClAIM-What claim as my invention and de.
sire to secure by letters patent is:
"The construction of a gas apparatus or still,
consisting of a metallic OF other cylinder B, the
cones L and ID, daphram plate @, and exit pipe
F. substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthc above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
VIM p MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. g. PAGE.