Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-14
MisfAlanfans.
woOD CAs.-CAUTION.

Y WOOD GASy-CAUTION.
de II known that J, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tained letters patent in December, 1881, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillaiion OF
wood, and the making therefrop 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. ID. Porter cannot be
used by hiln or any other person witaout infring-
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 Porters invention involves also a process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Ollice, and which has been adjudged to be
paieniable 10 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 an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy Of his claims. ts- q
/ In ihe National Hitcuige,esr Of the 25lh 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 his patent. ] ask how this statement
comporfs with the fact of my patent OF December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimdate under
such circumstancesy 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
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent confrivance. This claim, as given be-
saving clause is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the aexclusve right to making gas from wood"
The statement carries absnrdty on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Ofice
Ii such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid every coa-Sln and charcoal manutactory
in the country. s4-g5
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show The True state Of the case:
t3ts UNITED STATES PATENT OPFicE.
~ HNSld, N ta Fastj. Augstst 25, 1854.
SIR In reply to your letter of this date. asking
aif any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing 10 him
or them q ai1sezclMsiw righfef making gas from
tcood y 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, yon are informed that w. d. Porter's
claims are believed 10 be Mined 10 his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the eTcln-
sire rigAt Of making gas from coed II would,
however, be unjusifable to expect me 10 make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest tors ~. 1hEf
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. Mason Commissioner of Patents. Il
w. p MCDONALD, Esq,
Care OF Prof G. G.. Page, Washington, ID. =.
TIE Uaited States Pateht OTce--To all persons TO
achogs these yrcseNts shall come, grating;
This is 10 certify that the annexed is airne copy
from the 6les Of this Office Of an extract from a
paper fled 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 I'D day OF August,
eighteen hundred and fffy-four.
In testimony whereof i, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
r. s. this 25th day Of August inthe year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and iffy-
four, and ofthe independence Of the United
States the seventy-nnib. @. Mason.
Copv of diselainey of w. d. Porter i,l has applea'
tion for aan improved stiA for making iCOOd
gas Med Angust 5, 1851. 'Lstfers patent issued
AKgna22, 1854.
81 do moi claim as my invention and discovery
the Improvements In making gas from wood, viz:
subjectng 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 Unaed States Patent O6ce-7 To all persons 10
sChoni heseprcSenfs shall rome greeting:
This is TO 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 6fy-four.
In Testimony whereof, !, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused The
seal Of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
:. affixed this twenty fifth day OF August,
IL 81 10 the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fty-four, and Of the
Independence Of the United States the
seyenty-ninth G. Mason.
Ezayacf from Specification Of w. ID. Pon1 on
sphieh lftsrs patenf scere issned ANgust %, 1854
CLAIM What claim as my invention and de.
sire TO secure by letters patent 10:
The construction Of gas apparatus or still.
consisting OF metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones and ID, daphram plate @, and exit pipe
r. substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascerisined from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
WIN. r. MCCONNELL.
BY his attorney CHAs. G. PAGE.