Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-08
MlisfeIlamegMs
WOOD CAs,-CAUTIoN.
DE IL known that i, the subscriber oil

WOOD GASs-CAUIION
DE IL known that j, the subscriber OBJ
Id tanned letters patent in December, 1871, ioi
an apparatus for the destructive distilaion o
wood, and the making therefrom Of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in The Judgment ol
competent persons the invention OF an appar'
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person witnout infrng-
ing my said patent And, further, that what is
patented by said Porter rightfuly belongs 10 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 10 be
patentable TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. u. Porter has formally disclalmed, 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 IntcLigencer 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 his patent. | ask how this statement
comporis with the fact of my patent of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimldae under
such circumstances Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
80 understood by the Patent Office, as i! 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, given be-
saving clause is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the Exclusive right to making gas from wood :
The statement carries absurdlty on It's front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent hce.
If such claim right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country.
The following copies Of correspondence and
-xtrscts from the records Of the Patent Office will
show the true state of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE,
A gna IS, 1854.
SIR In reply TO your letter of this date. asking
sif any patent has been granted TO w. d. Porter
dated 22d August, 1851, or al any other time, or
10 apy other, person or persons, securing to him
or them the ezol1sivr rightcf making gas from
rood." and whether any such claim was made by
w. d. Porter, under his application for 9 patent
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above daie. you are informed that w. d. Porter's
claims are believed 10 be mined TO his apliara
tus; and further, this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for The saein-
sive right of making gas from arosd II would
however, be unjusthabie 10 expect me TO make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioners OF Patents.
w. P. McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof G. G. Page, Washington, D. c.
The Jrnitsd States Patent O6Eee--Io all persons TO
sohons these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify thai the annexed is a true copy
from the files Of this Office of an extract from
paper filed in the matter of the application OF w.
D. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said W. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundEd and hlty-four
In testimony Whereof; / Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
Of the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
L. s. 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 ninth. Q. Mason.
Copy of disclaimer of W. d. Porter an has appiica.
tion fer g an improrcd still fof making 1rood
gas, filed august 5, 1854 Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subectng the products of destructive distillation
therefrom TO a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth ia the specification Of w. P. Mcconnell"
The United States Patent O5Ece-To all persons to
tchonr these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records OF this Office of extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porers patent, issued
on the twenty second day OF August, eighteen
hundred and fny-four.
In testimony whereof !, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office to be hereunto
Il. 81 n The wear of onr Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffy.four, and of the
independence OF the United States the
seventy ninth. G.. Mason.
Earaa from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
schich letters pateRt icere issued Augua %, 1854
CLAIM.--What claim as my invention and de.
sire TO secure by letters patent is:
"The construction of gas apparatus or still.
co nsisting OF metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones and d. diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe.
cfcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth Of the above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access.
VIM p. MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.