Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-20
salisftIlantans.
WOOD GAs.--CAUTIoN.

b WOOD CAs.--CAUTiON.
TIE known that I. the subscriber OBJ
| u tanned letters patent 10 December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distiiiatlon OF
wood. and the making therefrom OF tas OF rsich a.
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment OF
competent persons the invention Of an aPpar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without inifing'
ing my said patent. And, further, that -
pate,ifed by said Porter rightfuiiy belongs
as / expect 10 prove ere long before the
States Patent Office; and, further, that ths
| said Porter's invention involves also AT
| which am now claiming before the United -. -.
Patent Office, and which has been adjudgcd 20 DO
said W. d. Porter has formally disclsimed, % sp-
| penrs upon the public records OF said ofee,. OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy of his claims. MrE
In the National I,felligeac of the 2Jth instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured oy
patent the aexclusive right 10 making gas from
wood and threatens prosecution 70 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 inithidate 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 WIN q
prior patent TO Robert Fouls, Of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, ms gwen DC.
saving clause is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the ''exclusive right to making gas from wood.
The statement carries absurdlfy on It's front, and
is a libel on the good sense Of the Patent Once.
Ifsuch claim or right had been granted, II 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 true state of the case:
W. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE,
f.f ~ A.<r a
Sir. In reply to your letter Of this date, asking
!" if 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 MN
or them "Ms ercinsive right Of making gas from
soood y and whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter under his application for patent
which letters patent Were issued bearing the
above date YOU are informed that w. ID. Porter's
claims are believed to be mined 70 his appara-
tus; and, further this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the s1cfa-
sipe right Of making gas from Wosd. It would,
however, be unjusti6ablei TO expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest. Ha45i. ,a4lg tls yd tss
4, i am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioners OF Patents.
r, Care of Prof. C. G. Page, Washington, ID. G.
The United States Patent OEce--Io all persons 10
schon these presents shall come, greting;
Ibis is 10 certliy tnat Inc annexed ~ true copf
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 win
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w. d. Porter on the 22d day Of August,
eighteen hundred and fftyIour.
In testimony whereof, i, Charles Mason, Com
na.i missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
"a of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
IL. s. this 18th day of August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and ffiy.
four, and of the independence Of the United
.L States the seventy y-nintb. Z. MASON
Conn of disclaimer of w. ID. Porter has appiiea.
tio,s for "an improped stiH for making GOOD
gas fled august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
al do not claim as nv invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subjecting the products of destructive distauon
therefrom TO a high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of W. p. Mcconnell"
The United STATES Patent Ofce-I0 all persons 10
1choDp these presents shall come creating:
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 ffy-four.
In testimony whereof, |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hereunto
.[L-sl IN b the wear YEA of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and of the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. Q. MASON.
Ez1ract from Specification of w ID. Porter on
tchieh letters patent tcers issied august % 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 Z and ID, diaphram plate @, and exit pipe
F. substantially described n the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings"
The truth ofthe above may be ascertaned from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which oil have
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.