Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-12-11
WOOD Gas. MCAUrroN.o Z

= II known tnat !, the suDscrlDeI oD-
ID tanned letters patent in December, 1881 TOR
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making thersfrom 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, d. Porter cannot be
ing my said patent. And, further that what Is
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as / expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Parent Odice 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 adudged to be
patentable 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dsclaimed, 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. II
Inthe National L,selli gsneer Of the 23th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the Exclusive right 10 making gas from
wood, !" and threatens prosecution TO 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 intmidate under
such circumstances Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon a movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent ONCE, as It appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was al first refused as interfering with
prior patent 10 Robert Fouls, 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 absnrdty on its front, and
il libel on the good sense of the Patent Ofce
If such claim or right had been granted, IL would
forbid every coakiln and charcoal ranmiactory
in the country
, The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office w
show the true state of the case:f+Ata ~ II r
UMTxs STATES PATENT aJFFIcE, y ia
M 5ai ta}ts August 25, 1854. VI
SIR In reply to your letter of tins date. asking
aif any patent has been granted 10 w. Di Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or al any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing 10 nm
or them the eIclustve right of making gas from
rood" 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 informed that w. ID. Porters
claims are believed to be G mined to his appara-
tus; and, further this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for the szcla-
sive right Of making gas from sco.a II would
however, be unjustifable 10 expect me- To make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest. RsetVQf4 't.e
" am, respectfully, your obedient servant
+4u M C. MASON, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. p. McCoSAELL, Esq, hsf Il es7sh
NIX Care of Prof. G. G.. Page, Washington, ID. O.
The United States Patent O6sce-To all PERSONS 10
fohon, these presents shall come, gretiag: +
This is TO certify that 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
u. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day OF August
eighteen hundred and fifty-four.
In testimony whereof | Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
IL. 81 this 25th day of August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and hhy-
four, and of the Independence ofthe United
States the seyenty.nmtb. s.- u. MASON.
Copy Of disclaiDaer Of W. d. Porter in his apphca.
tioa for "an improved still for making 1oood
gas FLED August S, 1854. I,tters patent is'ned
AngASf 22, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjecting the products of destructive disullatlon
therefrom TO a high degree Of heat, substantially
has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. p Mcconnell"
The Unifed States Pas1nt Ofos-- TO all persons 10
tchon hhess presents shall come grading:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the records of this Office OF extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and ifly-four.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunio
affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August,
- n the year OF our Lord thousand
eight hundred and fity-four, and OF the
independence of the United States the
seventy-nnth c. Mason.
Enraof from Specification Of W. ID. Porter on
tchlch ieaers pafenf acre issued AHgna ~, 1884.
CLaM.-What claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent Is: IL
The construction Of gas apparatus or still,
consisting of a metallic or other cylinder b, The
cones f and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F. substantially described in the foregoing spe-
cifcaton, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings"
The truth ofthe above may be ascerained from
the records OF the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
tttE BY his attorney CHAS @. PAGE.