Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-11-27
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

ID tanned letters patent in December 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom Of tar pitch at
pleasure, and gas; and thar in the judgment OF
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. u. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing my said patent And further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs TO me-
as | expect 10 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 adiudged TO be
patentable TO 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 Intsligsncsr of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the. exclusive right TO 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 intmdate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
80 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 a
prior patent TO Robert FOULS, Of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance This claim, a. given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause il what Mr. Porter calls securing
The statement carries absnrdty on its front, and
s libel on the good sense of the Patent Odice
If such claim or right had been granted, j, would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal anulactory
IN the country
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show The true state Of the ease:
UNIrKp STATES PATENT OFricE,
August IS, 1854.
Sm. In reply 10 your letter OF this date, asking
" If any patent has been granted TO W. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August 1854, or at any other time, or
or them the srcl4sipe right Of making gas from
GOOD aud whether any such claim was made by
w. D. Porter, under hrs application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porter's
claims believed 10 be mined TO his appara-
tus and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for-the eEclu-
stve right Of making gas from Wo.a 1t would,
however, be unjustfabfe TO expect 10 make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedieni servant,
C. Mason, Commissioner oi Patents.
w. p. McCoNAxLI., Esq.
Care of Prof c. G. Page, Washington, D. G.
The Uated States Patent Oaes-To all persons to
tohom these presents shall come, grettng:
This is TO certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files of this Office Of an extracfSeom
paper filed in the matter of the application of w.
d. 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 f6yfour.
In testimony whereof, /. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
L. g. 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 geveuty-uinth G.. MASON.
Copy Of diseia,mer Of W. d. Porter in his appiiea.
tion for an improved stiU for making GOOD
ga',"fisS Augnst $, 1854 Letters patent i'sned
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subjecting the products Of destructive distlation
thereirom TO q high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of W.. p. Mcconnell"
The Unised Stafes Patent OGes-To all persons TO
tchom these pressnts shaH 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. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and 6fty-four.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patenta Office 10 be hereunto
:, affixed this twenty-f day OF August,
n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fffy-four, and OF the
independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. c. MAsoa.
Erz,ad from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
Vhieh letters patent scers issnsd august 22 1854.
CLArM.--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 or other cylinder b, the
cones Z and ID, diaphram plate @, and exit pipe
f. substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6caton, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings"
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. P. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.