Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-30
WOOD CAs.-CAUTION.

l.
DE It known that 4, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive disi,llation oil
wood, and the making thereirom 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
used by him or any other person without nfring-
ing nv said patent. And, further, that what Is
patented by said Porter rightfuly belongs TO 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 TO be
patentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said W. d. Porter has formally disclaimed APP
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 I,,teligencer of the 25th instant
Mr. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusve right to 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 ntimidate under
such circumstancesa Mr.. Portcr's claim Is based
upov 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 a
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
the exclusive right to making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent ONCE
II such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid every coa-ki and charcoal mandatory
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;
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
Augua 25, 1854.
SIR. In reply TO your letter of this date, asking
"if any patent has been granted TO w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
10 any other person persons, securing to him
or them "ths srclnstus right of making gas from
soood" 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, YOU are informed that w. D.~Porters
claims are believed to be mined to his appara-
tus and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the ezcia-
sive right Of making gas from roosd 1t would,
however, be unjustifable to expect me TO make
extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c.. MASON Commissioner of Patents.
w. p. MCDONALD, Esq,
Care of Prof c. G. Page, Washington, D. c.
The United States Patent OGce-Io all persons to
Wlom these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files Of this office or an extract from
paper filed 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. d. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffyfour.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
f.. 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-nlntb. Z. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimer Of w. d. Porter tn has applica.
tioaa for !" an Improved stall for making aoood
gas fled August S, 1854. Letters patent issued
Augusta 1884.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
sublectng the products Of destructive dlsttation
therefrom TO a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes Sc,
forth in the specification of w. P. Mcconnell"
The United States Patent O0fee-Io all persons 10
,ohoxs these presents shall come greeting:
This is to certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the records OF this Office OF an extract from
the specification Of w. d. Porer's patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and yfour.
Tn testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hereunto
affixed this iwenty-ffh day OF August,
u o. n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifiy-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
scventy-ninth. o. MASON.
Eaarod from Specification of w. ID. Porter ON
schict letters patent scere issued august 22, 1854
CLAIM-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is
1.-THE construction of gas apparatus or still,
consisting of a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate c, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.n
The truth Of the above may be ascertained from
the records Of The Patent Office, to which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. 6. PAGE.