Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-03
rs I'D GAS.-CAUTION.
nE AZ Mn that 4 the subsc ribe

Is tainedsl letters patent in December 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillaion OF
wood and the making therefrom 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 infring
ing my said patent. And, further, that what Is
pateafed by said Porter rightfnlys belongs 10 me,
as expect To prove long before the United
States Palenl Office; and, further, that The of
said Porters invention involves also a 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 Nd. Porter has formally disclaimed, "a APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a. copy OF his claims.
lnthe Nationl huellageacer of the 25th 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 intimidate under
such circumstancesa Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, il appears
from the records Of the Patent Office that his
claim was a, first refused interfering with
prior patent TO Robert FOULS, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claa, as given be-
low, andin which The perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause. is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the Exclusive right 10 making gas from wood.
The statement carries absurdity on It's 'front.' and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Once
If such claim or right had been granted, II woald
forbid every coal-kin and charcoal naunactory
IN the country. -
The following copies of respondence and
extracts from the records OF the Patent Office will
show the trne state OF the case:
IrNJTED STATES PATRNT OFFIcE
I. Aagua 25, 1854.
SIR, In reply TO your letter of this date, asking
/, if any patent has been granted TO W. d. Porter,
eted 22d August, 1851, or al any other time, or
any other person persons, securing 10 him
q them 'sthe errlmsfm right Of making gas from
Md" and whether any such claim was made by
w ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
wtch letters patent were issued bearing the
ab4e date, you are informed that w ID, Porters
catls are believed 10 be mined to his appara-
tus }and, further, this Office is not aware that
patai has been granted heretoiore for the ercla.-
szSe tglt Of making gas from fco0d II would,
howd'-r, be unjustifable 10 expect me 10 make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
auestA
| M, respectfully, your obedi-nt servant,
G. Mason, Commissioner OF Patenis.
w. P!McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prot. e. g. Page, Washington, d. O.
The Uuaed States Potent OFce--Io all persons 10
uhons assse presents shall come grating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is airue copy
from the files OF this Office of an extract from
paper filed intle matter of the application of w.
ID. Porler for tetters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were Issued To the
said w y. Pduer ON the 22d day Of August,
eigbteen huudied and fify-four.
In testimony whereof | Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
H. 5. this 25th day OF August, IN the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and 0fthe Independence Of the United
States the'seventy ninth. Q. Mason.
, +. saS :
Copy Of 5isclasmere If W. ID. Porter IN has appiica.
tton for an rmpyoued stia for making aoood
gas,nfied Augmst 5, 1854. Letters patent iss1ed
Angast %, 1854.
q do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subecting the products Of destructive disilauon
thereirom 10 high degree OF heat, substantially
has been described and FOR the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. T.. Mcdonnell
1Hs Uaitsd States Patert Office To all persons 10
,ohoD, these presents shall come creating;
This is TO certify that the annexed isa true copy
from the records Of this Office Of an extract from
the specification OF w. d. Porters patent issued
in the twenty second day Of August eighteen
hundred and ffty-four
In testimony whereof l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
:. affixed ihis twenty-fflh day OF August,
- the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffyfour, and OF the
Independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. c. Mason.
Ea1ract ftozs Specification Of w. d. Porter on
sohiek letters patent issued ANgust %, 1854
CLAIM.--Whai | claim my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
consisting of metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones L and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
f. substantially described in the foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.p
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G.. PAGE.