Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-25
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

DE II known that i, the subscriber OBJ
| I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, tor
| an apparatus for the destructive distllation OF
wood, and the making therefrom OF tar or pitch at
pleasure and gas and that in the judgment OF
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without nfring-
| ing my said patent. And, further that what IS
as expect to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office; and further, that the of
said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged 10 be
patentabe TO the first inventor thereof aud which
said w D. Porter has formally disclaimed 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.
In the National I,teLigsncer 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 intimldate under
such circumstances? Mr. Porters 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 ut first refused as interfering with
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrvance. 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 absurdlty on Its front, and
is libel on the good sense Of the Patent Oihce
IL such claim or right had been granted, il would
forbid every coaI-kiln 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 ease
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
A0gmst %, 1854,
- Iat, nf N,
"if any patent has been granted TO w. d. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing to him
or them nleeaclusive right Of making gas from
sc0od," 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 informed that w. ID. Porter's
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 e1cf"-
however, be unjustifable to expect me to make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am respectfully, your obedient servant,
c.. Mason, Commissioner Of Patents.
w. p. MCDONALD, ESQ,
Care of Prof. G. G.. Page, Washington, ID. @.
The United States Patent O6ce- TO. all persons 10
,chom these prese,as.shaA come greting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
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 6lty-four.
In testimony whereof, / Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
IT, 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-nIntb. Q. MASON
Copy of disclaimer of w. d. Porter ii his appiica
ton for san Improved still for making GOOD
gas filed august S, 1854. Letters patent issaed
AUGUSTA, 1854.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjecting the products of destructive distilaton
therefrom 10 a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. P. Mcconnell
TIE U,aited States Patent Ofce-To all persons 10
tchonp these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is 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 /, Charles Mason Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office to be hereunto
:. :, affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August
- the year oil our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and iity-four, and OF the
Independence of the United States the
seventy ninth. 9. MASON.
Ezaract from Specification Of w. d. Porter
sohich letters patent accre issued 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 or other cylinder b, the
cones f and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.n
The truth Of the above may be ascenained from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
VIM p MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.