Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-30
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

DE It known that i, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in December 1881, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillaton 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. u. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infrng
ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 70 me,
as l expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, that the uss OF
said Porter's invention involves also a 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, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said Office OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
q copy Of his claims.
In the National InteLhgsncsr of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the Exclusive 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 intmidate under
such circumstances Mr.. Porter's 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 was at first refused as interfering with
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 "exclpsive right 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdlty on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Ofice
If such claim or right had been granted, It would
forbid every coa-kin and charcoal manufactory
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:
UNrEB STATES PATENT OFFICE
August 25, 1854.
SIR. In reply TO your letter of this date, asking
/" 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 10 him
them " the erclslsive right of making gas from
scood," 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 are informed that w. d. Porter's
claims are believed to be mined TO his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for the erclA-
siue right Of making gas from WoSd 1t would,
however, be unjustfable TO expect me to make
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. Mason, Commissioner of Patents.
w. P. McCoNAKLL, Esq,
Care of Prof G. G. Page, Washington, D. G.
TIE United States Patent OGce-To all persons to
tchom these presents shall come, greting:
This is TO certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files Of this Office of 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. b. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four. y
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
H. 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. G. Mason.
Copy of disclaimer of W. ID. Porter his appliea.
ron for an improved stH for making soood
gas fled August S, 1854. Letters patent issned
Augusta, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ: !:
subjecting the products OF destructive distilaton
therefrom to high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. Mcconnell"
TAs United States Patent O6ee-7o all persons 10
tchom thesep presents shall come grseting:
Thi. is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office OF an extract from
the specification OF w. ID. Porer's patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and ffiy-four.
In testimony whereof /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
:, :, affixed this twenty-fhh day OF August,
u n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. @ Mason.
Eauract from Specifications of w. ID. PsytO on
sOhieh letters patent lrere issued august %, 1854.
CLAIa.-What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is
"The construction OF gas apparatus or still,
consisting Of a metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones and d, diaphrah plate G, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofihe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
VIM p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.