Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-12

DR lt tnown that j, the sssbscriber

u - ~ 0SsOWu thSA - SA0 0tsVbCIAUCI Ou~
I'D tained letters patent in December, 1851, for
an app&Tatus far the destructive distillation OF
wood and the making therefrom of tar or pitch al
| pleasure, and gas; and that in the Judgment OF
cUmpetent persons the snFcntion 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 10 me,
as | expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office; and, f cher, that The use Of
said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Olicc, and which has been adjudged TO be
paentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. u. Porter has formally disclaimed, APP
pears upon the public records OF said Office, Of
which Official copy is hereto annexed and also
y copy Of his claims.
In the Natfomni IufeHgeneer of the 25ah instant
Mr.. Porter eanounces that be has secured by
patent shs I" exclusive right aa.Dahsng gas from
wood, y nnd threatens 7fOeecutiol 10 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 circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
npon a 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 al first refused as interfering with q
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
saving clause, is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right TO making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdty on its front, and
il libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
If such claim or right had been granted, it would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manufactory
in The country. @
Che 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,
August 25, 1854.
SIR In rssnlv IN vOur letter of this dnte 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 TO him
or them the eEclRstue right of making gas from
pood" and whether any such claim made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porters
claims believed TO be Mined to his appara-
tus and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the erclu-
slUe right of making gas from ac0sd. 1t would,
however, be unjustifiable TO expect me to make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant
G. MASON, Commissioner of Patents
w. p MCCoNARLI. Esq,
Care of Prof. G. G.. Page, Washington, ID. G.
Tie United States Patent OEce-T To all persons TO
aehou, these presents shall come, grating:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files of this office OF an extract from a
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. ID. Porter the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and fifty-four.
In testimony whereof, | Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 ba hereunto affixed
Il. S.. this 25th day of August in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and of the independ OF the United
States the seventy ninth. G. Mason
Copv Of disclaimer of W. d. Porter ia his applica.
ton for san Improved sf,H for. making acood
gas, fLed august s, 1854. Lstters patent issued
Angua %, 1884.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subleclins the products of destructive disiiiauon
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"
TIE Unised States Patent OGee-To all persons 10
phom these presents shall come greeting
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records OF this Office OF an extract from
the specification Of w. d. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and ffiy-iour.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed this twenty-ffh day OF August,
: 81 n The year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. c. Mason.
Eaaraet iron. Specification Of w. d. Porter on
rhieh letters patent ,csre issued August 22, 1854.
CLAIM.--What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters paten, is:
"The construction of gas apparatus or STILL
consisting of a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones L and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings." t|
The truth ofthe above may be ascertancd from
the records OF the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. p MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.