Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-28
MisrtIlanfnns.
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

1 WOOD EASs-CAO1AONs
DE 1t known that ], the subscriber OBJ
| II tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation 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. d. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing my said patent. And, further that what -
patented by said Porter rghtfully belongs 10 me,
as / expect 10 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
patentabe 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 official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy of his claims. m s
In the National IsteNigenesy of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusive right TO making gas rom
wood" and threatens prosecution 70 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 10 based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as It appears
from the records Of the Patent Once that his
claim was at 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 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Othce.
If such claim or right had been granted, it would
forbid eyery coa-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country.
extracts from the records Of the Patent Office will
show the true state Of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
August 25, 1854.
SIR. In reply to your letter of this date, asking
" if any patent has been granted 10 W. D. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time or
to any other person or persons, securing to him
or them athe exclusive right Of making gas from
sooodn and whether any such claim was made by
w. u. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing tne
above date, you are informed that w. D. Porters
claims are believed to be Mined 10 his appara-
tus and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the s1cln-
sfpe right of making gas from fcosd- 1t would,
however, be unus,i6able to expect me TO make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest
l am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. Mason, Commissioner Of Patents.
w. p. McCoNAELI. Esq,
Care of Prot. c. G. Page, Washington, D. c.
The United States Patent OGee-Io all persons to
arhom these presents shall come, grating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from
paper filed in the matter of the application OF w.
D. 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 hfty-lour.
In testimony Whereof I, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
Of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
II. 81 this 25th day Of August, in the year Of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four. ans ofthc indsesRsdence s,s 9ftSS United UNI
Copv of disclaimer of w d. Porter in his applien'
ton for "an impropea stiH for making GOOD
gas FLED august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subleciins the products Of destructive distiauon
therefrom TO high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. P. Mcconnell"
Tbs United States Patent OGee- To all persons TO
schona these presents shall come greeting:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records OF this Office of extract from
the specification Of w ID. Porter's patent, issued
on the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and fhy-four.
In testimony whereof, |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hcreunio
:. affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August
L. d in the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty flour, and OF the
independence OF the United States the
seventy ninth. C. Mason.
Er7yae from, SPECIFICATION Of w. ID. Porter on
sohieh letters patent issued august 22, 1854
CInM.-Whai ! claim as my invention and do
sire TO secure by letters patent is:
!" The construction Of a gas apparatus or still,
co insisting OF metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones Z and ID, disphram plate G, and exit pipe
r substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6caiion, and shown in the accompanying draw
inRs.n
The truth ofthe above may be ascertaned from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. p MCCONNELL,
BY his Attorney CHAS. O. PAGE.
CCOTT,s WEEKLY PAPER.--The pub