Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-25
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

tdincu letters patent III DcccmDcT1 lOJl3 lOT
an apparatus for the destructive dstlllation 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 intring-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as | expect TO 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
patentable TO the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, ap-
pears upon the public records Of said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed and also
copy of his claims.
In the National ItteAsgencer Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the ''exclusve right to, making gas from
wood,n 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 circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as II appears
from the records of the Patent Once that his
claim was at first refused as interfering with a
prior patent 10 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 Nr. Porter calls securing
the ''exclusve right to making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdlty on It's front, and
is a libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
If such claim or right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coal-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:
UNITEp STATES PATENT OFFIcE,
august 25, 1854.
SIR In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
(" if any patent has been granted to w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them the enclatsiUs right Of making gas from
a0ood" 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. 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 erclu-
sue right of making gas from a0oSd II would,
however be unjustifable to expect me 10 make
extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. MASON, Commissioner of Patents.
w. p. MCDONALD. Esq,
Care of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, d. G.
The United States Patent OGce-Io all persons TO
tchOus these presents shall come, grating
This is to certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from
paper Htu III the IHdtttT VI tue dppiiSoloh VI "
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-our.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
II. s. this 25th day of August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and the independence of the United
States the seventy-nintb. z. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimer of W. d. Porter in his applica.
tion for san improved stiH for making aoood
gas,n filed August s, 1854. Letters patent issued
Augnst22 1854.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjecting the products Of destructive distiation
therefrom to high degree of heat, substantially
rs has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. P. Mcconnell"
The Unired States Patent OGce-Io all persons TO
rchons these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the records Of this Office of extract from
the specification Of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and ffy-four.
In testimony whereof, |, Charles Mason Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
I, affixed this twenty fifth day OF August
'I n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four, and OF the
independence of the United States the
seventy y-ninth. G. Mason.
Earraot from Specification Of w. ID. Porter
rolich letters patent soere issued august %, 1854.
CLAIM.-What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is
"The construction of a gas apparatus or stlll
consisting Of a metallic Other cylinder b, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth fthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
Bv his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.