Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-03
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.
DE 1t known that I, the subscriber

DE It known that L, the subscriber OBJ
| I'D 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. ID. 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 rightfuly belongs 10 me,
! as ! expect to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and further. that the of
said Porters 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 official copy is hereto annexed, and also
| u copy of his claims.
In the National I,feHigsncey of the 25th instant
| Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
| infringing his patent | ask how this statement
comports with the fact Of my patent of December
1851, and how fdr the threat can ntimidate 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 interfering with
prior patent 10 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 absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense Of the Patent Office
Ii such claim right had been granted, il 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:
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854.
SIR In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
"f any patent has been granted 10 W. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or al any other time, or
or them " the exclusive right Of making gas from
,cood" and whether any such claim was made by
w. D. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent We're issued bearing the
above date you are informed that W. ID. Porter's
claims are believed 10 be mined to his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for the erchp
sive right of making gas from fc0Sd. II would,
however, be unjustfable 10 expect me to make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. MASON Commissioner of Patents.
w. T. McCoNAELI, Esq,
Care of Prof. C. G. Page, Washington, d. c.
Tile United States Patent OGce-To all persons to
svhons these presents shall come, gretimg:
This is TO certify that the annexed is q true 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 10 the
said w. ID. Porter the 22d day Of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office TO be 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 independence of the United
States the seveny-nntb. Z. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimer Of w. d. Porter IN his apphea.
tion for "an improved still for making GOOD
gas nfied august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood viz:
subjectng the products of destructive distillation
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"
The United States Patent O6fce-Io all persons to
1chon these presents shall come greeting:
This is to certify that the annexed is atrue 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 ffty-four.
In testimony Whereof l, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hereunto
:, affixed this twenty-fifih day OF August
IL 81 n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty y-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. MASON.
Earao from Specification of w. ID. Porter on
fchich letters patent issued august %, 1884.
CLAIM-What claim as my invention and de.
sire to secure by letters patent is
"The construction Of gas apparatus or STILL
CO assisting Of a metallic or other cylinder b. the
cones and d. daphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially described in the foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth Of the above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
By his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.