Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-04

Ha iN WOOD GAS.-CAUTION.
DE 1t known that I, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, oI
an apparatus for the destructive distillaon 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. ID. Porter csnnot be
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing my said patent And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rghtfuliy belongs TO me,
as l 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. d. Porter has formally discaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said Office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy of his claims. uatU9gi8 e3 aiu,3is q
In the National LaieAigss,cer 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 intimidate 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 q
prior patent to Robert Fouls, Of Canada, for an
equivalent oontrivapce. This c1aim as given be-
low, ana III WuiCn Ine pcTIOrdtcu utdpHrdSl Is the
saving clause is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right to making gas from wood 7
The statement carries absrr,ify nn its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
If such claim right had been granted, il would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manuiactory
IN the country. At8s'a flt4'ta el aEla Hst
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the true slate Of the case: 9sa6s
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854.
SIR In reply your letter of this date, asking
II any patent has been granted to W. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them "he eerefnsfve right Of making gas from
rood" aud 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 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 tor the ezcln-
stve right Of making gas from acoeds II would,
however, be unjusti6abe 10 expect me TO make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re
quest. Ae.f
am, respectfully, your obedent servant,
G. Mason, Commissioned Of Patents,
w. T. MeCoNAELI, Esq,
Care of Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, D. G.
The United States Patent Ofce-To all persons 10
rchom these presents shall come, grettng:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is a 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 to the
said w. ID. Porter the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffiy-four
In testimony .Uhereof Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 he hereunlo affixed
L. s.. this 25th day OF August, in the year of our
- 49, - ..lr..1 as1 kttxr-
four, and of the independence Of the United
States the seventy-nlntb. e. Mason.
Copy Of disclaimer Of w. d. Porter IN his appliea.
tion for san improved still for making s0ood
gas, nfed August S, 1854. Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
g / do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz;
subjecting the products of destructive distilaton
therefrom to a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes SET
forth in the specification of w. r. Mcconnell
The United States Patent Offce-I0 all persons 10
tchom these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the records of this oihre Of extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porer's patent, iss ued
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-ifth day OF August.
q n the year of our Lord one thous and
eight hundred and ffty-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
t. seventy-nnth G. MASON.
Ea,rGot from Specification Of w. ID. Ponsr on
,chtch letters patent issued august %, 1854.
CLAIM.--What / claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is ~ .s
"The construction OF a gas apparatus or stun,
con a a metallic Or other cylinder IL. the
cones Z and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
,ings." F.. e...ts .
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
access. '... fs-s
VIM p. MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. g. PAGE.