Washington sentinel., 1855-01-10
1l 1lisfellanGgus
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.


TIE It known that !, the subscriber obs
I'D tanned letters patent in December 1921, Tor
an apparatus for TIE destructive dlstation OF
wood, and the making therefrom OF tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas; and that In the Judgment, o.
competent persons the invention OF an appar-
tns recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infrng-
ing nv said patent. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfuliY belongs TO me,
as expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further that the use OF
said Porters Invention involves also, process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged 10 be
patentabIe 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclamed. as ap-
pears upon the public records Of said ONCE, OF
which an Official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy Of his claims.
In the National Hlteligencer Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "excusive right 10 making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution TO al partes
infringing his patent ask how this statement
comports with the fact Of my patent of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intlnldate under
such circumstancesa Mr. Porters claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as II appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was al first refused as interfering with
prior patent to Robert FOULS, Of Canada, for an
equivalent contrv4ance. 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 absurdlty on lts front, and
is libel on the good sense Of the Patent Office.
If such claim or right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coaI-kiln and charcoal manufactory
in the country.
The following copies Of correspondence and
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 10 your letter Of this date, asking
"if any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1851, or al any other time, or
to any other, person or persons, securing 70 MIN
or them aUs erclusiue right Of making gas from
spooa," and whether any such claim was made by
w. d. Porter, under his application Tor patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porters
claims are believed to be c mined TO his appara-
tus; and, further, this office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore forthe ercln-
sice right Of making gas from aco0d. Il would,
however, be unjusti6able TO expect me TO make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
am respectfully, your obedent servant,
c.. MASON, COMMISSIONER OF Patents.
Care Of Prof. 9. G. Page, Washington, D. G.
Tie United States Patent Oaee-Io all persons to
arhom these presents shall come, grctfng'
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
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 ffly-four.
In testimony whereof, ! Charles Mason, Com,
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
H. ST. this 25th day of August, in the year Of orr
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and Of the Independence of the United
States the seventy ninth. o. MASON
Copy of disclaimer Of W. d. Porter in his appiiea.
ton for San improred still for making scood
,gas,n fled dAugaSt 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
A0gha22, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
subjecting the products of destructive dlstiation
theretrom 10 high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. P. Mcconnell
The Uated States Patem OFee-7 To all persons TO
tchom tkesepresents shall come greeting;
This is to certify that the anpexed is true copy
from the records of this Office of an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porer's patent, issued
on the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and fty-fonr.
In testimony whereof, I, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hcrcunto
= affixed this twenty-filh day OF August,
IL d in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fiiy.four, and of the
independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. MASON.
Extract from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
achieh letters patent lcere issued Angna %, 1854.
CLAIM.-What claim as my invention and de.
sire TO secure by letters patent is
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
co insisting OF a metallic or other cylinder b. the
cones f and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
+, substantially described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.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 CfIAS. @. PAGE.