Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-14

ID tanned letters patent ia December 1851, for
apparatus for the destructive distilaton OF
wood, and the making ihercfrom Of tai, 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 cannot be
used by him or any other person without lnfrng
ing my said patent. And, further, that what is
patented by said Porter rghtfully belongs to 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 a 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. u. Porter has formally disclaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said Office OF
which official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy Of his claims.
In the National IateNtgencey 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 a 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 al first refused as interfering with
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as gwen be-
low, and in which the perfsrated diaphragm is the
saving clause, is what Mr. Porter calls securing
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is q libel on the good sense OF the Patent Office
Ii such claim or right had been granted, it would
forbid every coai-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,
Angust 25 1854.
SIR. In reply 10 your letter OF this date, asking
/" il any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or at any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing to him
or them g the e1clusive rtghs Of making gas from
acood," and whether any such claim was made by
w. d.. 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-
size right Of making gas from woSd, II would,
however, be unJustfable to expect me to make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest
| am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
G.. M AsoN, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. p. MCDONALD, Esq,
Care of Prof G. G. Page Washington, d. c.
TIE United States Patent OGce-Io all persons to
whom these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is atruc copy
from the files of this office of 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 on the 22d day of August
eighteen hundred and ffty-four.
In testimony whereof, |. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be herennto affixed
L. ST. 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 seventy ninth. Z. MASON.
Copy ofdiyclasmer of w. d. Porter ia his appiica.
tio,l for "an Improved still for making tcood
gas fled august 5, 1854. Letters patent ISSUED
dugnst22, 1854.
g do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz;
subecting the products of destructive distillaton
therefrom 10 a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. McConneL"
The U,ued States Patent Office To all persons to
tcAona pke& presents shall come greeting:
This il 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records OF this Office of an extract from
the specification of w. d. Porter's patent issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and ffy-four.
In testimony whereof l. Charles Mason Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hcreunto
affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August,
= 81 n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and OF the
independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. Mason.
Ezaract from Specification Of w. ID. Psrter on
tohich letters patent issued august %, 1854.
CLAIM.--What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is
"The construction Of gas apparatus or still,
Of metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones and ID, daphram plate @, and exit pipe
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.n
The truth the above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office 10 which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.