Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-02
WOOD GAs.-CAUTroN.

TIE ii known that l. the subsc riber oh
I'D tanned letters patent IN December, 1891, for
an apparatus for the destructive dlstillatlon OF
wood, aud the making therelrom of tar or pitch at
pleasure and gas and that in the judgment Of
competent persons the nventon of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter canpot be
used by him or any other person without intriug-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
pate,.ted by said Porter rightinly 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 adludged 10 be
patentable 10 the first inventor thereof aud which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed ~ APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, Of
which official copy is hereto annexed, aud also
copy OF his claims.
In the National IateHigeneer Of lhe 25th Instant
Mr. Porter announces that he Mas secured by
patent the ssexclusive right 10 making gas from
wood,n 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 far the threat can ntlmidaie under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porters claim i based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and
so understood by the Patent Office, 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 an
equivalent contrivance. This caito, given be-
low, and in which the perforated dlaphragmis y the
the exclusive right TO making gas from wood
The statement carries absurdlty on It's front, aud
Is libel on the good sense OF the Patent y nee
If such claim or right had been granted, IL would
forbid every coal-kn 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
UNrE- STATES PATENT OFFICE
A"gna r., 1851.
SIR. In reply TO your latter OF tins date. asking
" if any patent has been granted 10 W. u. Porter,
dated 22d August, lS51 or al any other time, or
TO any other person persons, securing TO him
or them g tie prclusirc right Of making gas fJoAR
pooan 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 10 his appara-
tus and, further, this Office Is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the eacfa-
sire right Of making gas troa oosd 1t would,
however, be unjusttable 10 expect me 10 make
extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
| am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
9. Mason, Commissioner Of Patents.
w P. McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof G. G. Page, Washington, D. ..
The u,,ttea States Patent O5fce--T0 all persons 10
tclto0l these presents shaA conle, grettng.:
This is 10 certify that the annexed i 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 10 tho
said w ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and flty-four.
In testimony whereof | Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
H. $. this 25th day OF August, IN the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
and Of he iudeDendeuCe OF the United
States the seventy-ninth. C..MAsoN
COPY Of disclaimer Of w. ID. Porter IN his appi,ca.
/. ti0a for AN impyored still for making 1cood
gas filed Apgnst 5, 1854 Letters pat.'Ht isS"ed
AHgua22 1854.
q do not claim as nv invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subiecing the products Of destructive distillaion
theretrom 10 high degree OF heat, substantially
"a has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification Of w. P. Mcconnell
Ths TDaed States P0fen OFce-To oH pcrs0as -
tchom these presents shall come greetrRg.
This is 10 certify that the annexed is = true copy
from the records Of this Office OF an extract from
the specification Of w. ID. Porters patent issued
in the twenty second day of August eighteen
hundred and fity-four.
In testimony whereof ], Charles Mason Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO BE- hereunto
affixed this twenty.ffh day Of August
:" - n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and 6lly-four, and OF the
independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. g. MASON.
Ez1rad from Specification of W. d. Porter on
,oLich b,fers patent ,rere issued AWgua q, 1854.
C1AIM.--What | claim as my invention and de-
sire to secure by letters patent is
"The construction Of a gas apparatus Or st,
consisting ei a metallic or other cylinder u, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate Q, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcaiion, and shown in the accompanying draw
iugs.H
The truth ofthe above may be ascerained from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
BY MS attorney CIlAS. O. PAGE.
ssDooR,s RAILROAD MAP or THE