Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-03-01
WOOD GAS.-CAUTION.
he IL known that l. the suhscrihel

ID A. IL KNOWN tnat 1, the SUBSCRIBER OD-
I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1885, for.
an apparatus for The destructive dstiIlaiion OF
wood, and the making therefrom of tar pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in The judgment OF
competent persons the invention OF an appar.
tus recently patented by w. D. 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 rghtluly 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 a process
which ! am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged TO be
paienable 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dsclaimed, APP
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 IRtehigencer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right 10 making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
| infringing his patent. l ask how this statement
COMFORTS with the fact OF my patent OF December
| 1881 and how far the threat can ntimdate 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 at first refused as interfering with a
prior patent TO Robert FOULS, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause, is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
If such claim or right had been granted, it would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
y 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 IS, 1854.
SIR. In reply TO your letter of this date, asking
h.. L.nxx .s..ls
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
TO any other person persons, securing TO him
or them "he eroinSius right Of making gas from
tcood,' and 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 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 ezolH-
sue righ Of making gas from rood. II would
however, be unjusti6able to expect me 10 make
an extended investigation TO answer your re.
quest.
| am respectfully your obedent servant,
G. Mason Commissioner of Patents.
w. p. MCDONALD, Esq,
Care OF Prof. 9. G. Page, Washington, ID. @
The United States Patent 0fce-7o oil persons 10
tchom these presents shall come, greting
This is to certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files Of this Office Of an extract from
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 ffty-four.
In testimony Whereof |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the seal
Of the Patent Office to be hereunto affixed
u. 8. this 25th day OF August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fly
four, and ofthe independe Of the United
States the seventy-ninth. G. Mason.
Copy Of disclaimer Of W d. Porter in his applfca.
ron for an Improved still for making tcood
gas" Med august s 1854. LETTERS pafenf issued
augusta 1854.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the Improvements in aking gas from wood viz
subjecting the products of destructive dstillation
lherefrom TO a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. Mcconnell
The Upited States Patent Object all persons 10
tcho1i these presents shall come grating:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office OF an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and ffy-four.
Tn testimony whereof l. Charles Mason, Com.
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto
I, : affixed this twenty.f day OF August.
- IN the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty.four, and oil the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. MASON
Ertraa from Specification of w D. Porter on
whioh letters patent mere issued Augua 22, 1854.
CLAM.-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is:
The construction of a gas apparatus or still
consisting OF metallic or other cylinder b. the
cones L and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
f. substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcaton, and shown in the accompanying draw.
ingsn
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records OF the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
VIM. p. MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE