Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-13
w0,lD GAs.-CAUTION.

hE 1t KNOWN lnat Is the suDsCTiDeT oD-
ID tanned letters patent in December 1881, for
an appar ratus tor the destructive distlation OF
wood. and the making thererom OF tar or pitch AT
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 hy him or any other person without ntrlng-
ing my said patent And, further that what as
yatentea by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as | expect to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office; and, further, that the use OF
said Porterss invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged 10 be
patentable 10 the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dlsclalmed, 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 L,teAigsncer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas rom
wood and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent. ask now TINS statement
COMFORTS with the fact of my patent OF December,
1851 and how far the threat can intimidate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porters claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as II appears
from lh. records of the Patent Office that his
claim was nj first refused as interfering with
prior patent 10 Robert FOULS of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. 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 absurdity on It's front, and
is a libel on the good sense OF the Patent once
If such claim right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records OF the Patent once VIII
show the true state OF the ease:
TNIrRs STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25 1854.
'SlR In reply 10 your latter of this date, asking
I" if any patent has been granted 10 w. u. Porter,
dated 22d August 1854, or at any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them /" the exclusive right Of maktng gas from
scood" and whether any such claim was made by
w ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent We're issued bearing tne
above date, you are informed that w D. Porter's
claims are believed TO be mined 10 hls appara-
tus and further, this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore tor the each,-
size right Of making gas from "osd IL would,
however, be unjustitiable TO expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest
lam, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. MASON, Commissioner Of Patents.
W p. McCoNAELI- Esq,
Care of Prof &. G. Page, Washington, d. Z.
TAs United States Patent ORce-I0 all persons 10
qchon. 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 win
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day OF August,
eighteen hundred and hiyour
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
Of the Patent Office to he hereunto affixed
~. : this 18th day OF August IN the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and my
tour and Of the Independence OF the United
States the seventy-nnb e. MASON
Co,y of fdlclainlerof ". y. Porter ia his alPltca.
tfon for an Improved StH for ma1tag 'oood
gas" fled Augala 8, 1854. LtnerS patent issued
AagmSt22 1884.
Il do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subjecing the products of destructive dstillauon
thereirom To high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. p. Mcconnell"
TEs U,,itcd States Patsnt Ofce-Io all yerSoaS 10
zchogp tkeSe presents shall come greeting:
This j. 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office of extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
in The twenty second 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 hereunto
affixed this twenty fifth day OF August,
:" - n The year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and iihy-four, and OF the
Independence of the United States the
scyenty-ninth G. MASON.
Esayaet from Specification or w. ID. Porter on
sohich kfters yafent issued AngUt y, 1884
CLAIM-What claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent IS:
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder Il, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.n
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.