Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-04
MisffllaMkGns.
WOOD GAs.--CAUTION.

WOOD GAS.--CAUTlON.
ne It known that ], the subscriber oD-
I'D tanned letters patent IN December, 1921, LOT
an apparatus for The destructive dlstatlon oi
wood, and the making therefrom 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 by him any other person without iniring-
ing my said patent And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 70 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 adJudged 10 De
patenable TO the first inventor thereoi' ana wnich
pears upon the public records OF said ONCE, OF
which an official copy Is hereto annexed, and also
q copy of his claims.
In the National Eatszigesicer Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured py
patent the aexclusive right TO making gas from
wood,n and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent. ! ask how tins statement
comports with the fact Of my patent oil Decemoer,
1851, and how far the threat can ntlmldaie under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porters claim Is pased
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 win
prior patent TO Robert, FOULS, OF Canada Tor an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as gwen De-
l4ow and in which the perforated diaphragm Is the
saving clause, is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right 10 making gas from wood
The statement carries absurdity on It's front, ana
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent o'hce:
Ii such n claim right had been granted, II woud
forbid every coal-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 %, 1854.
SrR In replv 10 your letter of this date, asking
sif any patent has been granted TO w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1884, or at any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing 70 MIN
| or them " the eaciusiuS right Of making gas from
tooodn 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. Porters
claims are believed TO be mined 10 his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the e1ctn-
stue right Of making gas from acosd II would,
however be unjusti6able to expect me to 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. c. G. Page, Washington, D. c..
The United States Patent OGce-Io all persons TO
schom these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from a
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 ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and filly-four
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com.
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunio affixed
H. 81 this 25th day of August, in the year of our
| Lord one thousand eight hundred and hity-
four, and Of the Independence OF The United
States the seveniy-ninth =. MASON.
Conn of disclaimer Of W. d. Porter M his appiioa.
tion for "aa impyoped still for making tcood
gas fled august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
Angasf22, 1854.
81 do not claim 6s my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ
subjecting the products Of destructive distillaton
thereirom 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 United States Patent OGce--To all persons 10
roli0p these presents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records ofths Office of an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porters patent, issued
on the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and fAy-four.
In testimony whereof j, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
>. affixed this twenty-ffh day OF August
IL 81 in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and of the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-ninth. Z. MASON.
Ezsract from Specification Of W. d. Porter on
rohich letters patent issued Aagnsf 22, 1854.
CLAiM.-What | claim as my invention and de
sire 10 secure by letters patent is:
"The construction of a gas apparatus or still
CO nsisting OF a metallic or other cylinder b the
cones and ID, diaphram plate G. and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw.
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access. -
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE. =