Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-24
WOOD GAS.-CAUTION.
nE IL known that l. the subscriber

/ WOOD
DE Ii known that i, the subscriber OBJ
| I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, foI
| an apparatus for the destructive distilaion ol
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch al
| pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment oi
| competent persons the invention of an appar-
| tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him any other person without infrng-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what is
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as | expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office; and, further that the OF
said Porter's invention involves also a process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adudged TO be
patentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally discaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said Office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
| a copy of his claims.
In the National I,,teaigencer 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. Porters 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 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 exclusive right TO making gas from wood" +"
The statement carries absurdity on It's front, and
is libel on the good sense of fhe Patent Office
If such claim right had been granted, 1t would
forbid every coa-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
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
An 0USt 25 1854
SIR. In reply to your letter of this date, asking
"if 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 10 him
or them :" the erciusiUe right of making gas from
aoood," 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. d. Porters
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 eIclu-
siue right Of making gas from acosd II would,
however, be unjustfable to expect me to make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
| am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. MASON, Commissioner of Patents.
w. P. McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof c. G. Page, Washington, d. G.
Tile United States Patent ODfce-To all persons 10
aoAom these presents shall come, grating:
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 to 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 TO be hereunto affixed
IL. 81 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-nIntb. c. Mason
Copy Of disclaimer of w. ID. Porter IN has appiiea.
tion for {" an Improved still for making aoood
gas, FLED august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
August22 1854.
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subectng the products of destructive distillation
theretrom to high degree of heat, substa ntlally
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification of W. P. Mcconnell"
The United States Patent OGce-To all persons to
tclion hesepresents shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records of this Office of extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porters patent issued
in the twenty second day of August eighteen
hundred and ffy-four.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
:, : affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August
n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ifty-four, and OF the
independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. c. MASON.
Earact from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
fcj.ieh letters patent acerc issued august % 1854.
CIAIM.-What claim my invention and de-
sire to secure by letters patent is
1.-THE construction of gas apparatus or STILL
consisting OF a metallic other cylinder b, the
cones E and ID, diaphram plate c, and exit pipe
F,substantially as described in the foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in The accompanying draw
ings."
The truth Of the above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. G. PAGE.