Washington sentinel., 1855-03-18
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

DE 1t known that i, the subscriber OBJ
| ID tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distilation OF
wood, and the making iherefrom of tar or pitch NJ
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 rghtfully belongs to 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 to bo
patentabe 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said W. d. Porter has formally disclaimed, IS 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 Luteligencer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas from
wood, 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 intimdate 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 Ofhce that his
| claim was al first refused interfering with q
| prior patent to Robert Foulis Of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivnncc. This claim, AZ 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 corries absurdiiy on its front, and
/ is a libel on th, good sense Of the Patent Office
If such claim right had been granted, it would
forbid every coalkiln and charcoal mandatory
IN the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Ofce will
show the true state of the case:
UNITED STATES PATENT OYFIcK,
Asgua Is, 1854.
SIR. In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
an r. nj haa beer 0ran fed a W.
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
to any other person persons, securing to him
or them /" the ezcitasipe right Of making gas from
rood 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. Porsr's
claims are believed 10 be C mined TO his appara-
tus; and further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the srcin-
sive right of making gas from tcosd Il would,
however, be unjustifable to expect me TO make
an extended Investigation TO answer your re-
quest. OIL
| am, respectfully your obedent servant,
@. Mason, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. P. McCosAELI, Esq,
Care of Prof c. G. Page, Washington, d. c.
The United States Patent OFoe-To all prsers 10
,ohons these presents shall come grainx:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
frem the files OF this Office Of 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 TO the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d 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 to be hereunto affixed
H. ST. 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 ninth. G. Mason.
Copy Of disclaimer of W. ID. Porter IN has appi,oa.
tion for g. an improved stiA for making 4oood
gas,@fied August 5, 1854. Letters patent is'~ed
August %, 1854.
g. do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz
subjecting the products of destructive distilaton
therefrom TO 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 OToe-To all persons 10
,chom Dssepresents shall come greeting:
This is TO certify that the ne ed is true copy
from the records Of this Office Of an extract from
the specification of w. ID. Porers patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and fifty -four. -
In testimony whereof L Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents. have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hereunto
+, =, affixed this twenty-hfth day OF August,
u q in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty -four, and OF the
independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. MAsoS.
Erfraa from Specification of w. ID. Psrssy on
chich ktfers patenf issmed Apgps "a, 1854.
CLAIM-What claim as my invention and de.
sire to secure by letters patent is:
"The construction Of a gas apparatus or still,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones and d, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cfcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, to which all have
access.
WIN. P. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE
ssDOOR's RAILROAD MAP OF THE
UNITED STATES.0-This celebrai
ted Map, recently eulogixed by Lieutenant Mau
ry, in his virginia Letters" is on sale at