Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-15
wooD cAsCAuTION.

| ID tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
| an apparatus for the destructive dsltllauon OF
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch Al
pleasure, and gas and that IN the Judgment OF
competent persons the invention of appar-
| tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him any other person without lnrlng-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfuly belongs 10 me,
as | expect 10 prove 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
patentabe TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. d. Porter has formally disclaimed as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which official copy is hereto annexed and also
copy OF his claims.
In the National IateLigezcer of the 25th instant
Mr. Porter announces thai he has secured by
patent the ''exclusye right TO making gas from
wood,1 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 ntlindaie under
such circumstances! Mr.. Por.er's claim is based
upon 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 interfering with
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 ''exclusve right TO making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdy on ITS front, and
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent ONCE
If such a claim right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-slln and charcoal manuiactory
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:
UNrED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854
SIR. In reply 10 your letter of tins date, asking
- t,.,S nfaIf m,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing 10 him
or them The ezclustue right Of making gas from
w0oa," aud 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 10 his appara-
tus; and further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the ezeta-
stUe right IF maklRg gas from aco1d IL would,
however be uniustifable 10 expect ME 10 make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant
@. Mason, Commissioner of Patents
w. P. MoCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof. G.. G.. Page, Washington, ID. Z.
The UQftea States Patent O6ice-IO all persons to
achom these presents shall come, grettng:
This is TO certify+hat the annexed is a true copy
from the files Of this Office of an extract from
paper MED IN the matter OF the dppHCdtloH VI
d. Porter for letters patent, IN accordance with
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ifty-four.
In testimony whereof, Charles Mason, Com.
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto sffixed
fl. $ 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-nlntb =. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimer Of w d. Porter ia his applica.
ton for "Gn improved sttl for making lcood
gas, fled August 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
AUgHSt %, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subjecting the products OF destructive dstillation
thereirom to high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. Mcconnell
The Unitcd States Patent O0co-To all persons 10
fcioDa these presents shall coma creating:
This is TO certify that the annexed Is a 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 fifly-iour.
In testimony whereof, |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed tins twenty-fiith day OF August,
= 81 n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and hftyiour, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
seventy-niuth. e. MASON
Ea4raet from Specification oc w. u. Porter on
tglich kttsrs patent tcere ISSUED AugHSt p 1884.
CIAIM.-What claim as my invention and de-
sire to secure by letters patent is
The construction Of gas apparatus or still,
consisting ef a metallic or other cylinder u, the
cones + and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
r. substantially described in the foregoing spe-
cihcation, and shown IN the accompanying draw
ings.n
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 G.. PAGE.