Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-16
WOOD GAs.--CAUTTON.


DE 1t known that !, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in Dcconber, 1851, for
an apparatus tfor the destructive distillaton OF
wood, and the making theretrom of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gasi and that in the Judgment Of
competent persons the invention Of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. u. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without intring-
ing my said patent, And, further, that what IS
patenied by said Porter rightfully belongs to me-
as expect To prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further that the use of
said Porters invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged TO be
patentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said W. d, Porter has formally dsclamed. as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an Official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy of his claims, Ai93N #}5f 49 si 5l1i
In the Nafioaa telsgenosy Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusive right 10 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 intimldate under
such circumstancesa as Mr.. Porters claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as IT appears
from the records Of the Patent Once that nus
claim was at first refused as interfering with .
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrvance. 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 10 making gas rom wood" !"
The statement carries abstrdity on its front and
is libel on the good sense Of The Patent Ortice
Ii such claim or right had been granted II would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manufactory
IN the country. t@A$9I
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the tr,ie state Of the ease ilH ll l4 l1H'
afsra5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE, osf4
.tis ssy 8s'" august 25, 1854
& SIR. In reply your letter of this date asking
4 if any patent has been granted TO w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or al any other time, or
TO any other person or persons securing TO him
or them aths srciusive right Of making gas tro"s
l0ood," 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. Porter's
claims are believed to be c mined to his appara-.
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware thai
patent has been granted heretofore for the szcl1-
sspe right Of making gas from scoed. AZ would
however, be uni ustfable to expect me 10 make
an extended investigation to answer your re- rs
quest. gosa14ts +.
dT am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
a3gW C. MASON, Commissioner of Patents.
w r. McCoNAELI, ESD at.L.9..j..b ~, !,
t Care of Prof G. 6. Page, Washington, d. G.
Tas U,,ied STATES Patent obee- To all persons 10
) s3iiWhom these presents shall come, greting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files Of this Office Of an extract from
paper fled in the matter of the application OF w.
d, Porter for letters patent, id accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and fifty-four. t94a1 7
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 hYndred and fifty
e., re-, ,Jorh he'll ted
States the seventy-nInth. ,as C. MASON s,
Copy of disclaimer Of w d. ss7orter IN has arphea.
ton for Fan tuproped lstaH for, ,1saksng ic0od
gas, fled august 5, 1854. Letters patent issued
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
sublectng the products of destructive distillatIon
therefrom TO a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in The specification of w. ?, Mcconnell
The Uslned States Patent Odfoe--To all peysons to
i1l ,chons these presents shall come greezing
This is 10 certify that the annexed atrue copy
from the records Of this Office Of an extract from
the specification of W. ID. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and ffty-four.
In testimony whereof T. Charles Mason, Com
s missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto
g.. afnxed this tWenty-nHn Gay Oh August,
!" 81 n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffy-four, and OF the
'.sta independence Of the United States the
1iscventy-ninth. ean4u ss3Rs G. MASON. (
Eauract from Specification of W. ID. Porter ON
.ohieh btters patent tcere issued August "a 1854.
CLAIm-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent il ~ lel'i bst
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
co insisting OF a metallic or other cylinder d, the
cones r and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.' 81 su 1a<.2ah za9al sv0ls ap.1.. i.ii
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access. auss 81 flrs. J.t.I3s. n. .l-,.l.-.-- ..ss
ts5 f,a. WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
At BY his attorney CHAS. 9. PAGE