Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-08
wooD GAs.-CAUTION.

DE II known that L, the subscriber OBJ
Id tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive dlstlaton OF
wood and The making therefrom OF tar or pitch al
pleasure and gas; aud that in the judgment OF
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without lnfrlng-
ing my said ,,aieat. And, further, that what rs
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 process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adiudged 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
copy Of his claims.
In the National I1telhgencer 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 intimidate under
such circumstances? 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 Office that his
claim was at first refused interfering with a
prior patent to Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
the exclusive right TO making gas from wood :
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is a libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
If such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-kin 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 ease
JJNITER STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854.
SIR In reply TO your letter of this date, asking
if any patent has been granted to w. D. Porter,
dated 22d August 1854, or at any other time, or
to any other person persons, securing TO him
or them /" the e1cl1SiUe righa 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. ID. Porter's
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 eIcls
size right Of making gas from 'coSd 1t would
however, be unjustfable TO expec, 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. G. G. Page, Washington, ID. O.
The United States Patent OGce-Io all persons to
sohons these presents shall come, grating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from
paper filed in the matter of the application of W.
d. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. d. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffiy-four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
IL. s. 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 seveny-nlntb. G. MASON
Copy of disclaimer of w. d. Porter his applea.
ton for an improved sttH for making ioood
AuguSt22 1854.
Il do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subectng the products of destructive distillation
therefrom 10 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 Ofce-To all PERSONS to
tDhom thesepresentS shall come greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from rhe records of this Office of extract from
the specification of W. D. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second 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 this twenty-ffih 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. &. MASON
Eaayact from Specification Of W. d. Porter on
.cieh letters patent 1cere issued AUgust %, 1854.
CLAIM-What l claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
consisting OF a metallic other cylinder b, the
cones f and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation, 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. G. PAGE.