Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-26
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

LIZ IL known tnat 4, the suDscrlDcr OBJ
ID tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that i'm 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
pats,fed by said Porter rightfuliy belongs TO me,
as l expect 10 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 be
patentable to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dsclaimcd, 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 Iatelligonosr 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 circumstancesa Mr.. Porter's claim is based
so understood by the Patent Office, as it appears
from the records of The Patent Office that his
claim was at first refused as interfering with a
prior patent TO Robert Fouls, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as gwen 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 its front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Office
IL such claim or right had been granted, il would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country. r.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records OF the Patent Office will
show the true state of the ease:
.t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
1N bgsaBagf.r Augna IS, 1854.
SIR In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
if any patenAbas been granted TO w. d. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them !" the sTelnsive right Of making gas from
soood 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. Portsr's
claims are believed TO be mined TO his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware that a
patent has been granted heretofore for the erclu-
ssue rtght Of saaking gas from scesd. II would,
however, be unJusti6able TO expect me TO make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. MASON, Commissioner Of Patents.
K w. p. McCoNAELL4 Esq,
'l. Care of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, ID. c.
The United States Patent ObEce-To all persons TO
sohons these presents shall come, greting:
This is to certify that the annexed is true copy
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 the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and iffy-four
In testimony whereof, l, Charles Mason, Com
+ missioner OF Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto affixed
IL. 81 this 23th day Of August, in the year Of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and 6ly
I1F, s.xl.. I.p Nls q shoI Init Il
States the seventy y-nintb. G. Mason
Copy of disclaimer Of W. ID. Porter ia his ayphca.
fion for "an iaproped stiH for waking ,cood
gas, 6led Ansna 5, 1854. Letters patent tssHed
dngNsf22, 1854. Ha
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subjecting the products Of destructive dstillation
thereirom 10 a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification Of w. p Mcconnell"
Tz< United States Pafsm OGce--To all persons 10
rghom these presents shall come grazing:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records of this Office OF an extract from
the specification Of w. ID. Porier's patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and fifty y-four.
In testimony whereof l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto
>. affixed tins iweniy-ffth day OF August,
= n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty -four, and OF the
Independence OF the United States the
seventy ninth. Q. MASON
Ezzrad from Specification Of w. ID. Psvter on
,ojiel letters yafs,n issned dngna ~, 1854
CLAIs-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent Is:
THE construction OF a gas apparatus or still,
consisting Of metallic or other cylinder b, the
N - ...I "A fxaxx
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6calion, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patent Ofbce, 10 which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.