Washington sentinel., 1856-04-10
WooI, .As.-CAUTIoN.


| Id tanned letters patent in December, 1901, ioi
All apparatus for The destructive distillation o
] wood, and the making therefrom OF tar or plich a,
| pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment o
| competent persons the invention OF an appar'
tus recently patented by W. ID. Porter cannot he
used by him or any other person Without intrng-
| ing my said patent. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightinlly belongs TO me-
| as expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office; and, further, that the OF
| said Porters invention involves also process
| which am now claiming before the United States
| Patent Office, and W hch has been adjudged TO be
patentahle TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclamed, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which official copy Is hereto annexed, and also
a copy OF his claims.
In the National IiteAigencer 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 intimidate under
such circumstances? Mr. Porters claim is based
upon a movable perforated diaphragm, and was
80 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 pateut To Robert Fouls, OF Canada, for an
equivalent :ontrivance. This claim as given be-
low, aud in which the perforated diaphragm is the
sa wing cause j. what Mr. Porter calls securing
The statement carries absurdlty on lis front, and
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent Ohce
Ii such claim or right had been granted, il would
forbid every coal-kn and charcoal manulactory
IN the country.
The following copies If correspondence and
extracts from The records OF the Patent Office VIII
show the true state oi the case:
UNIrEs STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1854.
SIX In reply 10 your letter Of this date, asking
g ii any patent has been granted 10 W. D. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1884, or al any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing to him
or them /" tie racinsioe right 0f 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. u. Porttr's
claims are believed TO be mined to his appara-
tus aud, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the e1clm-
siue right of making gas from acosd II would,
however, be unjustiiable 10 expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioner of Patents
W. p. McCoSAELI. Esq,
Care OF Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, d. Q.
The United States Patent OGce-Io all persons 10
rchoRs these presents shall come, grating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed il a true copy
from the files of tnis 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 fifty-four-
In testimony whereof / Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
II. s. this 25th day of August, IN the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and MY
four, and of the independence OF the United
States the seventy-nlntb. y. MASON.
Conn of disclaimer Of w ID. Porter in has appiiea.
ton for San improved stiH for making toood
gasn fled August 5, 1854 Letters patent issued
August %, 1854.
% / do not claim my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
subjecting the products OF destructive distillauon
thereirom 10 a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described aud for The purposes set
forth in the specification OF w. +. Mcdonnell
The Uuited Staies Patent OEcc-To oil persons 10
,ollom heseprese,its shall come greeting:
This i 10 certify that the annexed Is a true copy
from The records Of this Office OF an extract from
the specification of w. d. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and fily-Iour.
In testimony whereof, l, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused tue
seal Of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed this twenty-Rllh day OF August,
y" 81 a the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred aud fifty -four, and OF the
Independence OF the United States the
snyan,yninth G. Mason.
Es,raet from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
whieh Lettsrs patent tcere issued august ~ 1894.
CIAiM.-What claim as my invention and de-
sir. TO secure by letters patent is
The construction of gas apparatus or sun,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder d, tne
cones L and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcation and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth Of the above may be ascertained from
M. record. Of The Patent Office, TO which all have
WIN. p MCCONNELL,
D., IL. at,arney CHAS q. PAGE,