Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-08
WOOD GAs.-CAUTTON.

Id f. Ii known that !, the subscriber no-
I'D tanned letters patent in December, lool, Ior
an apparatus Tor the destructive distillstion OF
wood aud The making iheretrom OF tar pitch nj
pleas ure and gas aud that 10 the Judgment Of
competent persons the inventon VI an appar-
tus recently patented BY w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infrlng-
ing my said patent. And, further, that what Is
g,afsMted by said Porter rightfuy belongs 10 me,
as I.expect 10 prove ere long before the Unllcd
States Palen, 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 10 be
palentable the iIsi inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaImed a. ap-
pears upon the public records OF said Office, OF
which AN official copy is hereto annexed and also
a copy of his claims.
In the National Iateiligeacer of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces tha, he has secured by
patent the exclusive right 10 making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent ASK how TINS stateinegt
comports with the fact Of my patent Of December,
sucb circumstances? Mr.. Porter'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 thai his
claim was ~ Irsi rsius.a ~ nrrlering VITA y
prior patent 10 Robert Fouls. ol Canada for an
eauIvalen, contrivance, fh's claim, as gwen be-
low and ia which The perforated diaphragm u the
saviag clause IL what Mr. Porter calls securing
The exclusive right 10 making gas from wood
The statement carries ahsnrdly On It's front, and
Is u libel on the good sense OF The paieni y nee
If such claim or right had been granted. u would
iorbid<every roal-kiln and charcoal manmiactory
the couniry .~
Th. following copies nf correspondence and
extracts iroa The records Of the Parent Office VIII
show the true slate OF the ease:
UNrrgn STATES PArg,r Ofrick
ipgna %, 1874.
...,,l,, ~, ,ItIr oi Tins dale,
n any palenl has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated I'D August 1854. or at any other time, or
10 any other person persons, securing 10 mn,
or Them The ezciasipe right of making gas 1tom
sooydn and whether any such clam was made by
w H. Porter, under hi, application for patent,
which letters patent issued bearing the
above date YOU are informed that W. u. Porter's
claims are believed 10 be mined 10 his arpara-
lus; and further, This office i not aware toat
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the errlm'
sige right oj n,akiRg gas from noSd II would,
however be unjust hable 10 expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re
quest
am, respectfully your obedirnt eefVan
e. Mason, Comm ssioner OF Paltnis
w p McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care OF Prof. &. G. Page, Washington, ~ =.
TAr U,jt,i Stars Pats,u ORce-Io al PERSONS
achoas these presents shall come, grating
Thi- is 10 certliy that tbe annexed IS airne copy
Ies OF thks once ol dH e2tThsl Hpuf
paper died in th,. matter OF the application OF w.
b Porter for letters patent, IN a1cordance wan
which application letters patent were issued to the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-lour.
In testimony whereof, Charles Mason Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be herennto afhxed
IL s. this 25th day of August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and hiiy,
four and Of the independence OF the United
States the seventy-nnth " MASON
Conn Of disclaimer Of ". ID. Porter % has appt'ca.
non for sam imyroptd aiH for making aoood
gas tiled august s, 1854. Letters patent tSS'te6
August g. 1884.
II do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from WOOD, VIZ:
subeciina the products of destructive distlation
tAereirom 10 . nigh degree nt heat. Substantially
a. has been described aud for he purposes sei
forth in The specification OF w. 4. Mcconnell
JEs U,ued Sratcs Potsra Ohce--I 10 al Pers0"N 40
trJ.oUu thsxs prsssnts shall ooDaG gref,ng;
This il 10 certify that the annexed ~ true copy
rom the records ofIhs Office of an extract from
the specialization OF w ID. Poners patent, Issued
in the twenty second day ~ August eighteen
hundred aud hfty-tour.
missioner of Pateuts, have caused The
.rnI Of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
affixed tins twenty dfth day OF August,
- II The year OF our LORD one tnousaho
eight hundred and hfy-lour, and oil The
independence of the United States the
-vsntv.pjptb 4. Mason.
Earast from SPECIFICATION y w. ~ Porter ."
tcAteh ktlsrs patsat issued Angba q, lSoi'
CLAtM--What | claim as my Invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent ~
The construction Of gas apparatus OF sui,
consisting OF n metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones L and ID, diaphram plate 2, and exit pipe
F, substantially described IN the foregoing spe
ridcation. and shown ia the accompanying draw
ings.
Th,. tfulh OF The ah.scmay be ascrrtained rom
the record. of The Patent Ofrr, TO whirh all have
...,
WM r. MCCONNELL,
~ biS attorney CtIAS. q. PAGE
,n.,,r rnu Ns. larYe and i'm