Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-04-26
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

~
NE Ii known that l, the subscriber OBJ
| II tained letters patent in December, lS5l Tor
an apparatus for the destructive distlliation OF
wood, and the making thereirom of tar or pitch az
| pleasure and gas; and that in the judgment Of
competent persons the invention OF an appar-
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot he
used by him or any other person without niring-
ing nv said patent. And, further, that what IS
yate,,ted by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as / 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 10 be
patentabe TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w d. Porter has formally disclaimed. as APP
pears upon the public records OF said oihce, OF
which official copy Is hereto annexed ana also
a copy of his claims
In the National Intellsgencer of the 2oth instant
Mr. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusve 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 intmdate under
such circumstances! Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
40 understood by the Patent Office, as II appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was al first refused as interfering with
prior patent TO Robert Fouls, OF Canada, tor an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as given De-
low and in which the perforated diaphragm Is the
the sexclusve right TO making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdiy on It's front, and
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent once
If such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid eyery coal-kiln and charcoal manuactory
IN the country
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the true state OF the case:
UNrrEs STATES patent OFFICE
august %, 1894
SIR. In reply 10 your letter OF this date, asking
ssif any patent has been granted TO W. u Porter,
dated 22d August 1854, or al any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing TO HIM
or them (" the eaciasiUs right Of making asJroni
,oood" and whether any such claim was made by
W. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing tne
above date you are informed that w. u. Porters
claims are believed to be mined 10 his appara-
tus aud, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the eJcta-
sire right Of making gas from aoo-a IL would,
however be unusiiiable 10 expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant
G. M AsoN, Commissioner OF Patents.
w P. McCoNAELL Esq,
Care of Prof. &. G. Page, Washington, D. y.
THs Jtnitsd States Patent Ofce-To all persons 10
aohonu these presents shall come, gret,ng:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the flies Of this Office of an extract IRON
paper filed in the matter of the application OF w.
ID. Porter for letters patent IN accordance win
which application letters patent were issued 10 ths
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day OF August
eighteen hundred and itiy-iour
In testimony whereof, / Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the seal
or the Patent Office to be hereunto affixed
Il. s. this 23th day of August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and hhy-
four and of the independence OF the United
States the seventy-nlntb. Y. MASON
Conn Of disclaimer of W. ID. Porter fn has dppitea.
tion for san Improved still for making rood
easn fLed august 5, 1854 Letters patent ISSUED
august %, 1854.
al do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from WOOD, viz
subiecting the products of destructive distiation
therefrom TO a high degree of heat substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification of w. p. Mcconnell"
TAs Uaued States Patent Ofce-Io all persons 10
rchopi these presents shall coma greeting:
Thi. is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records of this Office of an extract from
the specification Of w. D. Poners patent issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and ffty-tour.
In testimony whereof |, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused The
seal of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
affixed this twenty.flth day OF August,
V 81 n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fhy-four, and OF the
Independence of the United States the
scventy-ninth. =. MASON
Ezryaet from Specifications of w d. Porter on
,chich letters patent ,cere issued august 22, 1894.
CIAIM-What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters PATENTS: -
THE construction OF a gas apparatus or sun,
consisting OF metallic or other cylinder Is, the
cones Z and ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F. substantially as described in the foregoing spe'
cifcaton, and shown in the accompanying draw
ingsn
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records Of the Patenl Office, 10 which all have
access. x.
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. g. PAGE.