Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-05-01
WOOD GAs.-CAuTIoN.
TIE Ii known that 1, the subscriber d
In her IAEl

Il II 4
| I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851, or
| an apparatus for the destructive distlllation OF
| wood, and the making therefrom OF tar pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment OF
| competent persons the Invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter cannot be
used by him any other person without infring-
ing my said paieni. And, further, that what IS
patented by said Porter rightfuiy belongs 10 me,
as | expect to prove long before the United
States Patent Oifce and, further, that the use OF
said Porter's invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, aud which has been adjudged TO be
palentabe 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed as ap-
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 I,,teligsaoer Of the 25lh instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right 10 making gas from
Wood,n and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent. ask how thus statement
comports with the fact OF my patent OF December,
1851 and how far the threat can intndate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as II appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was al first refused interfering with
prior patent 10 Robert Fouls, OF Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as gwen be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
sa wing clause is what Mr. Porter calls securing
The statement carries absurdty on It's 'front.' and
il a libel on the good sense of the Patent Once
If such claim right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-kiin and charcoal mandatory
IN the country
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records OF the Patent once VIII
show the true state OF the ease:
UsITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
August 25, 1854.
SIR In reply 10 your letter of this date, asking
"if any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
To any other person or persons, securing 10 him
or them :. tle erciusips right Of making gas from
pood" 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 TO his appara-
tus; aud further, this office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the eIcla-
Stue right Of making gas from icosd II would,
however, be unust6able to expect me 10 make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am respectfully your obedient servant
G. Mason, Commissioners OF Patents
w. p. MCCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof, e. G. Page, Washington d. G.
The United States Patent OGce-To all persons to
achoa. these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the files OF this Office OF an extract from
paper iled in the matter OF the application oil w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, IN accordance win
which application letters patent were issued TO ths
said w ID. Porter on the 22d day OF August,
eighteen hundred and ffy-iour
In testimony whereof, | Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto ahxed
H. S. this 25th day Of August, in the year oil our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, aud ofthe Independence OF the United
States the seventy-nintb Y. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimer Of w d. Porter IN has appiica.
tton for an impr0ped still for making toood
gas" fLed august s. 1884. Letters patent ISSUED
Augat22 1894.
IL do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
sublecing the products of destructive dstlllation
theretrom 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 IT,,itsd States Patent ORoe-To all persons to
1oJlona tkesepresehtS shall conn greeting:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office of extract from
th. specifcatIon of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
in The twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and y-tour.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed this twenty fifth day OF August,
y d n the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fhy-iour, and oil the
Independence of the United States the
seventy-nlnth. y. MASON
Eaaract from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
schteh letters patsnt ISSUED AngESt ~, 1904.
CLAIM-What claim as my Invention and de-
sire to secure by letters patent is
The construction of gas apparatus or stlil,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate 9, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described IN the foregoing spe-
cfcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ngs."
The truth the above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, to which all have
access. = .
WIN. p. MCCONNELL
BY his attorney CHAS. q. PAGE.