Washington sentinel., 1856-03-18
WOOD Gas.-CAurIoN.

III D
ID tanned letters patent IN December, 1881, ior
an apparatus for the destructive dlstillation o
wood, aud the making therefrom OF tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that IN the Judgment, OF
competent persons iiie invention OF an appar-
lus recently patented by W. H. Porter cannot be
used by him any other person witnou, inirng
ing nv said lyatent And further, that what
,,atsntsd 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 Porters invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office and which has been adjudged 10 be
patentable 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said oice, OF
which official copy IL hereto annexed, and also
a copy Of his claims.
In the National Intelgenoer OF the 25th instant
Mr. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the "exclusive right to making gas from
wood,n 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 intimdate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Ofhce, 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 contrivaace. 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 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdty on its front, and
il libel on the good sense of The Patent Otlce
If such claim or right had beeu granted, II would
forbid every coat-kiin aad charcoal manulactory
ia the country.
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records OF the Patent Oice WIN
show the true stale oi the ease
UNrrgs STATES PATENT oFPIcE,
Argna IS, 1854.
SIR In reply 10 Your letter OF ths date. asking
if auy patent has been granted 10 w. u. Porter,
dated 22d August, lS5i, or a, any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing 20 MN
ar Them thg G1rif ytpe right Of making gas fT07n
,cood" and whether any such claim was made by
W. ID. Porter, under his application Tor patent,
which letters patent were ISSUED bearing Inc
above date, you are informed thai w. y. Iortefs
claims are believed to be mined 10 his appara-
tus and, further, this otiice Is mol aware tnal
patent has been granted heretofore for the eaels-
sips right of making gas fyo0t scosd u would,
however be unusi6able 10 expect me TO make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
qnest.
am respectfully, your obedient servant,
G.. Mason, Commissioner ot Patents
w z. McCorAELi, Eslr
Care of Prof e. C. Page, Washington, D. Y.
The United States Patent OGee-I0 all PERSONS 10
uho0. these presents shall come, greting
This is 10 certify that the annexed is atrne 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 win
which application letters patent were ISSUED 10 Inc
said w. ID. Porter the 22d day OF August,
eighteen hundred and fty-our.
In testimony whereof l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto aHixed
H. s. this 25th day of August in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and my
four, and of the Independence oil the Uhiieo
States the seventy-nlntb u MASON
Copv Of disclaimer of W. d. Porter sn has afpfica.
ion for san Improved still for making 1cooa
gas,' filed August S, 1854. LETTERS pafe'f fss1Sa
Augmst22, 1894. -.
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subiecting the products of destructive dstiiiauon
theretrom 10 a high degree Of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth IN the specihcation Of w. Y. Mcconnell
TBs Upitsd States Patent Obfce--To all persons 10
tohoD. these presents shall come greeting
This is 10 certify that the annexed Is a true copy
from the records OF this Office OF an extract rom
the specification Of w. D. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day OF August, eignteeh
hundred and ifiy-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-hith day oi August,
L. ST. n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-fonr, and OF the
indepepdence OF the United States the
ayan,vninth G.. MASON.
Eaayao from, Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
,oJ.ioh httersyatent acre ISSUED AmgHa ~ 1929.
CIAIM-Whai claim as my invention ana de'
sire 10 secure by letters patent Is -,
"The construction Of gas apparatus or sliii'
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder b, the
cones L and ID, daphram plate 9, and exit pipe
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ciication, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access >~x.,,
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
By his attorney OHAS. G. PAGE.