Washington sentinel., 1856-03-25
WOOD GAs.-CAUTTON.

TIE IL known that I, the subscriber oh
I'D tanned letters patent In December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillaiion OF
wood and the making iherefrom Of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment OF
com petent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recentiy patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person witnout infring-
ing nv said patent. And, further, that what IS
pdtss,ssd by said Porter rightfully belongs to me,
as II expect to 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
patent table to the first inventor thereof and which
said W.D. Porter has formally disclaimed ss APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an Official copy Is hereto annexed, and also
q copy Of his claims.
-rinfhe Ndsio,. Irsteligswosv of the 23th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas from
wood" and threatens prosecution TO all parties
infringing his patent. ask how this statement
com ports with the fact of my patent of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimidate 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 at first refused as interfering with
prior patent TO Robert FOULS, OF Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as gwen be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause, is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the Hexclusive right to making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdlty on It's 'front.' ana
is 4 libel on the good sense OF the Patent once
II such claim or right had been granted II would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoai manuiactory
IN the country. III
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records Of the Patent Office will
show the true state of the ease:
54tt UsIrRs STATES PATENT OFFICE,
aH tset august 25, 1854.
i.ss .ofth thtad date skino
if any patent has been granted 10 w. ID. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
TO any other person persons, securing 10 him
or them |" Ms szelusive right Of making gas from
soood" and whether any such claim was made oy
W. b. Porter under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date you are informed that w. d. Porters
claims are believed to be mined to his appara.
tus; aud, further, this ofhce is not aware thai q
patent has been granted heretofore for the ezclI-
stvs right of making gas Jrom tcosd Il would,
however, be unjustifabe to expect me TO make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest. g.
am, respectfully, your obedent servant,
C.MAsoN, Commissioners OF Patents.
Care Of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, D. c.
The Uui,sd States Patent OGes--To all persO,s to
.clons ttsse presents shall come, grating
This is 10 certify that the annexed is atrue copy
from the hlcS oil Ids O1Hco OI al CApaSt hohA y
paper fled in the matter of the application OF w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO the
said w. b. Porter on the 22d day Of August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four.
In testimony whereof, l, Charles mason, Com,
missioner of Patents, have caused the sea-
OF the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
II al this 25th day of August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and off the Independence ofthe United
States the seventy y-nintb Y. MASON.
Coyy of diselaimer Of w. D. Porter in h,s apptea,
fio,r for an insprovsd stiu for making GOOD
gas fled AHgust5 5, 1854. Letters patent is'ned
AsgHt22, 1854.
- do NOT claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subecting the products of destructive distillauon
theSefrom TO a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes SET
forth in the specification of w. P. Mcconnell"
The Unissd States Patent O6fos-Io all persons to
.ohom tlsse presents shall CONS greeting:
This is TO certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records OF this Office Of an extract from
the specification Of W. ID. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and ffy-tour.
In testimony whereof, !, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
affixed this twenty-ffth day OF August,
l. 81 n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffyfour, and OF the
Independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. =. MASON.
Eauyaot from Specification of W. d. Porter o's
seAicA Letters patsnf acre issnsd August q, ls34
'CLArN-What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is: -,
The construction OF a gas apparatus or stu,
consisting Of a metallic or other cylinder d, the
cones Z and d, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
F. .ubstan ntiay as described in the foregoing spe-
cifcaiion, and shown in the accompanying draw
The truth ofthe above may be ascertained from
the records ofthe Patent Ofice, TO which all have
80 Fl WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
Rv his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.