Washington sentinel., 1856-01-03
WOOD GAS.-CAUTION.

WOOD GAS.-CAUIIONs
TIE IL known that 4, the subscriber OBJ
| rs ,ained letters patent in December, 1851, Tor
an apparatus for the destructive distillatlon- OF
wood and the making thereirom OF tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas; aud that IN the Judgment OF
| competent persons the Invention OF an appar-
tus recently patented by W D. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing nv said patent. And, further, that what IS
uaIe,.ted by said Porter rightfuly belongs to me,
as I 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 to be
palentabe 10 the first inventor thereof, and which
said w d. Porter has formally disclaimed as 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 fhe National I,,teLigsncsr OF the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the aexclusive right TO making gas from
wood,n and threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent. 1 ask how TINS statement
comports with the fac. OF my pa'sn! OF neceinper
1851, and how far the threat can intimldate under
spch circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon a movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Once, as II appears
from the records of the Patent Office that his
claim was al FIRST refused as interfering with
prior patent 10 Robert Fouls, Of Canada for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as given be-
low. and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
ga wing clause, is what Mr.. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right TO making gas from wood. .
The statement carries absnrdiiy on .s Tont, and
is libel on the good Of the Patent once
If such a claim or right had been granted, II wond
forbid every coal-kin and charcoal mandatory
IN the country. !,
The following copies OF correspondence and
extracts from the records OF the ratent omcc WIN
show the true state OF the case
UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,
A ~ %, 1914.
SIR. In reply to your letter of this date, asking
.if any patent has been granted 10 W. u. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or al any other time' or
TO any other person or persons, securing 10 him
or them "ths eDefmstUe rfght o. MAKING gGsJ'1m oar
scoodn and whether any such claim was made oy
W. D. Porter under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date you are informed that w. ". rorters
claims are believed to be C mined 10 MS appara-
tus; and, further, this oiice rs not aware lhat
na,sn, has been granted heretofore for the szclu-
sire right of making gas from 1oosd II would,
however be unjus,ifable TO expect me TO make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioner OF Patents.
w p. McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prof. C. G. Page, Washington, u. 7.
The United States Patsnt O6fee-To all persons 10
scllons these presents shall come grettng;
from the files of this office of an extract from a
ma oer fled in the matter of the application OF w.
d. Porter for letters patent, In accordance win
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w d. Porter on the 22d day oi august,
eighteen hundred and ffly-iour.
In testimony whereof Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of the Patent Office 10 he hereunto affxed
H. 5 this 25th day of August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and pity,
four and of the Independence OF the United
States the seventy ninth. " MASON.
Conn Of disclaimer Of w. ID. Porter IN his dppiiea.
tto,r for san improved still for making foood
fled Augnsi 5, 1854 Letters patent iss"ed
Augusta, 1884.
the improvements in makiHg gas from wood, VIZ:
subiecting the products of destructive distiiauon
theretrom TO a high degree of heat substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification of W. T. McConneh
Tlx Upu,d STATES Pafeni OHce-To all persoHs 10
,ohoga fhese presents shall come greeting
This is 10 certify that the annexed IS true copy
from the records OF this Office OF an extract from
the specification of w. d. Porters patent, issued
ia the twenty second day oil august eiehtoen
hundred and ffty-four
In testimony whereof 1, Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office 10 be hereunto
affixed this twenty-htth day oil August
T. 81 n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and hhy-four, and OF the
independence Of the United States the
seventy y-ninth " MASON
Ea4raet from Specification Of W u. ps'fer on
,rhioh Itfeys pat,nt rceye issued August ~, 1854
Crarn.-What claim as my invention and de.
sire TO secure by letters patent is;
THE construction of gas apparatus or stiii,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder y, the
cones and ID, diaphram plate Q, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing sPe
ci6cation and shown in the accompanying draw
ings"
The truth ofthe above may be ascertalned from
The records Of the Patent Office, to which all have
WIN. p. MCCONNELL.
By his attorney CHAS 9. PAGE