Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-04-22
wooD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

ID II 1t known that !. the subscriber ab-
Id tanned letters patent N December lS5l, Tor
an apparatus tor the destructive dislillaton OF
wood and the making theretrom of tar or plch al
pleasure, and gas aud that in the Judgment ql
competent persons the invention OF an appar-
tus recently patented by W. d. Porter canno, he
used by him or any other person without lntrng-
ing my said patent. And further, that what
a,ateuted by said Porter rightfuliy belongs 10 me,
as | expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office aud, further, that the ot
said Porer's invention Involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged to be
Ialentable TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dlsslaimed, as APP
pears upon the public records Of said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
a copy OF his claims.
In The National I,steLitgsnoer OF the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the s'excusive right TO making gas from
wood,n aud threatens prosecution 10 all parties
infringing his patent. 1 ask how this statement
comports with the fact of my patent OF December,
1851 and how far the threat 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 al first refused interfering with
prior patent to Robert FOULS, of Canada, for an
equivalcnl contriyance. This claim, "a gwen be-
low and III which the perforated diaphragm Is the
SAVING clause IS what Mr Porter calls securing
the .cxc,lsivr right 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdlty on It's front, and
is a libel on the good sense oi tne Fateht o'hce
If such claim or right had been granted, would
forbid every coai-kiln and charcoal manuiactory
~ the country.
The following copies Of correspondence aud
extracts from The records OF the Patent Office Will
show the state of the ease
iIxlrEa STATES PATENT OFFICE,
-. Auguu 25 1854.
Stp Ia ranty IN upur i,.ttt pt this date, asking
If any patent has been granted 10 w. u. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
10 any other person or persons, securing 10 MN
or them Us eTciitsiUe vtghtof making g1sJrozn
tpood" and whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application Tor patent,
which letters patent were ISSUED bearing the
above date, YOU are informed that W. ID. Porter's
clsms are believed TO be mined TO his appara-
luS; and, further, this Office rs not aware thal
patent has been granted heretofore Tor the erci@
sire iichi Of m0ktHg gos from 1osa II would,
however he unluslitiable 10 expect me TO make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your ohedent servant,
c. Mason, Commissioners OF Patents.
w. r. McCoNAELI4 Esq,
Care of Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, d. =.
1Ee United States Patsn. Office TO all PERSONS 10
,oaoas these presents shall eoDle, grating:
This is 10 certify That the annexed is atrue copy
paper filed in The matter of the application nf W.
D. Porter for letters patent, in accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO tho
said w. d. Porter the 22d day oil August,
eighteen hundred and ffiy-iour.
In testimony whereof | Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents. have caused the seal
OF The Patent Oifceto be hereunto afiXed
f.. s this 25th day Of August IN the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and hily-
four, aud of the independence OF the United
tt.. .a.1txT- ninth
Copg Of aisclaialsr of W. ID. Porter IN has apPica.
ion Eor "am improved stiu for making tcosw
gas,'' '6led Angust 3, 1854 Lstsers patent issued
A5tgast %, 1854
al do not claim AS my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
sublecting the products OF destructive disliilaton
thcreirunI 10 a high degree of heat substantially
~ has been described aud for the purposes set
iqrth in the specification Of w. z. Mcdonnell"
YHe Uatssd STATES Patent OGce--T TO all persons 10
ntosi thess presents staH 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. D. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day OF August, eighteen
hundred and hfty-toer
iu testimony whereof ], Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the
seal of the patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed this twenty fifth day OF August,
= - "a the year OF our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffytour, aud OF the
independence OF the United States the
seventy-ninth. G. MASON.
Er,,aet f,ons Specification of W. ID. Perter oa
tehich letters pdfent rcere isSucd dugIsa % 1854.
CLAla.--What claim as my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is:r
The construction of gas apparatus or still,
consisting ei a metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones aud ID, diaphram plate G, and exit pipe
r. substantially as described IN the foregoing spe-
cifcalion, and shown in the accompanying draw
ingsn
The truth OF the above may be ascertaned from
the records OF the Patent Office, to which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL.
By his attorney CHAS. q. PAGE.