Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-16
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.

I'D tanned letters patent in December, 1851. ior
an apparatus for the destructive distaton OF
wood and the making therofrom of tar or pitch ar
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment Of
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. u. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person wilnout infrng-
ing my said patent. And, further that what Is
patented by said Porter rightfuly belongs to me,
as expect to prove ere long before the United
States Patent Ot6ce and, further that the use OF
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adudged 10 be
pateniabIe TO the first inventor thereof, and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclamed, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said Office, Of
which an official copy is hereto annexed, aud also
copy of his claims. I'll 8 t28es E4s3 L"
In the National InteLltgsn Of the 25th 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
comports with the fact of my patent of December,
1851, and how far the threat can intimidate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
SO understood by the Patent Office, as il 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
equivalent contrivance This claim, as given be-
low, aud in which the perforated diaphragm m is the
saving clause, is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right TO making, gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdity on its front, and
is libel on the good sense Of the Patent Office
If such claim or right had been granted, il would
forbid every coa-nn and charcoal mandatory
IN the country. ffta
The following copies OF correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the true state of the ease:
UNITgs STATES PATENT OFFIck,
Aagust 25, 1854
SIN. In reply to your letter OF this date asking
/" if any patent has been granted 10 w. d. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854 or al any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing to him
or them Asezelusive rigAt Of making gas from
icood,n aud whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were ISSUED bearing the
above date, you are informed that w. ID. Porter's
claims believed TO be c mined to his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is mol aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the sgcse-
siue righa Of making gas from co-d Il would,
however, be unjustifable to expect me TO make
an extended investigation 10 answer your re-
quest
am, respectfully, your obedicnt servant, 81
G. MASON, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. p. MCCONNELL, Esq,
Care Of Prof G, G. Page, Washington, ID. c.
The United States Patent OGce-To all persons 10
whom these presents shall COME grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is true copy
from the nlcs OF tnis once OF an cxtfdct from
paper filed in the matter Of the application of w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordan ce with
which application letters patent were issued 10 the
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day of August
eighteen hundred and ffiy-iour.
In testimony whereof, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
L. s.. this 23th day of August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and 6fly-
four, and Of the Independence of the United
States the seventy ninth. O. MASON
Cory of disclaimer of w. d. Porter ia his ayyica.
tion for aan Improved sfIH for making GOOD
gas fied august 5, 1854. Letters patent issucd
dugaa22, 1884.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, viz:
subecting the products of destructive distillation
ihereirom 10 a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification OF w p. Mcconnell
The Uni1ed STATES Patent Otfce-Io al persoas 10
plom MesepTesentS shall come creating:
This is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records Of this Office Of an extract from
the specification Of w. ID. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day OF August, eighteen
hundred and fny-tour.
In 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,
: 81 n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty -four, and OF the
Independence of the United States the
seventy-ninth. c. Mason
Eaaraa from Specification Of W. ID. Porter on
,ctieh ktters patsnt ,ceye issued August %, 1854.
CLArM-What claim as my invention aud de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is:
"The construction of gas apparatus or still,
co ousisting OF a metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones 4 and ID, diaphram plate q, and exit pipe
r, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.n
The truth ofthe above may be sscertained from
the records Of the Patent Office, TO which all have
access.
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. g. PAGE