Washington sentinel., 1856-03-22
WOOD GAs.-CAuTIoN.

DE II known that i, the suDscfiDtr ub-
Id tanned letters patent in December, 1851, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation oi
wood and the making thereirom ofta or pitch al
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 without lntrlng-
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me,
as expect to-prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, that the 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
patentable 10 the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
: copy Of his claims.
IN the fNpjsaL Istsligsncer Of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas from
wood" aud threatens prosecution 10 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 intlmidate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, as j appears
from the records Of the Patent Ofhce that his
claim was al first refused as interfering with a
prior patent to Robert FOULS, of Canada, for an
equivalent contrivance. This claim, as given be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause, is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the "excusive right 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdIty on It's front, and
is libel on the good sense OF the Patent Oihce
If such claim or right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoai manuiactory
IN the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records of1he Patent Office will
show the true state OF the case
UNITEE STATES patent OFFicE,
august 25, 1884.
4. - ~, dof aatiuo
/" if any patent has been granted to w. D. Porter,
dated 22d August, 1854, or al any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing TO him
or them aMeezclusipe right Of making gas froD.
tcood" and 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 are believed TO be mined TO his appara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware tnat
patent has been granted heretofore for the ercim-
size rtgAt Of making gas from fcosd. II wou,d,
however be unjustifable to expect me 10 make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest.
/ am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioner Of Patents.
w. p McCoNAELL, Esq,
Care of Prot. c. g. Page, Washington, u. Y.
The United States Patent OHce-Io all persons 10
solons these presents shall come, grating:
This is 10 certify thai the annexed is atrue copy
from the files of this office OF an extract rom a
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 the
said w. d. Porter on the 22d day oil august,
eighteen hundred and 6fty-four
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office 10 be hereunto afhxed
L. ST. this 25ih day of August, in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and hfty-
four and of the Independence OF the United
States the seventy-nlntb. Y. MASON.
c,,,v of i,cL,;n-r Of W. D. Porter in his applica.
ton for san improved still for making soood
gasn fLed August s, 1854. Letters patent issued
august %, 1854.
q do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ;
subiecting the products of destructive distiaton
thereirom to a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification Of w. P. Mcdonnell.
The U,aired States Patent O6ioe-Io all persons 10
tohoni these 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. Porter's patent, issued
in the twenty second day of August, eighteen
hundred and iiiiy-tour.
In testimony whereof, |, Charles MASON, Soni-
missioner Of Patents, have caused ihe
seal of the Patent Office TO be hereunto
affixed this twenty y-ifih day OF August,
t. ST. n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffy-four, and OF the
Independence Of the United States the
.yentv-ninth G. Mason.
Eauraef from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
,oJicA Stters patent issued August ", 1894.
CLAIM-What claim as my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent is -
"The construction OF gas apparatus or SUM-
consisting sf a metallic or other cylinder b the
cones L and ID, daphram plate Q, and exit pipe
r. substantially as described in The foregoing spe
cifcation, and shown in the accompanying draw
ings."
The truth ofthe ab-ve may be ascertained from
~. rscord. of the Patent Office 10 which all have
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
By his attorney CHAS. q. PAGE.