Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-06
WOOD GAs.--CAUTION.

DE 1t known that 4, the subscriber OBJ
I'D tanned letters patent in December 1851 for
an apparatus for the destructive disitllaon OF
wood, and the making therefrom ofia or ptch-at
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment Of
competent persons the invention OF an appar-
tus recently patented by w. d. Porter cannot he
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing my said patent And, further, that what Is
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs TO me,
as expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Office and, further, thai the use OF
said Poriers invention involves also process
which am now claiming before the United States
Patent Office, and which has been adjudged TO be
patentable To the FIRST inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclaimed, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy OF his claims.
In the National IntsLiigencsr of the 25th instant
Mr.. Porter announces thai he has secured by
patent the sexclusive right TO making gas from
wood" and 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 intimdate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porer's 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 at first refused interfering with
prior patent to Robert Fouls, Of Canada, for an
equivalent con.rivance. This claim, as gwen be-
low, and in which the perforated diaphragm is the
saving clause is what Mr. Porter calls securing
the exclusive right 10 making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdity on ns front, and
is a libel on the good sense Of the Patent Office
If such claim right had been granted, II would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal manuactory
IN the country.
The following copies OF correspondence aud
extracts from the records Of the Patent Office will
show the true state OF the ease:
UnITKH STATES PArEar OFficE
Augaa %, 1894.
SIR. la reply your letter of this date, asking
if any patent has been granted to w. ID. Porter,
dated ed August 1854, or any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing 10 him
or them tie eIclusiU6 yigAi OF making gas from
tcoodn and whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent We're issued bearing the
above date, you are informed tina, w. d. Porter's
claims are believed TO be nhncd 10 his appara-
tus and, further, this Office is not aware that
patent has been granted heretofore for the encla-
siu right Of nsaking gas from acoSd II would,
however, be unustiiable TO expect me 10 make
an extended investigation TO answer your re-
quest
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. Mason, Commissioner OF Patents.
w. 2. McCoNAELI. Esq,
Care of Prof. G. G. Page, Washington, d. Q.
Tia United States Patent Once To all PERSONS 10
,chons tAese presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is a true copy
from the files of this office Of an extract from
paper filed in the matter of the application OF w.
ID. Porter for letters patent, IN accordance with
which application letters patent were issued TO ths
said w. ID. Porter the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and hfty-four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com
missioner OF Patents, have caused the seal
OF the Patent Office TO he hereunto affixed
H.. ST. this 25th day of August in the year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fity-
four, and of the independence of the United
States the seventy-ninth. Y. MASON
Copy Of iselai~ser Of W. d. Porter in his apptiea.
sion for an improved sfiH for making aoood
ga" fled august s, 1854. Letters patent issHed
AugHst22, 1854.
81 do not claim as my invention and discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ !;
subiecting the products of destructive distlation
thereirom TO a high degree OF heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes set
forth in the spec6caiio of w. P. Mcconnell
The Uared States Patem OGce-To aR PERSONS to
,ohom llesep,sse"ts shall come greaing
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. Porer's patent. issued
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and hy-tour.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner Of Patents, have caused the
seal OF the Patent Office TO be hereunto
q s.. ,hs va, of onr Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffiy-four, and OF the
Independence OF the United States the
s.venty.nintb C. MASON.
Earaa from Specification Of w. ID. Porter on
tchich letters pate,n soers issued August ~, 1854.
CLArM-What claim my invention and de-
sire TO secure by letters patent is:
The construction of a gas apparatus or stii,
consisting sf a metallic other cylinder b, the
cones and D, disphram plate G, and exit pipe
F, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cnion, and shown in the accompanying draw
ngs.h
The truth ofthe above may be ascerlained from
the records OF the Patent Office TO which oil have
access
WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. @. PAGE.