Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-19
WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.


ID tanned letters patent in December, 1851 for
AN apparatus for the destructive dstillation OF
wood, and the making therefrom Of tar or pitch al
pleasure, and gas and that in the Judgment OF
competent persons the invention of an appar-
tus recently patented by w. ID. Porter cannot be
used by him or any other person without infring-
ing my said patent And, further that what IS
patented by said Porter rghtfully belongs to 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 to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally dlsclaimed, as APP
pears upon the public records OF said office, OF
which official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy of his claims.
In the National L.teLigsncer 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. l ask how this statement
comports with the tact OF my patent OF December
1851, and how far the threat can intimidate under
such circumstances? Mr.. Porter's claim is based
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
so understood by the Patent Office, it 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 conlrivance. 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 to making gas from wood.
The statement carries absurdity on It's front, and
is libel on the good sense of the Patent Ohice
Ii such claim or right had been granted, would
forbid every coal-kiln and charcoal mandatory
in the country.
The following copies Of correspondence and
extracts from the records of the Patent Office will
show the true state OF the ease
UNIrEB STATES PATENT OFFICE,
august 25, 1884.
SIR. In reply to your letter of this date, asking
lt.r L. od to ID nrta
dated 22d August, 1854, or at any other time, or
TO any other person or persons, securing TO MIN
or them the ercitstUe right Of making gas from
rood" and whether any such claim was made by
w. ID. Porter, under his application Tor patent,
which letters patent We're 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 that
patent has been granted heretofore for the eTelu-
sire right Of making gas from acosd II wouid'
however be unlustihabe 10 expect me 10 make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest.
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
c. Mason, Commissioners of Patents.
" Care Of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, D. C.
The United States Patent Ofce-To all persons 10
soAom these presents shall come, grating:
This is TO certify that the annexed is true copy
from the files of this Office OF an extract rom
ID. Porter for letters patent, in accordance win
which application letters patent were issued TO tho
said w. D. Porter on the 22d day of August,
eighteen hundred and flly-four.
In testimony whereof, l. Charles Mason, Com,
missioner of Patents, have caused the seal
of The Patent Office 10 be hereunto affixed
H. 81 this 25th day OF August, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
four, and of the independence oi The United
States the seventy ninth. u MASON.
Copv of disclaimer of W. ID. Porter IN has appiiea.
ton for an improved stiH for making toood
gas filed august 5, 1854. Letters patent issacd
Angast22, 1854.
81 do not claim as my Invention ana discovery
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subecting the products of destructive distllauon
thereirom 10 a high degree of heat, substantially
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification of w. P. Mcconnell
Ths Uni1ed States Patent O6ce-To all persons 10
trhoga thase presents shall come greeftng:
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
in the twenty second day Of August, eighteen
hundred and tifty-four.
In testimony whereof, /, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal Of the Patent Office to be hereunto
affixed this twenty-hfth day oil August,
l. 81 n the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty -four, and oil the
independence of the United States The
seventy-ninth G. MASON
Ezzrao from Specification Of W. d. Porter on
tolich ktters patent issued August ~, 1904
CLAIM-What claim my invention and de-
sire 10 secure by letters patent Is:
The construction of gas apparatus or sun,
consisting OF a metallic or other cylinder B, the
cones aud D. daphram plate Q, and exit pipe
+, substantially as described in the foregoing spe-
ci6cation. and shown in the accompanying draw
ings.p
The truth ofthe above may be asceuained from
the records Of the Patent Office, 10 which all have
access. .x
WIN. r. MCCONNELL,
BY his attorney CHAS. Q. PAGE.