Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-13
WOOD GAs.-CAUTIoN.

WOOD GAs.-CAUTION.
DE It known that 1, the subscriber OBJ
ID tanned letters patent in December, 1881, for
an apparatus for the destructive distillation 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 witnout infring
ing my said patent And, further, that what -
patented by said Porter rightfully belongs 10 me-
as / expect 10 prove ere long before the United
States Patent Odice 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 adiudged 10 be
paten to the first inventor thereof and which
said w. ID. Porter has formally disclalmed, as ap-
pears upon the public records OF said ofice, OF
which an official copy is hereto annexed, and also
copy OF his claims.
In the National Intslligsncer Of the 2oth instant
Mr.. Porter announces that he has secured by
patent the exclusive right TO making gas from
woodn and threatens prosecution 20 all parties
infrinring his patent. ask how this statement
compofts win The fAtr or my pstent OF Deccmbcr,'
1851, and how far the threat can intlmidate under
upon movable perforated diaphragm, and was
AZ understood by the Patent Ofce, as II appears
from the records Of the Patent Office that his
claim was at first refused as interfering with
prior patent to Robert Fouls, OF Canada, ior 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 s.exclusive right to making gas from wood"
The statement carries absurdlty on It's front, ana
is a libel on the good sense OF the ratent o'hce
II such claim or right had been granted, u would
forbid eyery coai-kiln and charcoal manuiacfory
an the country.
The following copies of correspondence and
extracts from the records Of the Patent Once VIII
show the true state OF the case
UNrRp STATES PATENT OFFICE,
4 Il a A,xu <cfo
SIR In reply to your letter Of this date, asking
uif auy patent has been granted 10 W. ". forter,
dated 22d August 1854, or at any other time, or
to any other person or persons, securing 70 nun
or them ths szriusive right Of MAKING gas from
,pood.n and whether any such claim was made oy
w. b. Porter, under his application for patent,
which letters patent were issued bearing the
above date YOU are informed that w. ID. Porters
claims are believed to be mined 70 his apPara-
tus; and, further, this Office is not aware tnat
patent has been granted heretofore i0f ine M eaoId
however, be unjustiiabIe TO expect me TO make
an extended investigation to answer your re-
quest. -,
lam, respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. Mason, Commissioners OF Patents.
WP. MCDONALD Esq,
Care of Prof. c. G. Page, Washington, D. Y.
III. United States Potent OGce-Io all persons to
svhons these prsssnts shall CONS, grsting
This is TO certify that the annexed Is alrue copy
from the files of this Office of an extract from q
paper filed in the matter Of the application OF ".
D. Porter for letters patent, In accordance win
which application letters patent were issued 10 ths
said w. ID. Porter on the 22d day OF August,
eighteen hundred and ffty-four.
In TESTIMONY whereof, T. Charles Mason, Com,
missioner Of Patents, have caused the seal
OF The Patent Office 10 he hereunto affixed
H. 81 this 25th 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-nintb. y. MASON.
Copy Of disclaimey of W. D. Porter IN ms appl'ca,
ION for can improved stiH for making GOOD
gas,"fled August 5, 1854. Letters patent ''s''ea
Amgast22, 1854. ,.
the improvements in making gas from wood, VIZ:
subjeciing the products Of destructive disulauon
therefrom TO a high degree of heat, suDstantaiiy
as has been described and for the purposes sci
forth in the specification OF w. 4. McConnsh.
7le United Stares Patent OGce--T0 aH persons TO
srhonp these presents shall c01ss grsefmg
Thi. Is 10 certify that the annexed is true copy
from the records of this ONCE OF an exract iroi1
the specification of w. D. Porters patent, issued
in the twenty second day OF august
hundred and ffy-tour. 80
Tn testimony whereof, !, Charles Mason, Com
missioner of Patents, have caused the
seal of the Patent Office 70 be hcreunto
affixed this twenty fifth day OF ,Augus',
L ST. n the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ffty-four, and of the
Independence of the United Ssefes tne
..,,.r,v,n;ntb G. Mason.
Ertraet from Specification Of ". y. rsnr ~ ,"ss 2"
,chieI kttsys patent ,osrs issnsd august Y, 1894.
CLArM-What claim as my invention ana oe'
sire 10 secure by letters patent Is; ..n
.The construction of gas apparatus OF sun
consisrinr Of a metallic or other cylinder b the
cones E and d, diaphram plate G, and exn pipe
F, substantially as described IN the 'oreso.ns ~
ings." 6.or,
The record. of the Patent Office, 10 which all nave
'oo WIN. p. MCCONNELL,
By his attorney CHAS. 9. PAGE.