Lubricating Axle (open access)

Lubricating Axle

Patent for a lubricating axle.
Date: November 14, 1905
Creator: Birdwell, Joseph A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water-Lift. (open access)

Water-Lift.

Patent for a water lift for wells, which can be easily removed from the well for cleaning.
Date: September 14, 1909
Creator: De Hymel, Franklin Oscar
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Sharpening Gin Saws (open access)

Machine for Sharpening Gin Saws

Patent for a new and useful improvements in machines for sharpening gin-saws. This invention is to "provide an improved machine of the character described wherein the saws may be sharpened without removing them" (line 10-12).
Date: December 14, 1897
Creator: Bradley, James M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire Fence Clamp (open access)

Wire Fence Clamp

Patent for a wire fence clamp. Illustration included.
Date: June 15, 1903
Creator: Hollingsworth, Joseph C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Well Drilling Mechanism (open access)

Well Drilling Mechanism

Patent for a well drilling mechanism. This invention addresses the time consuming labor of screwing together sections of drilling pipe. This invention "contemplates an apparatus adapted to be attached to the frame of the rotary and operated by the driving mechanism of the rotary...screwing and unscrewing accomplished by mechanical means without manual means" (lines 38-44). Illustration included.
Date: January 14, 1913
Creator: Hall, Samuel N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Well-Boring Drill. (open access)

Well-Boring Drill.

Patent for for a rotary well boring drill designed to have a simple yet durable structure.
Date: August 14, 1917
Creator: Reed, Clarence Edward
System: The Portal to Texas History
Listing Attachment for Plows (open access)

Listing Attachment for Plows

Patent for plow attachment to deflecting soil from the shovel of the plow; does not require special tools to apply attachment to plow.
Date: July 14, 1914
Creator: Hogan, Peter E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine-Brake. (open access)

Machine-Brake.

Patent for machine brake for regulating the speed of an automatic fan.
Date: December 14, 1915
Creator: Reeves, Elijah Winston
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lightning-Protecting System for Oil-Tanks. (open access)

Lightning-Protecting System for Oil-Tanks.

Patent for an improved system that is used for protecting oil tanks from getting struck by lightning and can get put on existing structures to ground them. The patent includes instructions and an illustration.
Date: March 14, 1916
Creator: Gunthorpe, Charles Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Valve (open access)

Valve

Patent for valves which are of a better construction to prevent leakage.
Date: July 14, 1914
Creator: Bird, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tug-Clip. (open access)

Tug-Clip.

Patent for a new form of tug clip which will not damage the collar to which it is attached.
Date: April 14, 1914
Creator: Duncan, Walter B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire-Stretcher. (open access)

Wire-Stretcher.

Patent for a wire stretcher which includes attachments for pulling the ends of a broken strand of wire together so that it can be repaired, in addition to the usual function of stretching wire thereby taking up slack in unbroken wire strands when erecting fences. The device also "requires a minimum amount of labor in its operation and in which the force employed is exerted in the direction of the line of the wire" (lines 20-23).
Date: September 14, 1920
Creator: Stephens, William B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire Stretcher. (open access)

Wire Stretcher.

Patent for a new and improved wire stretcher. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with a block carrying bails or loops, and longitudinally grooved, of racks mounted within said grooves, a crank-shaft carrying a pinion, said shaft being mounted in standards secured to the block, pawls arranged to engage with ratchet-teeth formed in the racks, and clamping-jaws fixed to opposite ends of the racks" (lines 87-94).
Date: December 14, 1886
Creator: Graham, Andrew Bascome
System: The Portal to Texas History
Log-Carrier. (open access)

Log-Carrier.

Patent for a log-carrier that improves on a patent previously granted to Robert E. Terry (No. 481,314). The adjusting lever is made to be more powerful so the log chains can be moved with less friction and will not slip from their guides. Ratchets and pawls prevent the tongue from moving.
Date: May 14, 1895
Creator: Carroll, Joseph Alexander
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locomotive-Headlight. (open access)

Locomotive-Headlight.

Patent for a three-way locomotive-headlight with easily removable screens of different colors in order to send signals. The screens are easily fitted to other locomotive headlights. This invention is meant to prevent accidents that happen without proper signaling.
Date: January 14, 1896
Creator: Davis, Moses J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Log-Loading Mechanism. (open access)

Log-Loading Mechanism.

Patent for a machine that hauls and loads logs upon cars from either side of the track, or both sides at once. The machine can easily be transported on a car. The machine "consists, essentially, in a platform of about the length of an ordinary log-car and of a height and width to enable it to span the same, mounted upon which are a steam engine and a boiler and a rotating crane, said platform being provided with pivoted legs for holding it above the track, with pivoted legs for holding it above the track, with means for locking said legs in a vertical position" (lines 23-30).
Date: April 14, 1896
Creator: Fletcher, William Andrew
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Sharpening and Gumming Saws. (open access)

Machine for Sharpening and Gumming Saws.

Patent for a machine that sharpens and gums saws for cotton-gins. It does so quickly and does not fatigue the operator. It automatically feeds "the saws so as to bring the teeth successively into position to be operated upon, and which will cut the teeth uniformly, thereby preserving the circular outline of the saws and preserving the teeth of a uniform length and appearance" (lines 15-20).
Date: July 14, 1896
Creator: Hulme, William A. & Hulme, Thomas B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon Coupling (open access)

Wagon Coupling

Patent for wagon coupling. Illustration included.
Date: June 14, 1904
Creator: Keene, Charles Earnest
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon-Seat. (open access)

Wagon-Seat.

Patent for a detachable wagon seat.
Date: March 14, 1911
Creator: Wood, Andrew J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Ink Pad (open access)

Ink Pad

Patent for an ink pad. Illustration included.
Date: March 14, 1905
Creator: Bessonet, George C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mail Bag Catcher and Deliverer (open access)

Mail Bag Catcher and Deliverer

Patent for a mail bag catcher and deliverer. "This invention relates to mail bag catchers and deliverers and the principle object of the invention is the provision of simple and efficient mechanism of the character which may be readily and conveniently thrown to operative and inoperative position and wherein the saddle bars and their respective guards may be aligned with the track and car" (lines 9-17). Illustrations included.
Date: January 14, 1913
Creator: Freeman, Richard J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vehicle Tire (open access)

Vehicle Tire

Patent for a vehicle tire. Illustration included.
Date: December 14, 1909
Creator: Banks, Theodore E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Valve. (open access)

Valve.

Patent for a valve, comprised of a valve seat and a moving part that is made in such a way as to minimize wear and tear. The seat, which attaches to the pump stem, supports the value stem, which is then covered by a thimble that supports a rubber disk. This rubber disk helps prevent liquid and sand from wearing against the valve stem.
Date: November 14, 1911
Creator: Wintz, Thornton E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Instep Bearing Or Guard For Stirrups. (open access)

Instep Bearing Or Guard For Stirrups.

Patent for a new and improved instep bearing or guard for stirrups, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: November 14, 1899
Creator: Kellner, Charles J. E.
System: The Portal to Texas History