Animal-Poke. (open access)

Animal-Poke.

Patent for animal-poke that prevents them from jumping or forcing their way through fences. It consists of a yoke with its ends pointing upward, a brow band, rods that connect the brow band and the ends of the yoke, and bulges at the ends of the rods.
Date: October 10, 1893
Creator: McWilliams, Anderson W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mouse-Guard Attachment for Piano-Pedals (open access)

Mouse-Guard Attachment for Piano-Pedals

Patent for an attachment to prevent rodents from entering a piano by way of the pedal openings.
Date: February 10, 1914
Creator: Collier, Henry C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing Machine. (open access)

Washing Machine.

Patent for a new and improved washing machine. This design consists "in a washing-machine, the combination, with the furnace, of the box, having the semicircularly-curved top, of the cylindrical cage and the flues in the box" (lines 87-90).
Date: November 10, 1885
Creator: Richardson, William H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Saw-Sharpening Tool (open access)

Saw-Sharpening Tool

Patent for a saw-sharpening tool granted to Robert S. Munger. The tool may also be used for sharpening cotton gin blades.
Date: October 10, 1882
Creator: Munger, Robert S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cultivator. (open access)

Cultivator.

Patent for a new and improved cultivator. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with a flat shovel and a shank, of the bead on said shovel having a transverse slot therethrough, a slotted wedge inserted between said shovel and shank, and a bolt passing through said bead, wedge, and shank" (lines 95-100).
Date: April 10, 1888
Creator: East, Elias
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn Power. (open access)

Churn Power.

Patent for a new and improved motorized butter churn. This design utilizes paralleled uprights, shafts, through-holes, screw-holes, a crank, pit-men, and a cross-head (lines 85-92). This combination and arrangement of parts allows rotary motion to be converted to reciprocal motion, which improves the churning process.
Date: August 10, 1880
Creator: Brace, James
System: The Portal to Texas History