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Combined Post-Hole Digger and Wire-Stretcher. (open access)

Combined Post-Hole Digger and Wire-Stretcher.

Patent for a combined post hole digger and wire stretcher, which allows barbed wire to be strung on a fence more easily and for fence building to be done by one person.
Date: August 18, 1908
Creator: Armstrong, John Joshua, Sr.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Composition For Staining Wood. (open access)

Composition For Staining Wood.

Patent for a “paint or stain, which, when applied, will harden on the common woods of commerce, render them durable and smooth, and give them the exact appearance of black walnut” (lines 15-18).
Date: May 16, 1882
Creator: Gloger, Anton F., Jr. & Gloger, Joseph P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Clevis. (open access)

Clevis.

Patent for a new and improved clevis. This design "is to provide a clevis with a series of attaching-loops whereby the line of draft may be changed as circumstances may require, to bring the line of draft to either side of the plow-beam, or above or below the same, and to provide a clevis with a centrally-located attaching-loop, to be used where a direct or central draft is needed" (lines 11-18).
Date: January 26, 1886
Creator: Dunn, Henry Frankling
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Destroying Insects. (open access)

Apparatus for Destroying Insects.

Patent for a new and improved apparatus for killing ants. This design "consist[s] of frame, levers, pivoted arms, piston-rod, piston provided with valves and openings, air-tight iron chamber having opening pipe, furnace provided with double lid, lugs, pipe, clamp, and wedge . . . whereby the flame as well as the poisonous vapors are injected into the insect chambers" (lines 50-58).
Date: August 2, 1881
Creator: Gray, Hiram Balderston
System: The Portal to Texas History
Adjustable Hoe (open access)

Adjustable Hoe

Patent for improvement in "the construction of hoes and to provide a simple, practical, and inexpensive hoe, of strong and durable construction." (lines 11-13) including illustrations.
Date: July 27, 1915
Creator: Armstrong, John Joshua, Sr.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Windlass Water-Elevators (open access)

Improvement in Windlass Water-Elevators

Patent for an improvement in Chain-Wheels consisting "in the construction and arrangement of a device for drawing water from wells, which shall be cheap, convenient, and free from danger, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth."
Date: July 27, 1878
Creator: Knipscheer, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Umbrella and Sun Shade. (open access)

Umbrella and Sun Shade.

Patent for a new and improved (sun) umbrella. This design utilizes an adjustable metal frame that can be attached to a piece of equipment (e.g., a tractor) or worn comfortably by a person. This allows for hands-free use while being protected from the sun and/or rain.
Date: February 8, 1881
Creator: Gray, Hiram Balderston
System: The Portal to Texas History
Insect Destroyer. (open access)

Insect Destroyer.

Patent for a new and improved insect trap. This design "relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for distributing liquid poison on cotton and other plants to destroy insect life thereon; and it consists in the [novel] construction and arrangement of parts" (lines 14-18).
Date: July 18, 1882
Creator: Binkley, James E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Well-Screen. (open access)

Well-Screen.

Patent for improvements in well-screen by providing a symmetrical strainer which having an exceedingly firm and rigid frame; it is constructed as to interpose the least obstruction to the straining operation. (Lines 21-25) Illustration is included.
Date: December 8, 1903
Creator: Karsch, George J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water-Heater. (open access)

Water-Heater.

Patent for a portable water heater "in which a circulation of water may be had, whereby the same may become readily heated for use in a bath tub or other receptacle." (lines 12-15)
Date: November 18, 1913
Creator: Ramsey, Lee
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vehicle Guiding Mechanism (open access)

Vehicle Guiding Mechanism

Patent for "an improved and simplified construction" for vehicle steering axles (line 15), including illustrations.
Date: February 17, 1914
Creator: Brandt, Friedrich Wilhelm
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Sharpening Gin-Saws (open access)

Machine for Sharpening Gin-Saws

Patent for "a machine of this class which shall be simple, durable, an d easily manipulated, and by means of which the teeth of gin-saws may be sharpened in a rapid, convenient, and effectual manner" (lines 9-14).
Date: July 1, 1890
Creator: Smith, John Quince
System: The Portal to Texas History
Umbrella and Sunshade (open access)

Umbrella and Sunshade

Patent for an umbrella and sunshade. Illustration included.
Date: March 8, 1904
Creator: Gra, Hernando B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lifting Jack. (open access)

Lifting Jack.

Patent for lifting-jack invented by Calvin W. and Eugene Tanner. This lifting-jack invention is meant to be more durable in material, the material more inexpensive to acquire.
Date: July 3, 1906
Creator: Tanner, Calvin W. & Tanner, Eugene
System: The Portal to Texas History
Umbrella (open access)

Umbrella

Patent for an umbrella. Illustration included.
Date: December 25, 1906
Creator: Gra, Hernando B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Vehicle-Springs (open access)

Improvement in Vehicle-Springs

Patent for a newly designed vehicle spring that attached to the axle and features an auxiliary spring.
Date: May 22, 1877
Creator: Faber, Fredrick W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Street-Cars (open access)

Improvement in Street-Cars

Patent for an improvement to Street Cars to better navigate curves. Includes description and illustrations.
Date: August 26, 1879
Creator: Towell, Isaac
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fish and Animal Traps (open access)

Improvement in Fish and Animal Traps

Patent for an improvement in the design of traps intended for catching fish or animals. Includes illustration.
Date: September 18, 1872
Creator: Hartcourt, John T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fruit-Corers. (open access)

Improvement in Fruit-Corers.

Patent for a device to core fruit and cut it into slices.
Date: December 17, 1872
Creator: Alexander, Oscar W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Elevated Cable-Railways. (open access)

Improvement in Elevated Cable-Railways.

Patent for an "elevated propelling cable-track for the rapid transit of cars in cities" (lines 6-7) including illustrations.
Date: December 16, 1879
Creator: Reager, Francis M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Ventilator. (open access)

Ventilator.

Patent for a new and improved ventilator. This design is "to provide a ventilator which shall automatically accommodate or turn the collecting-hood thereof to the direction in which the wind is blowing, to collect and conduct fresh pure air into buildings, cars, &c.; to provide means for regulating the distribution of the air to the compartments or different parts of the buildings, &c.; to diminish the friction and wear between the swiveled collecting-hood and its supporting devices whereby said hood and its attached vane are enabled to turn more freely and readily" (lines 17-29).
Date: April 27, 1886
Creator: Sellars, James K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Insect-Destroying Compounds (open access)

Improvement in Insect-Destroying Compounds

Patent for improvement in insect,specifically cotton worms, destroying compounds . Included list of chemicals and measures of amount used.
Date: March 3, 1874
Creator: Johnson, Jehu W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Safety-Guards for Cars. (open access)

Improvement in Safety-Guards for Cars.

Patent for "certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Guards for Cars" (lines 5-6) intended to pervent derailment of railway cars, including a detailed explanation and description of the illustration.
Date: February 5, 1878
Creator: Harding, John W. & Towell, Issac
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tool. (open access)

Tool.

Patent for "...a tool embodying certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and claimed" (lines 7-10) with illustration and descriptions.
Date: April 27, 1897
Creator: Hutchins, John Pearce
System: The Portal to Texas History