Apparatus for Extermination of Boll-Weevil. (open access)

Apparatus for Extermination of Boll-Weevil.

Patent for Apparatus for Extermination of Boll Weevil. A vehicle which can carry a furnace to generate noxious fumes with insecticides and cool those fumes to produce a toxic atmosphere around effected plants.
Date: May 4, 1903
Creator: Taylor, James Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Stalk-Cutter and Rake (open access)

Combined Stalk-Cutter and Rake

Patent for a stalk-cutter and rake design, "such as well enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same" (lines 9-11).
Date: July 2, 1889
Creator: Boykin, Archable T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Corn-Planter. (open access)

Corn-Planter.

Patent for a cotton or corn planter with detachable parts.
Date: August 2, 1887
Creator: Yarborough, William O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Artificial-StoneTomb. (open access)

Artificial-StoneTomb.

Patent for the concept of an artificial tomb that serves as a tomb and ornamental piece made as one. "This invention relates to certain improvements in artificial-stone tombs; and it has for its object to produce a tomb with head-stone and foo-piece all in one piece that can be built up or placed immediately over grave, so as to form an ornamental finish, at a comparatively small cost." (lines 15-22) including illustrations and instructions.
Date: April 6, 1880
Creator: Wilson, Hence
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press. (open access)

Baling-Press.

Patent for baling presses that press for balling hay that simplify the construction of presses of this type and produce a press readily movable from one place to another.
Date: July 28, 1914
Creator: Redding, Robert B. & Barnett, James W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Auto-Carrier (open access)

Auto-Carrier

Patent for an auto-carrier that applied to the running board for carrying various luggage. A second aspect is to provide a device to support a wide array of objects and to withstand the weight giving its location along the running board.
Date: July 8, 1919
Creator: Evans, Edward L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire-Stretcher. (open access)

Wire-Stretcher.

Patent for improvements in wire stretchers by using a T-shaped lever “to stretch the wire readily to the desired tension, and is capable of maintaining the wire at that tension until after stapling or otherwise fastening the same to a post.” (Lines 61-65) Illustration is included.
Date: April 21, 1891
Creator: Kennedy, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Insulator-Bracket (open access)

Insulator-Bracket

Patent for an insulator holder. Illustrations included.
Date: October 22, 1912
Creator: Wyche, Daniel Webster
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Devices for Securing Buckles, &c., to Straps. (open access)

Improvement in Devices for Securing Buckles, &c., to Straps.

Patent relating to "an improved device for securing buckles, rings, and similar articles to straps" (lines 8-10) including instructions and illustration.
Date: July 1, 1879
Creator: Barrow, Benjamin F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement For Trees In Riding-Saddles. (open access)

Improvement For Trees In Riding-Saddles.

Patent for a stronger, more durable, and light saddle-tree fork.
Date: August 7, 1878
Creator: Barrow, Benjamin F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow Attachment. (open access)

Plow Attachment.

Patent for a plow attachment that guides and aids the plow, and regulates "the depth at which the plow or cultivator shovel shall run in the ground" (lines 13-15).
Date: November 17, 1896
Creator: White, Hedley
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mine-Cart-Check Lock (open access)

Mine-Cart-Check Lock

Patent for improvements on mine-car-check lock technology. It provides a secure place for miners to put checks on the front of their cars and cannot be opened until the cart is empty.
Date: January 7, 1919
Creator: Williams, Ned
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sun Shade Hat. (open access)

Sun Shade Hat.

Patent for a new and improved sun shade hat. The hat is designed to shield the wearer's head from the sun to prevent heatstroke and keep the wearer's hands free to work. This design utilizes a clamp and washers to enable the hat to remain in the desired opened/closed state while off of the wearer's head, which represents an improvement over previous designs.
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Ross, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay Press. (open access)

Hay Press.

Patent for an improvement in the hay-press that involves operation by horse-power. Includes illustrations.
Date: May 10, 1892
Creator: Finch, Thomas J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate. (open access)

Gate.

Patent for a rotary gate that has latch-posts and spring-latches at its ends. The spring-latches are designed to employ the latches. "Levers fulcrumed on the top of the gate and connected with each other, connecting-rods connecting said levers with the spring-latches, and vibratory braces rising from the sides of the gate and secured to said levers" (lines 33-37).
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Holder, Elisha G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate. (open access)

Gate.

Patent for a gate that relates to a patent (no. 363,964) granted to the inventor, which is a gate opener that operates by pulling a chord connected to a mechanism that swings the gate open and closes upon release. The current patent simplifies the previous invention. The operator pulls a chord which makes the gate swivel on a central point. When the chord is released, the gate swivels back into place.
Date: November 10, 1896
Creator: Philpott, Horatio V.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hame Attachment. (open access)

Hame Attachment.

Patent for a hame attachment, used in the collar of a draft horse, that is simple in construction and operation and can be produced for little cost. The attachment would prevent wear of lines and keep them in place at the same time.
Date: August 13, 1918
Creator: Bilderback, Eddy R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Elevator-Guide (open access)

Elevator-Guide

Patent for an elevator guide to be used for safety elevators used in mines. Illustrations included.
Date: December 29, 1908
Creator: Martini, Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Self Lighting Lamp Burner (open access)

Self Lighting Lamp Burner

Patent for the invention of Self-Lighting Lamp Burners. Steps for creation and use of this item are spelled out with references to the illistration.
Date: August 27, 1918
Creator: White, James L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Seed Planter (open access)

Seed Planter

Patent for seed planter. Illustration included.
Date: February 14, 1905
Creator: Morris, Sidney Albert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vehicle-Wheel Scraper. (open access)

Vehicle-Wheel Scraper.

Patent for "a novel device for removing dirt from the peripheries of vehicle-wheels while the vehicle is in motion, and has for its objects to provide a novel, simple, and very efficient device of the indicated character which is readily attachable to the running-gear of a wagon or other wheeled vehicle, which may be readily adjusted thereon to remove dirt from its wheels, which will afford a reliable guard to prevent mud and slush from being thrown by the wheels on the body of the vehicle, and that may be conveniently removed from the vehicle when the improved scrapers are not needed for service." (Lines 7-20) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 19, 1896
Creator: Smith, William F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Whiffletree-Clip. (open access)

Whiffletree-Clip.

A patent for a whiffletree hook and accompanying attachments meant to replace lap-links in harnesses. Illustrations and material recommendations included.
Date: February 25, 1902
Creator: Curry, Jasper
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pinless Clothes-Line. (open access)

Pinless Clothes-Line.

Patent for an inexpensive and easy to store clothesline that doesn't use clips, which are damaging to clothes.
Date: August 26, 1913
Creator: Kennedy, William Cambellos
System: The Portal to Texas History
Umbrella Support (open access)

Umbrella Support

Patent for support item worn as a harness, into which the umbrella can be placed allowing for the user to be hands free while protected from the rain.
Date: November 21, 1916
Creator: Merrill, Dimmitt H.
System: The Portal to Texas History