Language

Grain Measure and Tally. (open access)

Grain Measure and Tally.

Patent for improving the measurement of grain.
Date: August 7, 1888
Creator: Holland, John Newton
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale Tie. (open access)

Bale Tie.

Patent for a new and improved bale tie. This design consists in "[t]he buckle, having the side re-entering angles, the bars, and the slot the edges at the apices of the re-entering angles being expanded . . . with strengthening-fins formed therein" (lines 65-70). This novel construction and combination of parts allows for "the provision of a tie-buckle that can readily be applied without extraneous fastening devices either with the tie or the buckle itself, and one which can be repeatedly used, and one which can be manufactured at a minimum expense and with the least possible waste of material" (lines 10-16).
Date: June 7, 1887
Creator: Copeland, Eliza A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing Machine. (open access)

Washing Machine.

Patent for a new and improved washing machine. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with the supporting stand and the suds-box, of the cleats at the upper end of said box and formed with openings, the blocks pivotally secured to said stand and provided at one end with the thumb-screw, and the springs secured at their lower ends in said blocks and their upper ends working loosely in the openings in the cleats" (lines 24-31).
Date: August 7, 1888
Creator: Neal, Stephen N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon Brake. (open access)

Wagon Brake.

Patent for a new and improved wagon-brake. This design consists "of a suitable support which is attached to the rear axle-tree, the brake which is pivoted to this support, the connecting-rod pivoted to the brake, and the operating lever pivoted upon a supporting bar which extends from one standard to the other . . . The object of [the] invention is to produce a wagon-brake which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and by means of which the driver can instantly apply the brake with great power" (lines 14-25).
Date: May 7, 1889
Creator: Griffin, William Sidney
System: The Portal to Texas History
Indicator for Merchandise. (open access)

Indicator for Merchandise.

Patent for a new and improved advertising sign. This design "relates to apparatus or devices for marking or indicating upon the outside of boxes or drawers the names and prices of the merchandise or other articles contained therein; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a device of the above-mentioned class" (lines 23-29).
Date: April 7, 1885
Creator: Brown, Sampson Harvey
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing Machine. (open access)

Washing Machine.

Patent for a new and improved washing machine. This design "relates to improvements in the class of washing-machines commonly known as 'cylinder washing-machines,' and has for its object the production of a machine which will operate thoroughly and expeditiously, and without injury to the fabric, while at the same time it is light and inexpensive in construction and simple in operation; and with these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts" (lines 10-20).
Date: July 7, 1885
Creator: Ekman, Axel F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon Standard. (open access)

Wagon Standard.

Patent for a new and improved wagon standard. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with a hollow standard and an extension having vertical movement in said standard, of a gravity-catch adapted to bite against teeth or serrations on said extension in order to maintain the same in an extended position" (lines 60-65).
Date: December 7, 1886
Creator: Welsh, Lee L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locomotive. (open access)

Locomotive.

Patent for a new and improved locomotive. This design "relates to a locomotive running-gear and motive-power connection; and the novelty consists in the construction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts" (lines 15-18).
Date: February 7, 1882
Creator: Hudson, Benjamin F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Weight Motor. (open access)

Weight Motor.

Patent for a new and improved weight-motor. This design consists in "the drum having the ratchet-wheel, the gear-wheel having the pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, the lever extending from the track and adapted to be operated by the wheels of a passing train, the push-rod attached to the said lever and adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel to rotate the latter, the rope attached to the drum and having the weights, the trip-lever to move the push-rod out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and the rod attached to the said trip-lever and having an arm extending in the path of the weight" (lines 48-59).
Date: December 7, 1886
Creator: Spencer, Hiram A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Well Cleaner. (open access)

Well Cleaner.

Patent for a new and improved well cleaner. This design "is to provide a simple instrument by which wells can be cleaned out without descending into them. It is well known that much danger exists in descending into foul wells on account of the poisonous gases often collected near the bottom of the same" (lines 20-26).
Date: October 7, 1884
Creator: Neitsche, Frederick Theodor
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wheel-Planter (open access)

Wheel-Planter

Patent for an improvement on a patent granted on the 4th of October 1870, numbered 108,032.
Date: August 7, 1888
Creator: Kling, Peter
System: The Portal to Texas History
T-Square. (open access)

T-Square.

Patent for a new and improved t-square. This design calls for a triangular prism of a tongue, which enables more scales to be available to the work-person. The head, with its brackets and rabbet, will fasten the tongue in place while the work-person uses it.
Date: November 7, 1882
Creator: Rowe, Joseph William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hub (open access)

Hub

Patent for improvements for Hubs which consists the addition of a wheel with spokes that can be tighten. Included
Date: September 7, 1886
Creator: Nolen, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam Boiler Feeder (open access)

Steam Boiler Feeder

Patent for improvments in automatic steam-boiler feeders
Date: April 7, 1887
Creator: Kelly, George A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Press Mat. (open access)

Press Mat.

Patent for a new and improved cotton-seed-oil press mat. This design calls for three separate plates to be bound together, which allows for two pressings simultaneously. The materials (sheet metal, leather, press cloth) make for a press that is stronger, cheaper, more durable, and more effective than previous presses.
Date: June 7, 1881
Creator: Mistrot, Jean Jacques
System: The Portal to Texas History
Printer's Galley. (open access)

Printer's Galley.

Patent for a new and improved printer's galley. This design consists of a novel arrangement of the galley parts that "dispenses with the time, labor, and expense incurred in manipulating quoins and side-sticks, mallet, shooting-stick, &c." (lines 60-62).
Date: March 7, 1882
Creator: Rudolph, Elijah K. & Wolfe, Joseph A. L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Manufacture of Hydralic Cement (open access)

Manufacture of Hydralic Cement

Patent for invention is to utilize in rejected hydraulic matter such as decomposed limestone.
Date: July 7, 1885
Creator: Dimelow, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Marine Torpedo Service. (open access)

Marine Torpedo Service.

Patent for a new and improved torpedo system. This design is "to so place and connect the torpedoes that they may be drawn out of the way of friendly vessels, so that they will automatically resume positions that will interfere with the passage of [unfriendly] vessels . . . [and] the invention consists of a series or system of torpedoes that are connected to guide-lines that pass under anchored sheaves and lead to a point where the lines are all connected to a single manipulating-line . . . which common manipulating-line leads to the shore or to a position from which it can be operated from the shore" (lines 11-25).
Date: December 7, 1886
Creator: Aylesworth, Charles Samuel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sun-Shade Holder. (open access)

Sun-Shade Holder.

Patent for a sun shade holder that can be clamped or attached to vehicles or other items.
Date: December 7, 1880
Creator: Smith, Amroy B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oil Press Mat. (open access)

Oil Press Mat.

Patent for a new and improved oil press mat. This design "is to flexibly connect the metal plates or leaves of a three-leaved oil-press mat in such manner that when the mat with the bags of meal interposed between its leaves is subjected to pressure for the purpose of expressing the oil the parallelism of the leaves will be maintained and endwise shifting of the same prevented. A further object is to provide a fastening . . . which shall be stronger, more durable, and more positive in its functions" (lines 31-41).
Date: June 7, 1881
Creator: Ahrenbeck, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gear Power for Presses. (open access)

Gear Power for Presses.

Patent for a new and improved gear-power for presses. This design consists in "[t]he combination of the shafts geared together at one end, and having at the other ends sleeved or loose pinions geared to a fixed pinion upon a third shaft having a second pinion, and the sleeve or tap carrying a gear-wheel meshing with the said second pinion, together with the clutch-sleeves upon the first-named shafts and the clutch-sleeve-shipping mechanism" (lines 1-9).
Date: August 7, 1888
Creator: Roquemore, Peter D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hand Press for Fruit, &c. (open access)

Hand Press for Fruit, &c.

Patent for a new and improved hand press for food. This design "consists in the construction and novel arrangement of a lower perforated bowl or receptacle having a rigid handle extending at right angles . . . and an upper perforated presser-head conforming in shape to the bowl, and having a sliding attachment to the handle of the bowl, a lever-handle pivoted to the main handle . . . and a spring catch to hold the lever up to the main handle when the presser-head is drawn up" (lines 21-32).
Date: September 7, 1880
Creator: Haile, James T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hopper for Leaching Ashes. (open access)

Hopper for Leaching Ashes.

Patent for improved ash-hopper that is composed of suitable frame, two side boards, two triangle end boards that can be used to improve leaching ashes.
Date: June 7, 1881
Creator: Alexander, Abbington B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Horse Collar. (open access)

Horse Collar.

Patent for a new and improved horse collar. This design "consists in forming a portion of the large roll of the collar with leather, and the other part with canvas or ducking of two thicknesses, between which double part of ducking or canvas is placed a medicated composition and preservative, which serves as a remedial agent for the galling of horses shoulders', and as a preventative against gnawing of the collar by vermin. It also relates to an improved manner of stitching together the collar roll" (lines 13-23).
Date: August 7, 1883
Creator: Hake, Francis A.
System: The Portal to Texas History