Resource Type

Automatic Repeating Railroad-Signal. (open access)

Automatic Repeating Railroad-Signal.

Patent for an automatic repeating railroad-signal designed to be used with semaphore and other train-signaling apparatus. It eliminates mistakes made in notifying the central office and automatically reports "any change in the position or color of the signal to a central office over the ordinary telegraph-wire" (lines 14-16). The signal is a wheel that operates a key to send a message to the central office.
Date: January 28, 1896
Creator: Innes, Robert Hayward
System: The Portal to Texas History
Artificial-Stone Composition (open access)

Artificial-Stone Composition

Patent for "an artificial stone adapted for all purposes to which natural stone can be applied, and which can be given any desired shape while in a plastic state, or carved and polished after hardening" (lines 12-18).
Date: January 28, 1890
Creator: Blackmon, Albert M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire Stretcher. (open access)

Wire Stretcher.

Patent for new and useful improvements in wire-stretchers. The "invention has relation to improvements in wire-stretchers, and especially to that class of wire-stretchers employed in wire-fence building or repairing" line 10).
Date: January 28, 1902
Creator: Dunlap, Sam H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Water-Tanks. (open access)

Improvement in Water-Tanks.

Patent for an improved water-tank built with lumbers that are thoroughly dried and covered with asphaltum as waterproof agent. It includes illustrations.
Date: January 28, 1879
Creator: Bardon, Prosper
System: The Portal to Texas History
Loose Leaf Binder (open access)

Loose Leaf Binder

Patent for a loose leaf binder. The invention consists of two adjustable sections in order to lengthen or shorten the post. Illustration included.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Bickley, William P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Magnetic Separator (open access)

Magnetic Separator

Patent for a magnetic separator for use in cotton and grain milling that removes all magnetic particles from the product.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Preslar, John C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing Appliance. (open access)

Washing Appliance.

Patent for a washing appliance that consists of pipes that release hot water within a container. This appliance can be used to wash clothing. The patent explains how the appliance works and the specifics of each pipe.
Date: January 28, 1919
Creator: McFarland, James W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water-Motor (open access)

Water-Motor

Patent for water motors that aides in "the transmission of the power generated by the revolution of two or more water-wheels to a single driving-shaft" (lines 8-10).
Date: January 28, 1890
Creator: Vernon, William E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Ironing Machine. (open access)

Ironing Machine.

Patent for a new and useful ironing-machine. "Invention is to improve the construction of ironing-machines and to provide a simple, efficient, and comparatively inexpensive one, designed for use both in laundries and elsewhere and capable of advantageously operating on all kinds of garment" (line 10-15).
Date: January 28, 1902
Creator: Dunn, William H. & McCurdy, Delo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lock (open access)

Lock

Patent for a sliding bolt lock for doors that requires a key to open from the outside.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Van Hoesen, Benjamin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Tube-Fastenings for Boilers. (open access)

Improvement in Tube-Fastenings for Boilers.

Patent for improvement of tube-fastenings for boilers which will secure flues in steam-boilers, including illustrations.
Date: January 28, 1879
Creator: Walsh, William H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vending-Machine (open access)

Vending-Machine

Patent for a coin and check operated vending machine. Illustrations included.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Vandagriff, James V.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Switch-Hook (open access)

Switch-Hook

Patent for a switch lock which prevents "splitting" (line 13). Illustrations included.
Date: January 28, 1908
Creator: Tullock, John Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Portable Folding Poultry-Coop (open access)

Portable Folding Poultry-Coop

Patent for "an improvement in portable folding poultry-coops, and more particularly to a'coop or crate used in the transportation of fowls to market by rail or boat" (lines 8-11)
Date: January 28, 1890
Creator: Yoakum, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Measuring Apparatus. (open access)

Measuring Apparatus.

Patent for an improved measuring apparatus. This apparatus improves the measuring of dry goods through a measuring tape that is affixed to the measured goods. The invention allows for goods to be cut to exact lengths.
Date: January 28, 1919
Creator: Garrett, Thomas B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gearing for Windmills (open access)

Gearing for Windmills

Patent for gearing used in the operation of windmills. This invention improves the rotary motion of the wheel shaft that operates the pump. "A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel supporting frame in which is mounted for vertical movement the pump actuating rod" (13-16). Illustration included.
Date: January 28, 1908
Creator: Brown, Herbert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fan Spring-Motor (open access)

Fan Spring-Motor

Patent for a portable fan spring motor.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Von Hohenstein, Charles H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Harrow. (open access)

Harrow.

Patent for a riding harrow, which can have its teeth lifted up and out of operation.
Date: January 28, 1908
Creator: Hosford, Frank
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Boring-Drill. (open access)

Rotary Boring-Drill.

Patent for improvements in rotary boring drills. The invention provides a fluted drill collar for a drill bit designed to "break up the rock and other material tending to wedge in around the upper part of the head" (lines 19-21). The drill collar forms "a connection between the main rotary drill shaft and the drill bit" (lines 13-15).
Date: January 28, 1919
Creator: Hughes, Howard R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Scraper. (open access)

Scraper.

Patent for a scraper with interchangeable blades, which can be used "for glue joints, and... scraping molded surfaces" (lines 25-26) that includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: January 28, 1919
Creator: Hartmann, John H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Roll-Holder (open access)

Roll-Holder

Patent for roll holder for cotton rolls or bandages. Illustrations included.
Date: January 28, 1913
Creator: Griswold, John Lee Roy
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Reversible Steam-Engine (open access)

Rotary Reversible Steam-Engine

Patent for a rotary reversible steam-engine which is "not easy to get out of order, and the parts of which can be readily removed and replaced when worn or broken" (p. 1).
Date: January 28, 1890
Creator: Payne, John J. E. H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Flavoring Compound (open access)

Flavoring Compound

Patent for an improved flavoring compound "especially adapted for flavoring meats and food products, soups, stews, etc., and consists in combining Mexican pepper, spices of cuminum and origanum, salt, garlic, tallow or suet." (Lines 10-14)
Date: January 28, 1908
Creator: Stukes, John Marion
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dental Occluding Frame (open access)

Dental Occluding Frame

Patent for Dental Occluding Frame
Date: January 28, 1914
Creator: Hall, Rupert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History