Plow. (open access)

Plow.

Patent for a plow that has "a mold-board of independently-yielding bars and the upper end thereof mounted upon yielding supports so that better results are attained and the earth broken up as it is thrown up by the point and turned aside and completely over as soon as it comes in contact with the said wires or spring rods" (lines 12-19). The mold board can easily be changed.
Date: December 5, 1893
Creator: Fancher, Alexander R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Telephone Attachment. (open access)

Telephone Attachment.

Patent for "a device which will support the weight of the telephone-receiver on the switch-lever whether the receiver be hung on the hooks of said lever or carelessly dropped, [the] object being to provide against the short-circuiting of the local battery when the telephone is not being used, whereby it would become uselessly exhausted, and also to insure that the signal-bell shall at such times always be in operative circuit with the central station, so that the annoyance to a distant exchange or subscriber by a failure of the call-bell to respond is avoided." (Lines 9-21) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 22, 1896
Creator: Christopher, William O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for a hay-press that has an easily detachable tie-box and power-head, and the plunger-beam has an improved construction. Loose hay "fed into the feed-box [is] gathered or collected by the plunger through the instrumentality of teeth on a peculiarly-formed power-head engaging teeth on the plunger-beam and then compressed by a finger or arm on the power-head baring against the end of the plunger-beam" (lines 22-28). The press does not need to pinned to the ground.
Date: December 22, 1896
Creator: Jones, Charles E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Railway Gate. (open access)

Railway Gate.

Patent for improvements to "cattle-guard gate for railroads in particulars of construction (lines 8-10). Includes illustrations.
Date: December 2, 1890
Creator: Grisham, James M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow. (open access)

Plow.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in plows. This improvements are to " render the plow right and strong and easy-running, reducing the effort required by the plowman to handle the plow to a minimum, and to render the handles and beam and plow-plate readily adjustable as regards pitch and height (line 10 - 16).
Date: December 28, 1897
Creator: Kirkpatrick, James M. & Files, Jerry B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Press. (open access)

Cotton-Press.

Patent for new and useful improvements in cotton presses, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 20, 1898
Creator: Mason, William R.
System: The Portal to Texas History