Cattle-Guard for Railroads. (open access)

Cattle-Guard for Railroads.

Patent for a cattle-guard for railroads that is "a series of plates or slates mounted with the capability of partial or complete rotation on axes substantially parallel with the rails and between the said rails and on either side of the track so as to span the road bed or space between the ends of the fence" (lines 25-31). The plates have longitudinal flanges with serrated edges.When the cattle step on the guard, they will experience pain and avoid the spot.
Date: February 6, 1894
Creator: Lee, Jacob M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Rotary Engines. (open access)

Improvement in Rotary Engines.

Patent for rotary engines "driven by steam or other elastic agent, or which may be used for pumping water" (lines 29-32) to obtain "a more direct application of the force applied to drive the engine" (lines 39-40) including instructions and illustrations.
Date: February 6, 1872
Creator: Richardson, John Dun
System: The Portal to Texas History