Spoke Socket. (open access)

Spoke Socket.

Patent for a new and improved vehicle wheel for "preventing the tire from becoming loose" and "preventing the loosening and rattling of the spokes" (lines 8-11). This design achieves these feats with conically-tipped spokes encased by rubber cushions.
Date: September 14, 1880
Creator: Harrington, John A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sulky-Plow (open access)

Sulky-Plow

Patent for a new and useful improvement in Sulky-Plows. The invention utilizes "a novel construction-levers, and arrangement of hangers, braces, and levers, whereby provision is made for the attachment of plow-beams of different sizes, and for adjusting the parts" (lines 7-11)
Date: July 20, 1880
Creator: Powell, Louis W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn Power. (open access)

Churn Power.

Patent for a new and improved motorized butter churn. This design utilizes paralleled uprights, shafts, through-holes, screw-holes, a crank, pit-men, and a cross-head (lines 85-92). This combination and arrangement of parts allows rotary motion to be converted to reciprocal motion, which improves the churning process.
Date: August 10, 1880
Creator: Brace, James
System: The Portal to Texas History