Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. With this design, "[w]hen the cars are coupled, the shoulders upon the draw-heads will bear against each other, pressing the spring-bolts forward, which will tilt the free ends of the bails forward over the ends of the opposite draw-heads, thus forming a strong and safe coupling which may be uncoupled in a moment of time" (lines 92-98).
Date: September 25, 1883
Creator: Hathaway, Charles L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn Motor. (open access)

Churn Motor.

Patent for a new and improved churn motor. This design "consists in certain improvements in the construction of [churn motors], having for their object to produce a machine which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency" (lines 10-15).
Date: September 25, 1883
Creator: O'Bannon, William H. & Snider, John J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Self Packing Cotton Press. (open access)

Self Packing Cotton Press.

Patent for a new and improved self-packing cotton press. This design "consists in a cotton-press constructed with a pivoted double baling-box, a pair of rolls and their driving mechanism for packing the cotton into the baling-box automatically, and a screw-driven follow-block for compressing the cotton into bales" (lines 22-27).
Date: September 25, 1883
Creator: Rummel, Louis C. & Fielder, Emil J.
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 consists in "having its body portion composed of card-board cut to the size of the press-box, the adjacent faces being covered with sheet metal, which is pressed or stamped into the paper body to give the required cavity, which is bounded by raised margins and transverse ribs struck up from the metal, and supported by paper strips interposed between the layers of card-board, the two leaves of the mat having a leather backing and being hinged together" (lines 15-25).
Date: September 18, 1883
Creator: Osborn, Adelbert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow Gage. (open access)

Plow Gage.

Patent for a new and improved plow gauge. This design "may be adjusted as desired without loosening the connection of the share with the plow-stock, and that when it is desired to shift or change the stock, it may be readily done by running off [a] nut and swinging the bar and shoe forward on the hinge and entirely free from the bolt connections of the plowshare" (lines 73-80).
Date: September 18, 1883
Creator: Holt, Theodore
System: The Portal to Texas History
Abdominal Supporter. (open access)

Abdominal Supporter.

Patent for a new and improved supporter for the abdomen during pregnancy. This design "consists of an abdominal sack for the support of the abdomen in pregnancy, which is contrived with supporting-bands adapted for supporting it from the shoulders of the wearer, where the weight can be best sustained, and so as to entirely avoid the belt commonly used, and thus relieve the stomach and liver from the pressure and irritation which it produces" (lines 7-15).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: Galney, Augustus
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved car-coupling. This design represents "improvements in coupling railroad-cars where any of the ordinary drawheads requiring the use of the link and pin are used; and the object of [the] improvement is to make a complete, simple, and durable car-coupler. . . . by means of a strong adjustable drop ring or link and catch-pin" (lines 13-20).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: Garrett, Jackson B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for a new and improved churn. This design consists "[i]n a working-body churn, the combination, with the churn-body having centrally-disposed turret, and the breaking-frames having their lower ends resting in suitable seats, in the bottom of the churn-body and their upper ends extended into the turret thereof, of the block having sockets and placed on the breaking-frames with its lower side projected above the turret, and the cap or lid, placed on the turret and bearing against the block and securing the same and the breaking-frames in position" (lines 23-34).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: German, Eliza
System: The Portal to Texas History
Miner's Lamp. (open access)

Miner's Lamp.

Patent for a new and improved miner's lamp. This design "may be attached to any wooden structure in the mine, to any crevice in the rock, or to the earthen wall of the mine, and when set upon any ledge or flat surface prevented from tipping over, and when attached to the hat or other garment of the miner kept from swinging or turning out of proper position; also, [it] provid[es] the lamp with a rod for adjusting the wick of the lamp for regulating the flame of the lamp" (lines 10-19).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: Lee, Charles A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nursery Chair. (open access)

Nursery Chair.

Patent for a new and improved nursery chair. This design utilizes a U-shaped board with a bib attached to one side and hooks or bolts to the other "to secure a child in its seat and prevent its falling out or upsetting the chair" (lines 12-14).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: Reed, Emma T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Straining Beam. (open access)

Straining Beam.

Patent for a new and improved straining beam. This design "is especially adapted to be used in that class of structures, especially bridges and columns, in which it is necessary to combine the maximum of strength with the minimum of weight; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a beam" (lines 22-27).
Date: September 11, 1883
Creator: Davis, Benjamin F.
System: The Portal to Texas History