Mason Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1887
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sheep-Shearing Machine (open access)

Sheep-Shearing Machine

Patent for an invention "to prevent these great losses to the sheep-owners of the country by producing a shearing-machine which will shear the sheep rapidly and evenly, and at the same time avoid cutting the sheep, thus preventing the injury to and loss of thousands of sheep yearly, and also increasing the market value of the wool" (lines 44-51).
Date: June 12, 1888
Creator: Richardson, George
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compensating Pump-Spring. (open access)

Compensating Pump-Spring.

Patent for improvements in compensating pump-springs by “storing up in the downward or idle stroke of the suction-rod, a power which is expended during the upward stroke to assist the crank in lifting the rod; and at the same time reducing the power required to drive the pump, equalizing the resistance, increasing the efficiency and generally prolonging the life of the entire mechanism.” (Lines 36-40) Illustration is included.
Date: April 21, 1891
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Eden Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1892
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History

San Angelo Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1892
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Anti-Friction Sucker-Rod Coupling. (open access)

Anti-Friction Sucker-Rod Coupling.

Patent for an anti-frictioin sucker-rod coupling. This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in sectional sucker-rods for artesian, oil, and other wells, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of coupling-joint for connecting the sections of the rods together.
Date: January 26, 1892
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Antifriction Clasp. (open access)

Antifriction Clasp.

Patent for a new and improved anti-friction clasp. This design "is to provide means whereby the wear due to the rubbing of inclosed rods or ropes against an inclosing casing may be reduced to a minimum and whereby the central alignment of the rods or ropes with respect to the inclosing casing may be accurately preserved" (lines 11-17). It consists in "a series of friction balls or rollers mounted therein and projecting from the periphery thereof and being divided into sections adapted to be clamped at any point around the rod or rope" (lines 97-101).
Date: October 25, 1892
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Fort McKavett Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1893
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compensating Pump-Spring. (open access)

Compensating Pump-Spring.

Patent for an improvement on the inventor's previous patent (No. 450,657). The improvements include getting rid of the sleeve, and "employ[ing] volute springs instead of the straight flat springs formerly used; [the inventor] also dispense[s] with the links and connect the inner ends of the springs to long pitmen which have a pivotal connection with the suction rod at a point above the springs; [the inventor] furthermore provide[s] a means for adjusting the tension of the springs without altering the connection of the same with the suction rod" (lines 23-31).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Mason Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1894
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for a simple, efficient, and reliable car-coupling that is meant to be especially safe. When the cars become uncoupled, the coupling is automatically reset to couple another car, and it can be easily applied to a drawhead to a car in use.
Date: February 5, 1895
Creator: Schneider, Adolph
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Eden Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1896
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History

San Angelo Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1898
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Antifriction Decive for Sucker-rods and Couplings (open access)

Antifriction Decive for Sucker-rods and Couplings

Patent for an improved method of connecting sucker-rods, couplings, or ropes so as to minimize wear and extend the life of the materials, with illustrations.
Date: November 4, 1902
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Antifriction-Device-For-Sucker-Rods. (open access)

Antifriction-Device-For-Sucker-Rods.

Patent for an antifriction device designed to protect the rod (sucker rod), rope, or coupler from wear. A sucker rod joins the components of a piston pump in an oil well.
Date: November 4, 1902
Creator: Black, William Leslie
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Antifriction device for sucker rods. (open access)

Antifriction device for sucker rods.

Patent for "an improved antifriction device for use in connection with inclosed traveling rods and the like to reduce the wear occasioned by the rubbing of the rod in its casing, and at the same time to so far reduce the area of said antifriction device which projects from the rod as to interpose the least possible obstruction to the free passage of material in the casing."
Date: November 4, 1902
Creator: Black, William Leslie
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Safety-Clamp. (open access)

Safety-Clamp.

Patent for safety clamp "designed with special reference to supporting well-tubing in place in shallow or deep wells" (lines 8-10).
Date: November 11, 1902
Creator: Treadwell, Cornelia E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Mason Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1903
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Antifriction Device for Sucker-Rods. (open access)

Antifriction Device for Sucker-Rods.

Patent for a rod sleeve to protect the rod joints from damage or bending. The design also includes rollers to keep the rods centered in the casing to eliminate rubbing.
Date: August 4, 1903
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Fort McKavett Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1904
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire Splicer and Tightener (open access)

Wire Splicer and Tightener

Patent for a wire splicer and tightener. The design has improvements from earlier wire splicers and is designed more for wire fence repair, but can also be used for stretching telegraph wires.
Date: November 28, 1905
Creator: Regenier, John G. & Hamby, Marion Franklin
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History

Eden Sheet

Topographic map of a portion of Texas from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) project. The map includes towns, historic or notable sites, bodies of water, and other geologic features. Scale 1:125000
Date: 1906
Creator: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Object Type: Map
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rod-Coupling. (open access)

Rod-Coupling.

Patent for rod couplings for windmill pumps, which allows the rods to be quickly hooked and unhooked.
Date: May 18, 1909
Creator: Cole, Bengamin F.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compound for Destroying Boll-Weevil. (open access)

Compound for Destroying Boll-Weevil.

Patent for a compound for destroying Boll Weevils, consisting of Sulfur, Pine Tar, Asafetida, Pulverized Bluestone, Beaumont Oil, Extract of Tobacco, and a thick adhesive oil.
Date: March 21, 1911
Creator: Armentrout, Richard B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History