Corn-Sheller. (open access)

Corn-Sheller.

Patent for improvement in corn-shellers; in which “it consists in a perforated casting provided with radial teeth or projections which extend toward its center and which is to be secured to a support having an opening through it, combined with a double-ended handle which has an opening through its center and teeth projecting from the opening.” (Lines 13-20) Illustration is included.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: Bander, Charles Bornet
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press. (open access)

Baling-Press.

Patent for improvements in baling-presses by “simplify and strengthen the frame and operating parts, to secure a better distribution of the strains between the operating parts and the frame, and to increase the speed at which the press may be operated by permitting the platen to rise and fall to a limited extent independent of the power mechanism, so that after the loose fiber is introduced the platen may be dropped instantly a portion of the distance to effect a partial compression of the charge by its weight before bringing the power mechanism into play.” (Lines 17-29) Illustration is included.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: Goldthwaite, Joseph G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bed-Drawer Attachment for Bedsteads. (open access)

Bed-Drawer Attachment for Bedsteads.

Patent for improvement in bed-drawer attachments for bedsteads by “having bed-drawer arranged to slide beneath the usual mattress-support.” (Lines 8-10) Illustration is included.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: Mabee, Leonia
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for a churn with a "perforated dasher and a hollow or tubular dasher-shaft, through which the air passes into the churn-cylinder during the process of churning" (lines 14-17). The churn has a foot-rest and a false-bottom, and is meant to improve on simple and inexpensive churns.
Date: September 22, 1896
Creator: Stukes, John Marion
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Door-Bell and Mail-Receiver. (open access)

Combined Door-Bell and Mail-Receiver.

Patent for a door-bell joined with a tray or card-receiver, which is installed in a door. "When pulled out it will bring said tray outside the door to receive a card, letter, or package or any mail-matter, and when released will carry it inside the door again" (lines 11-15). The bell goes off when the tray, which has a toothed edge that engages the bell-hammer, is released.
Date: September 22, 1896
Creator: Key, Joseph H.; Brevard, Horace & Purifoy, William R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wrench (open access)

Wrench

Patent for "new and useful improvements in Wrenches" consisting of "several novel features" including a "revoluble head" (lines 4-5,12, 16-17) with instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: Rosenburg, Helfred, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Weight for Horses' Hoofs. (open access)

Weight for Horses' Hoofs.

Patent for improvement in weights for horses’ hoofs by providing “a toe-weight or side weight which will adjust itself to the inclination of the hoof to which it is applied, and further, to provide a weight that will be self-locking, be effectively held against rattling, and be readily attachable and detachable.” (Lines 9-14) Illustration is included.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: King, George R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tool for Cleaning Out Nuts. (open access)

Tool for Cleaning Out Nuts.

Patent for a tool for cleaning out internally-threaded apertures. This removes rust and dirt from screw-threads without damaging the threads, and is much less destructive than acid baths, heat, and screw-taps.
Date: September 22, 1896
Creator: Rall, Frederick A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Moldboard. (open access)

Moldboard.

Patent for "a moldboard adapted to any plow constructed of a series of spring-loops, sundry of which are movable at the top and sundry others having movement at the bottom of the board, the moveable loops being kept in motion by the earth passing over the board, whereby portions of the board are rendered vibratory and the earth is effectually prevented from clinging thereto" (lines 8-17).
Date: September 22, 1896
Creator: Smith, Samuel A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dry-Kiln Furnace. (open access)

Dry-Kiln Furnace.

Patent for improvements in dry-kiln furnaces by using “a series of furnaces alternating with a series of heating or radiating drums parallel to and on a plane above the furnace,” (Lines 116-119, p. 2) and valved connected flues. This arrangement allowed the “heat being regulated and so distributed through the kiln as to produce a varying temperature, highest at the end where the lumber is introduced and gradually diminishing toward the opposite end, where it is taken out.” (Lines 21-26) Illustration is included.
Date: September 22, 1891
Creator: Ketcham, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Calendar. (open access)

Calendar.

Patent for "a perpetual calendar embodying such a construction that the movement of a finger device will turn wheels, so as to successively display the names of the days of the week, the numbers of the days of the months, and the names of the months, the mechanism being such that the name of a month will be displayed until the numbers of all its days have been displayed, when the name of the succeeding month will be displayed, and so on." (Lines 13-22) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 22, 1896
Creator: Dickason, Frank B.
System: The Portal to Texas History