Resource Type

Telephone Attachment. (open access)

Telephone Attachment.

Patent for "a device which will support the weight of the telephone-receiver on the switch-lever whether the receiver be hung on the hooks of said lever or carelessly dropped, [the] object being to provide against the short-circuiting of the local battery when the telephone is not being used, whereby it would become uselessly exhausted, and also to insure that the signal-bell shall at such times always be in operative circuit with the central station, so that the annoyance to a distant exchange or subscriber by a failure of the call-bell to respond is avoided." (Lines 9-21) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 22, 1896
Creator: Christopher, William O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for a hay-press that has an easily detachable tie-box and power-head, and the plunger-beam has an improved construction. Loose hay "fed into the feed-box [is] gathered or collected by the plunger through the instrumentality of teeth on a peculiarly-formed power-head engaging teeth on the plunger-beam and then compressed by a finger or arm on the power-head baring against the end of the plunger-beam" (lines 22-28). The press does not need to pinned to the ground.
Date: December 22, 1896
Creator: Jones, Charles E.
System: The Portal to Texas History