Condenser (open access)

Condenser

Patent for "the construction of surface-condensers for condensing steam, condensing cooling ammonia-gas, and other purposes" (lines 17-20) including instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 15, 1880
Creator: Lee, Charles Brogden
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale Tie. (open access)

Bale Tie.

Patent for a new and improved tie for bales. This design calls for one long, flat piece of scrap metal to be folded over on itself twice so that there are four layers of metal as well as a loop (or "rib") on either end. Then, a hole should be cut through all four layers with a tapered opening through the edge; this design is cheaper and more durable than previous bale ties.
Date: August 24, 1880
Creator: Riesel, Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Whiffletree. (open access)

Whiffletree.

Patent for a new and improved whiffletree. This design utilizes a removable eye and removable rings, so "when [they have] become worn [they] may be removed and [others] substituted, thus prolonging the usefulness of the single tree for years" (lines 48-51).
Date: October 5, 1880
Creator: Miller, Rudolph A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Carpenter's Square. (open access)

Carpenter's Square.

Patent for a new and improved carpenter's square. This design calls for ribs or ridges running lengthwise along the blades and a thicker, more durable square between the blades. In this way, only the ribs or ridges suffer wear, and the square lasts longer.
Date: October 3, 1882
Creator: Callihan, Willie Hoyle
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compound for the manufacture of artificial stone. (open access)

Compound for the manufacture of artificial stone.

Patent for "Compounds for the Manufacture of Artificial Stone...and it consists in composition formed by mixing certain materials in solution and treating them in further solutions" (lines 5-15).
Date: January 2, 1883
Creator: Greer, Joseph A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Chair for Railroad Rails. (open access)

Chair for Railroad Rails.

Patent for a new and improved chair for railroad rails. This design utilizes a metal key and wrought-iron straps so that "the rails are held firmly both laterally and vertically, so that they are kept level at the joint and any sagging is prevented. At the same time endwise movement by expansion or contraction is not hindered, and the chairs being fastened to the ties, the expansion and contraction will take place entirely between the several chairs" (lines 49-57).
Date: February 20, 1883
Creator: Armstrong, Charles & Abbott, George
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Window Lock. (open access)

Car Window Lock.

Patent for a new and improved car-window lock. This design consists in "the sliding crank-shaped spring-actuated bolt for locking the window, in combination with the oscillating cam acting upon the bolt to unlock it, said cam having a lateral arm with a spring-guide hinged thereto, a spring surrounding the guide, and means for swinging the cam and thus retracting the bolt" (lines 21-27).
Date: October 5, 1886
Creator: Cutter, Martin A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lock. (open access)

Lock.

Patent for a new and improved lock that which "provide a lock for doors, safes, drawers, and the like, the bolt of which is adapted to be unlocked from he outsides by means of a combination, and while being release will instantly ring the door-bell by means of connecting wires, and which, when operated from the inside, can be opened without giving the signal on the bell, and in either operation the parts of the lock will automatically return to their position and lock the bot in the striker-plate unless otherwise adjusted" (lines 14-25)
Date: August 30, 1887
Creator: Rau, Louis Carl
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lock (open access)

Lock

Patent for "improvements in locks, having special reference to locks for the doors of freight-cars; and it has for its object to provide a strong lock so constructed as to be comparatively safe from the attacks of lockpickers" (lines 8-13).
Date: September 11, 1888
Creator: Bergman, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Letter Copying Press. (open access)

Letter Copying Press.

Patent for a new and improved copier. This design consists in "the combination of the dampening-roller . . . with the smoothing-roller at one side of and in close proximity to it and situated between said dampening-roller and the roll of paper, and the roller journaled in the standard, and the smoothing-rollers placed at one side and beyond the rollers . . . and journaled in brackets . . . whereby the paper is evenly and smoothly moistened before the copy-paper is applied and both are kept smooth during the process of copying" (lines 90-104).
Date: March 12, 1889
Creator: Thompson, Charles Albert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vegetable Grater and Slicer. (open access)

Vegetable Grater and Slicer.

Patent for an improvement on vegetable graters or slicers. The design allows for more efficient cutting of the vegetables and allows for gravity to feed the vegetables through the slicer and avoiding injury to the operator. Included are instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 25, 1880
Creator: Weitzel, Jacob F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lining for Tin Cans. (open access)

Lining for Tin Cans.

Patent for a new and improved method of canning seafood with tin cans. This design calls for perforated paper to line the cans, which prevents the discoloration of the seafood inside.
Date: December 28, 1880
Creator: Bartlett, Frederick W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locking Latch. (open access)

Locking Latch.

Patent for a new and improved latch. This design consists "[i]n a latch, the combination, with the sliding-bolt, tumblers having their forward ends provided with hooks or right-angled projections adapted to engage studs upon the bolt, and the lever operated by the bolt and having its forward end adapted to engage with the tumbler of the supplementary lock having its operating mechanism connected to the lever" (lines 68-76).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Rand, Anders
System: The Portal to Texas History
Walking Stool for Children. (open access)

Walking Stool for Children.

Patent for a new and improved walker for children. This design "is to facilitate placing the child, and to avoid any risk of injury, and, further, to make the stool easy for the body and arms of the child" (lines 13-16). This end is achieved with a hinged section of the walking ring, which may be opened to allow in the child.
Date: October 3, 1882
Creator: Peterson, Gustav
System: The Portal to Texas History
Laundry-Iron (open access)

Laundry-Iron

Patent for improvements to heating and use of irons used for laundry.
Date: May 15, 1883
Creator: Pedder, James Nagel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locking Pawl for Anchor Chains. (open access)

Locking Pawl for Anchor Chains.

Patent for a new and improved locking pawl for anchor chains. This design is "to provide a novel combination of parts whereby the rising and falling and horizontally-moving clamping-block can be rigidly locked in its engagement with the cable to stop the latter; also, to provide novel means for protecting the wood-work of the vessel from wear as the cable is moved" (lines 13-19).
Date: February 19, 1884
Creator: Lucas, Thomas P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Window Frame. (open access)

Window Frame.

Patent for a new and improved window frame. This design "has for its objects to provide an improved means for holding the sash of a window in any position to which it may be elevated, and at the same time permit the sash to be readily moved up or down" (lines 11-15).
Date: February 21, 1882
Creator: Sturm, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Weather and Fire Strip for Box Car Doors. (open access)

Weather and Fire Strip for Box Car Doors.

Patent for a new and improved weather and fire strip for box car doors. This design "relates to an improved device for closing the space between the rear edge of the doors of box-cars and the side of the car, so as to prevent sparks or water from entering through the space and damaging the goods in the car" (lines 9-14).
Date: June 12, 1883
Creator: Nichols, George B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Yielding and Buoyant Pile Breakwater. (open access)

Yielding and Buoyant Pile Breakwater.

Patent for a new and improved breakwater. This design is "of a cheap, durable, and efficient breakwater for localities exposed to the destructive action of the waves; and it consists mainly in a line of single-column buoyant piles, arranged side-by-side, and grouped together in sections . . . and anchored to their water-bed, and also in certain constructions and combination of parts" (lines 28-35).
Date: June 27, 1882
Creator: Franklin, Robert M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wood Working Machine. (open access)

Wood Working Machine.

Patent for a new and improved wood-working machine. This design "relates to improvements in wood-working machines, and is designed to produce a machine for automatically tapering material in either straight or curved lines. The improvement consists, essentially, in the employment of movable cutters approached or receded by means of a cam or cams, and is adaptable in forming staves and other portions of barrels or other articles in which the parts require a taper in straight or curved lines" (lines 8-17).
Date: August 10, 1886
Creator: Hourigan, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Cutting off the Soiled Butts of Grain Stalks. (open access)

Machine for Cutting off the Soiled Butts of Grain Stalks.

Patent for a new and improved cutting machine for grain stalks. This design consists in a "table slotted in its middle part and slotted and recessed at or near one edge, the parallel endless bundle-carrying chains working in said slots and having arms, the chain-wheels, the shafts thereof and their supports, the circular saw in the recess at the edge of the table, the mandrel and the gage-plate" (lines 98-105).
Date: May 3, 1887
Creator: Becker, Lothar
System: The Portal to Texas History
Windmill. (open access)

Windmill.

Patent for a new and improved windmill. This design is "to combine with a windmill a horse-power, so that when the wind ceases to operate the wheel, horse-power may be brought into use for the purpose of continuing the revolution of the wheel, so as to enable the windmill to be used like an ordinary horse-power, and to place the slides or doors upon suitable supports, so that they can be moved back and forth in relation to the wheel for the purpose of cutting off the wind from it" (lines 14-23).
Date: October 30, 1888
Creator: Watkins, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water Cooler. (open access)

Water Cooler.

Patent for a new and improved water cooler. This design consists in "vessels, packing, cross-bars in [a] compartment, connecting tube, coiled pipe, coupling, and faucet . . . [and] the swinging bracket arranged below the faucet, and having stands for two or more glasses," as well as casing and lining (lines 1-7).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Schultze, August J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wheeled Vehicle. (open access)

Wheeled Vehicle.

Patent for a new and improved wheeled vehicle. This design consists in "[a] one-wheeled sulky in which are combined the single wheel, the frame, the thills, the seat, the standards, and the rods or braces" (lines 54-57).
Date: June 19, 1883
Creator: Boyd, William
System: The Portal to Texas History