Brace for Heel-Sweeps. (open access)

Brace for Heel-Sweeps.

Patent for a simple and durable brace for heel-sweeps. The wings of the sweep will not close, and "that portion of the sweep through which the heel-bolt passes will be materially strengthened" (lines 14-16). It also braces sweeps whatever their size, and all the brace's parts are adjustable.
Date: January 7, 1896
Creator: Ferrell, Augustus C. & Hamrick, Thomas J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Crate. (open access)

Crate.

Patent for "a crate for packing and transporting bottles of such material and such form of construction as will present a minimum liability to breakage of the contents." (Lines 9-13) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: April 7, 1896
Creator: Riviere, Richard Andrew
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vehicle-Brake. (open access)

Vehicle-Brake.

Patent for improved vehicle brakes, and the "object is to arrange the brake shoes so that when applied they will bear on the wheels slightly below a point on a line drawn horizontally through the center of the wheel, whereby a greater brake power is obtained with less force exerted, and further, to so construct and arrange the brake shoes that during the backing of a team for any purpose the brakes will automatically release themselves and not bear upon the wheels to interfere with said backing." (Lines 21-31) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 7, 1895
Creator: Christian, John R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Screw-Jack. (open access)

Screw-Jack.

Patent for a simple, efficient, and economical lifting jack "which is particularly designed for removing and replacing the brasses in the journal boxes of freight, passenger and other railway cars, and which is so constructed that it can bear against the shoulder formed by the concave part of the car wheel in proximity to the tread and thus avoid the employment of special blocking for the jack, thereby enabling it to be quickly set and operated at any place without preparation of blocking as a foundation for sustaining the jack" (lines 10-21).
Date: March 7, 1893
Creator: Quinn, William
System: The Portal to Texas History