Hollow Building-Tile. (open access)

Hollow Building-Tile.

Patent for hollow building blocks or tile in a block form with a groove to easily insert a nailing strip which can be secured with nails or screws.
Date: July 15, 1919
Creator: Taylor, James T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pie-Carrier. (open access)

Pie-Carrier.

Patent for "relatively inexpensive carriers for delivering or shipping pies" (lines 11-12), including one illustration.
Date: July 15, 1919
Creator: Hubig, Simon
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pump-Jack. (open access)

Pump-Jack.

Patent for improvements to pump jacks. Simple gravity actuated devices are provided to aid the power mechanism of the pump jack, resulting in smoother, more even operation.
Date: July 15, 1919
Creator: Dayton, William L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pump-Jack (open access)

Pump-Jack

Patent for an improved pump jack to increase its power when in use.
Date: July 15, 1919
Creator: Dayton, William L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Candy-Wrapping Machine. (open access)

Candy-Wrapping Machine.

Patent for a candy and small object wrapping machine that automatically cuts, feeds, and positions paper, making use of a folding arm. Intended to significantly decrease time taken to wrap small objects by hand.
Date: July 16, 1918
Creator: Greer, John H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Splitting-Ax (open access)

Splitting-Ax

Patent for a splitting ax to be used for splitting wood, especially rails, constructed in a manner to prevent the ax wedge from sticking in the rail. The patent includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: July 16, 1918
Creator: Sandidge, Thomas R., Sr.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Mail-Box and Door-Bell (open access)

Combined Mail-Box and Door-Bell

Patent for a combined mailbox and doorbell. The invention automatically sounds a bell when mail is placed inside that can be set up directly on the house or at a distance. The invention also serves to protect the mail from rain and mail thieves.
Date: July 9, 1918
Creator: McDonald, James A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Vaporizing-Plug (open access)

Automatic Vaporizing-Plug

Patent for "certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vaporizing-Plugs" (lines 5-6). "This invention... has for its principle object the production of a device which is adapted to be carried upon a manifold of an internal combustion engine... so that upon each stroke of the piston, or pistons, air will be drawn into the intake manifold where it will be mixed with gas passing therethrough, thus forming a charge which will have more power when exploded and which will prevent the formation of carbon deposits within the cylinders and which will also reduce the cost of operation of the engine." (lines 9-23).
Date: July 2, 1918
Creator: Floyd, William B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Swing (open access)

Swing

Patent for a new lawn swing design meant to be "a simple and inexpensive swing which will be strong and durable" (lines 10-12) and that will engage all muscles in its operation, including illustrations.
Date: July 2, 1918
Creator: Bretz, Don C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tractor (open access)

Tractor

Patent for improvements to tractors which are designed with the driver's seat positioned on the trailing unit. The improvements allow for tools to be attached in such a way cultivating may be done near fences and other common obstructions.
Date: July 1, 1918
Creator: Chenoweth, William B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Cleaning Deep Wells. (open access)

Apparatus for Cleaning Deep Wells.

Patent for a device that uses hot steam to clean caked-on paraffin, mud, and other substances out of oil well pumping apparatuses.
Date: July 31, 1917
Creator: Deats, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Visual Automatic-Setback Annunicator. (open access)

Visual Automatic-Setback Annunicator.

Patent for an indicator dial controlled by magnets to read out a display for an instrument via a lever.
Date: July 24, 1917
Creator: Stephens, Lee
System: The Portal to Texas History
Scarifier and Blocker. (open access)

Scarifier and Blocker.

Patent for a scarifier and blocker designed specifically to go around small plants that is mounted on wheels.
Date: July 10, 1917
Creator: Weisenborn, George P. A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Auxiliary Roll Former for Linter Condensers. (open access)

Auxiliary Roll Former for Linter Condensers.

Patent for Auxiliary Roll Former for Linter Condensers.
Date: July 5, 1917
Creator: Prater, C.E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Cleaning Deep Wells. (open access)

Apparatus for Cleaning Deep Wells.

Patent for a device that assists in cleaning deep wells that have caked material in the pumping apparatus by using hot steam.
Date: July 3, 1917
Creator: Deats, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Freight Gang-Plank. (open access)

Freight Gang-Plank.

Patent for freight gang-planks embodying hinged sections which may be adjusted at any angle with relation to each other so that the upper section may be disposed on a horizontal plane for the purpose of allowing a loaded truck to come to rest and remain immovable until manual or mechanical power is applied to move it.
Date: July 3, 1917
Creator: Simpson, Louis
System: The Portal to Texas History
Resilient Wheel. (open access)

Resilient Wheel.

Patent for a wheel that contains heavy wire spokes, consisting of two sections that are arranged to have their adjacent ends spaced and connected by coil springs to insure resiliency.
Date: July 3, 1917
Creator: Fuller, Robert Nelson
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale-Tie Buckle (open access)

Bale-Tie Buckle

Patent for bale-tie buckle to be used to secures bales of cotton specifically. This is used to increase the speed at which cotton can be secured while being ginned and compressed. This buckle can be reused multiple times.
Date: July 25, 1916
Creator: Horsley, Robert L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trolley-Pole. (open access)

Trolley-Pole.

Patent for inventing a trolley pole which is easy to build, comparatively inexpensive and easy to use. This is an improvement for the older version.
Date: July 18, 1916
Creator: Kirkpatrick, Otey. R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Candy-Drying Machine. (open access)

Candy-Drying Machine.

Patent for a machine to dry and pack chocolate more uniformly without need for attendants, including illustrations.
Date: July 27, 1915
Creator: Greer, Jesse W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Attachment for Converting Motor-Propelled Vehicles into Tractors. (open access)

Attachment for Converting Motor-Propelled Vehicles into Tractors.

Patent for a device which attaches a "tractor which can be used to draw plows, harrows, cultivators, mowers, reapers, and other agricultural implements" (lines 12-17) to motor vehicles, thus converting the motor vehicle into a tractor.
Date: July 20, 1915
Creator: Wynne, William P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Building-Block Construction. (open access)

Building-Block Construction.

Patent for concrete blocks used for construction, including illustrations.
Date: July 20, 1915
Creator: Gray, Frank
System: The Portal to Texas History
Life-Saving Device for the Cabs of Locomotives. (open access)

Life-Saving Device for the Cabs of Locomotives.

Patent for a life-saving device for the cabs of locomotives. The device is used to safely help the engineer or fireman escape from the locomotive engine cab should danger arise. The device is used to protect an individual against fire, hot water, or some other forms of danger.
Date: July 20, 1915
Creator: Uttz, William A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tire-Shoe. (open access)

Tire-Shoe.

Patent for a device that fits "pneumatic tires for automobiles" (lines 8-9) in order to "prevent the slipping of a pneumatic tired wheel in snow, ice, mud, sand, or the like." (lines 10-12).
Date: July 20, 1915
Creator: McCall, Jacob Capshaw
System: The Portal to Texas History