Revolving Book-Holder. (open access)

Revolving Book-Holder.

Patent for a "combined desk and cabinet especially designed for students' use to obviate the scattering about of books when writing, studying, or making reference thereto" (lines 8-12). The are two rotating sections: a many-faced book-rest, and a cabinet above it where books can be stored. There is also a sliding writing-board underneath the desk.
Date: November 17, 1896
Creator: Ballart, Calvert L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Method of and Apparatus for Treating Mineral Pitch. (open access)

Method of and Apparatus for Treating Mineral Pitch.

Patent for an "improved method of and apparatus for treating mineral pitch and similar material to readily separate the asphalt and asphalt-oils from sand, bituminous rock, and other impurities contained in the mined material and removing the sand and impurities" (lines 12-17). The method circulates the material in hot water to separate the asphalt and asphalt-oils from the sand and impurities. The asphalt and oil rise to the top of the water and the impurities sink.
Date: November 5, 1895
Creator: Sellers, Harvey Lee; Conyngton, Hugh Ronald & Conyngton, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Head-Rest. (open access)

Head-Rest.

Patent for "an improved head rest which can be easily attached to a car seat without injuring or marring the wood work or upholstering thereof, and which will be compact in structure, light in weight and cheap and durable in general construction, and readily adjustable in height, and angle of inclination" (lines 14-21).
Date: May 16, 1893
Creator: Wesson, Miley B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dipping-Vat. (open access)

Dipping-Vat.

Patent for a certain new and useful improvement in dipping vats or tanks, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 23, 1899
Creator: Skinner, William E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Acetylene-Gas Generator. (open access)

Acetylene-Gas Generator.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in acetylene gas generators, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: July 25, 1899
Creator: Bateman, Talbot O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for an Advertising-Banner. (open access)

Design for an Advertising-Banner.

Design patent for an advertising banner that has a decorative border around the edge and bangles suspended from the lower edge.
Date: October 28, 1890
Creator: Higby, Luther L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for a Display-Banner. (open access)

Design for a Display-Banner.

Design patent for an advertising display banner with "an absolutely-smooth uniformly-level surface ornamented by series of horizontal and vertical lines thereon, forming rectangular spaces, whereof the larges space is at the center with a series of smaller rectangular spaces at each side thereof, and series of other rectangular spaces above and below said central rectangular space" (para. 4).
Date: July 30, 1895
Creator: Higby, Luther L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Frame for Trunks, Valises, &c. (open access)

Frame for Trunks, Valises, &c.

Patent for frames for trunks, boxes, vehicle-bodies, etc., which requires no bolts and can be cast in a single piece of metal. Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: August 17, 1897
Creator: Turner, Ephraim M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for improvements in car-couplings in which it can be adapted “to the draw-heads of car-couplings that is already in used and that there need not be two similar couplings of this character in order to permit the device to operate successfully.” (Lines 74-78) Illustration is included.
Date: October 13, 1891
Creator: Yates, Junius E. M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling (open access)

Car-Coupling

Patent for an improvement of car coupling design so as to be automatic so that it can couple and uncouple without needing a person to move from car to car that can be used alongside pin and link couplings (lines 11-16).
Date: December 27, 1892
Creator: Millican, Joel W.
System: The Portal to Texas History