Billiard-Ball Holder. (open access)

Billiard-Ball Holder.

Patent for a simple billiard-ball holder that is meant to "provide a means for holding the balls when not in use, so that they will not fall out of the holder to the floor, and means to provide for the tilting of the holder out of line, so that the balls will roll to the opposite end, and out of the opening into the triangle, thereby saving a good part of the time in taking the balls out of the holder" (lines 20-27).
Date: July 11, 1893
Creator: Rohrbach, Gabriel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Car and Air-Brake Coupling. (open access)

Combined Car and Air-Brake Coupling.

Patent for a simple, practical, and easy to use car coupling and in air brake coupling that automatically couples cars together. It can be easily uncoupled from the top or sides of cars. When it couples, it also connects the cars' air pipes together.
Date: November 14, 1893
Creator: Rohrbach, Gabriel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water-Cooler. (open access)

Water-Cooler.

Patent for a simple, efficient, and inexpensive portable water cooler that refrigerates the water "by the action of the air and the evaporation of the liquid or vapor percolating the material" (lines 12-14). It does not use ice and can be used in rural areas.
Date: September 5, 1893
Creator: Hymans, Joseph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Triangle for Billiard-Balls. (open access)

Triangle for Billiard-Balls.

Patent for an improved triangle for billiard balls that consists of sides, movable doors on the bottom edge, a fixed guide on the side of the triangle, and springs to hold the doors.
Date: July 11, 1893
Creator: Rohrbach, Gabriel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nut-Lock. (open access)

Nut-Lock.

Patent for a strong, durable, and inexpensive nut lock that securely locks a nut onto a threaded bolt and can be easily unlocked. It also is simply constructed. It consists of a plank-like spring tongue that fits over the bolt and under the nut.
Date: November 28, 1893
Creator: Taini, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Swinging Gate. (open access)

Swinging Gate.

Patent for a swinging gate that consists of a supporting post, a gate, a hinge that connects the gate to the post, a rear bar, a hinge lever that connects the rear gate bar to the supporting post, an operating lever, cords or chains that connect the lever and the hinge lever, and a latching mechanism.
Date: April 25, 1893
Creator: Rohrbach, Gabriel
System: The Portal to Texas History
Picture Hanger (open access)

Picture Hanger

Patent for a new picture frame with adjustable hanger. Patent for "a new and improved picture frame with an attached hanger to support the top and bottom of the frame at any desire angle" (lines 14-19) including instructions and illustrations. Patent for a new picture frame hanger design, including illustrations.
Date: January 3, 1893
Creator: Hymans, Joseph
System: The Portal to Texas History