Cane-Topper (open access)

Cane-Topper

Patent for "a device which may be readily secured to a wagon or any other suitable vehicle and which may be quickly adjusted so as to cut the tops of cane of different sizes" (lines 11-14).
Date: July 2, 1901
Creator: Palm, Oliver
System: The Portal to Texas History
Back and Shoulder Brace. (open access)

Back and Shoulder Brace.

Patent for a new and useful back-support and shoulder-brace. This invention "relates to means for strengthening and supporting the back and shoulders of persons engaged in occupations which require stooping" (line 8-11).
Date: January 4, 1898
Creator: Bassett, James Andrews
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design consists in "[a] car-coupling constructed with a draw-head having a vertically-ranging and inwardly-tapering link-socket and a horizontal hole to receive the coupling pin, in combination with a coupling-link tapering from the middle toward the end . . . [and] . . . crossing the socket, and a coupling-pin adapted to said hole and to the coupling-link, and connected to [two] lever[s] [and a] link . . . and [one of] said lever[s] extending to the side of the car" (lines 39-52).
Date: February 24, 1885
Creator: Rye, Edgar
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Railway-Gate. (open access)

Automatic Railway-Gate.

Patent for a "strong, durable, efficient, easy of operation, and simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct" (lines 20-23) automatic railway gate. It "is to provide a swinging gate and automatic means of particular construction for operating the gate" (lines 11-14), including illustrations.
Date: May 9, 1916
Creator: Turvan, Jim O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn-Operating Device. (open access)

Churn-Operating Device.

Patent for a churn operating device to make the process more simple and efficient for the use of producing butter in the shortest possible time.
Date: March 23, 1915
Creator: Palm, Oliver
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire-stretching Tool. (open access)

Wire-stretching Tool.

Patent for "a simple tool, easily manufactured and readily taken apart, which can be conveniently carried by one man, and with which he can stretch wire to the proper tension and readily fasten same, said tool being also adapted to be used in cutting wire and removing staples."
Date: September 14, 1920
Creator: Manly, Walter D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lifting Jack. (open access)

Lifting Jack.

Patent for a new and improved jack. This design consists in "the combination, with a standard provided with an elongated open slot and a moveable section adapted to slide within the slot, of an operating-lever pivoted to the standard at the side of the slot, and a link pivotally secured to the sliding section and lever, whereby the lever is thrown past the center and the sliding section thereby locked in an elevated position" (lines 67-75).
Date: July 15, 1884
Creator: Thorp, James L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Stirrup. (open access)

Stirrup.

Patent for a new and useful stirrup, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: February 13, 1900
Creator: Percifield, Clarence W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Surveyor's Instrument. (open access)

Surveyor's Instrument.

Patent for a new and improved surveyor's instrument. This design consists in "[t]he instrument for surveying and analogous purposes, consisting of protractor, right-angled piece, and [additional] piece, the two latter pivoted to move independently on the protractor" (lines 9-13).
Date: March 10, 1885
Creator: Dolman, John H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Separator for Pecan and Other Nuts. (open access)

Separator for Pecan and Other Nuts.

Patent for a new and improved nut cracker. This design is "provided with an inclined bed of parallel positively-driven rollers . . . and arranged at a suitable distance apart to allow of the leaves and other refuse falling through between them, but conducting the cleansed or separated nuts over them for delivery over a back board, or otherwise, away from the leaves and refuse, and where they may be put into sacks . . . a hopper arranged over the upper or highest portion of the inclined bed of separated rollers provides for the steady supply or feed of the nuts" (lines 12-25).
Date: February 6, 1883
Creator: Dolman, John H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Riding-Frame for Implements. (open access)

Riding-Frame for Implements.

Patent for a new and useful improvement to riding frames used with implements utilized for agricultural purposes.
Date: December 26, 1905
Creator: Plummer, Alson Q.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Penman's Arm Rest. (open access)

Penman's Arm Rest.

Patent for a new and improved writer's armrest. This design "is to provide a sort of swivel-pivot to support the wrist in writing, whereby perfect freedom of movement is given to the hand, and the position of the hand may be changed instantaneously without effort in forming characters in writing. The invention consists of a flexible or pliable foundation-piece with an anti-friction or swivel roller or ball projecting from its surface and forming a pivot to support the wrist when writing, a strap or buckle, or other fastening, being used to attach the device to the wrist" (lines 11-22).
Date: June 14, 1887
Creator: Graham, Tilghman
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Seed-Grading Machine (open access)

Cotton-Seed-Grading Machine

Patent for a cotton seed grading machine. Illustrations included.
Date: May 19, 1908
Creator: Conner, John W.
System: The Portal to Texas History