Resource Type

Construction of Roofs. (open access)

Construction of Roofs.

Patent for improvements in the construction of roofs, including instruction.
Date: March 11, 1879
Creator: Boyd, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Attachment for Wheel-Plows. (open access)

Attachment for Wheel-Plows.

Patent for "invention has relation to improvements in attachments to sulky and other horse-plows" (para. 3). Combines a circle-plate, transverse clamp-ridge, clamps, a bearing plate, a king-bolt, a transverse sleeve, an axle, adjusting collars, and transporting-wheels on said axle.
Date: December 21, 1878
Creator: Cummins, John Randolph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Whiffletree-Fastenings. (open access)

Improvement in Whiffletree-Fastenings.

Patent for the improvement of whiffletree fastenings, relating to the means by which single-trees are attached to a double-tree. It includes a description and illustration.
Date: June 11, 1872
Creator: Ahrenbeck, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Water-Drawers. (open access)

Improvement in Water-Drawers.

Patent for an improved water drawer, includes instructions and illustration.
Date: June 11, 1878
Creator: McC. Mathes, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Turbine Water-Wheels. (open access)

Improvement in Turbine Water-Wheels.

Patent for a new turbine water wheel, which is said to alleviate past problems with older model turbines. The patent includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: January 11, 1870
Creator: Chadwick, H. A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvements in Wind-Wheels. (open access)

Improvements in Wind-Wheels.

Patent for an "invention [consisting] in the construction and arrangement of a dome which surrounds a wind-wheel" (line 14-16) including instruction and illustrations. Constitutes an improvement to then existing windmills.
Date: January 11, 1876
Creator: Stephens, Lawrence E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Washing-Machines. (open access)

Improvement in Washing-Machines.

Patent for improving the washing machine by being operated by a spring-motor.
Date: September 11, 1877
Creator: Cummings, James K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Wash-Boiler Attachments (open access)

Improvement in Wash-Boiler Attachments

Patent for the improvement in Steam Wash-Boiler Attachments.
Date: February 11, 1873
Creator: Hart, Richard B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Station-Indicators. (open access)

Improvement in Station-Indicators.

Patent for improvements in railroad-station indicators to indicate to passengers the next stations and the distances between them.
Date: October 11, 1875
Creator: Harris, Pliny H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Tonic Remedies. (open access)

Improvement in Tonic Remedies.

Patent for a medicinal compound consisting of sulphate quinine, diluted sulphuric acid, purified chinoidine, sulphate iron, sulphate magnesia, peppermint oil, and saturated quassia-water. Includes instructions.
Date: January 11, 1876
Creator: Rucker, Benjamin Franklin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Umbrella-Supporters. (open access)

Improvement in Umbrella-Supporters.

Patent for "a simple and convenient device for supporting and carrying a parasol or umbrella in such a way as to leave the hands free, and which will enable the parasol or umbrella to be tilted or inclined forward or back, or to either side, as may be required" (lines 8-14). Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: January 11, 1876
Creator: Arnold, Eliza M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Stalk-Pullers. (open access)

Improvement in Stalk-Pullers.

Patent for an "improved machine designed especially for pulling cotton-stalks, but which may be used with advantage for pulling other stalks, weeds, &c., and which shall be so constructed as to clear itself of the stalks as they are pulled" (para. 4).
Date: April 11, 1876
Creator: Butler, George W. & O'Connell, Timothy P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Rotary Cultivators and Choppers (open access)

Improvement in Rotary Cultivators and Choppers

Patent for an improvement to the design of a rotary cultivator and chopper, including illustrations.
Date: May 11, 1875
Creator: Fenley, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Flat-Irons. (open access)

Improvement in Flat-Irons.

Patent for improvement in flat-irons, with description and illustrations.
Date: October 11, 1875
Creator: Sterzing, Fred
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fences. (open access)

Improvement in Fences.

Patent for improvement in fences, with description and illustrations.
Date: April 11, 1876
Creator: Ingalls, Alfred
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Neck-Yokes. (open access)

Improvement in Neck-Yokes.

Patent for an improvement on neck-yokes that have a "swivel-joint connection with a carriage or wagon pole" (line 18-19).
Date: September 11, 1877
Creator: Hannig, Frank
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fire-Escapes. (open access)

Improvement in Fire-Escapes.

Patent for an improved fire escape "apparatus for receiving without injury persons or goods falling from windows of burning buildings" (line 18-20).
Date: September 11, 1877
Creator: Shishmanian, George N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Rifle-Barrels. (open access)

Improvement in Rifle-Barrels.

Patent for a "new and useful improvement in firearms" (lines 4-5), including instructions and illustrations. The invention provides "a gun-barrel with a number of cutters or plows for grooving the ball, said cutters or plows to correspond with with the number of guides or ribs which the gun is formed" (lines 20-25).
Date: December 11, 1877
Creator: Littlejohn, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Dumping-Platforms. (open access)

Improvement in Dumping-Platforms.

Patent for a new cart-loader design "for dumping earth into carts or other receptacles" (lines 13-14), including illustrations.
Date: February 11, 1873
Creator: Atkinson, Jesse.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Mixing Mineral and Fossil Substances with Bituminized Clay to Form a Plastic Material. (open access)

Improvement in Mixing Mineral and Fossil Substances with Bituminized Clay to Form a Plastic Material.

Patent for mixing mineral or fossil substances with bituminated clay, creating a product that "is a dense, durable, and economical composition, suitable for building both small and massive structures, and for other purposes" (lines 54-57).
Date: November 11, 1873
Creator: Lea, Pryor
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers for Lint-Rooms. (open access)

Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers for Lint-Rooms.

Patent for a fire-extinguisher for lint-rooms with design specifications and instructions on operating procedures and usage, including illustrations.
Date: June 11, 1878
Creator: Morrell, Zachariah N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Planter and Cultivator. (open access)

Improvement in Planter and Cultivator.

Patent for an easily converted machine that can plan corn, drill corn or cotton, or cultivate growing crops, including illustrations.
Date: February 11, 1879
Creator: Bowles, Talbot M. & Farmer, Joesph W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Apparatus for Applying Poison to Plants. (open access)

Improvement in Apparatus for Applying Poison to Plants.

Patent for "new and useful improvement in apparatus for applying poison and cotton to potato plants" (lines 3-5), as well as to "destroy worms and bugs"(lines 13-14), including instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 11, 1877
Creator: Goodin, James L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Heater and Feeder for Steam-Boilers. (open access)

Improvement in Heater and Feeder for Steam-Boilers.

Patent for "a new and valuable improvement in supplying feed-water to steam-boilers" (lines 15-17), including instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 11, 1877
Creator: Hyde, James Boyd
System: The Portal to Texas History