Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved design for freight car coupling. This design calls for a sliding block, with the assistance of metal pins, to lock the link between two freight cars firmly in place. This eliminates the possibility of accidental disconnect.
Date: January 11, 1881
Creator: Upson, Bolivar J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale Tile. (open access)

Bale Tile.

Patent for a new and improved bale-tie. This design "consists, principally, of a bale-tie jaw stamped from sheet metal and formed with an open hook at one end standing in front of a curved edge, with an opening at the other for attachment to the bale-hoop, said opening being shaped to permit the jaw to have a pivotal side motion upon the hoop. The invention also consists of the combination of two of such jaws applied to the bale-hoop to form a complete tie" (lines 7-16).
Date: January 11, 1887
Creator: Rylander, William P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling (open access)

Car-Coupling

Patent for an improved car-coupling, including illustrations.
Date: January 11, 1887
Creator: Young, James D.
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 draw-head having a slotted top and a recessed bottom, of a transverse slotted bar journaled in bearings, one end being extended for the attachment of a handle, and the headless coupling-pin having the reduced or flattened portion to permit of its ready insertion and withdrawal from the transverse bar" (lines 73-80).
Date: January 11, 1887
Creator: Dial, Augustus A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locomotive Valve-Gear. (open access)

Locomotive Valve-Gear.

Patent for improvement to the locomotive valve-gear by utilizing a centrally-pivoted lever.
Date: January 11, 1887
Creator: Lewis, Wallace James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mechanical Motor. (open access)

Mechanical Motor.

Patent for a new and improved motor. This design "provide[s] an apparatus by means of which a series of weights or balls may be successively and continuously elevated to any given height, to be subsequently employed to operate any suitable machinery by gravitation" (lines 15-20).
Date: January 11, 1881
Creator: Conner, Laurance H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fifth Wheel. (open access)

Fifth Wheel.

Patent for a new and improved wheel. This design consists in "the combination of the lower section carried by the axle, an upper section bearing on the lower section and having the spaced lugs, a bolster fitted between the said lugs, a reach having its front end resting on the upper section, and the plate secured to the front end of the reach and having the loops at its ends, which fit around the upper and lower sections" (lines 39-47).
Date: January 11, 1887
Creator: Switzer, William C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oscillating Cradle. (open access)

Oscillating Cradle.

Patent for a new and improved oscillating cradle. This design utilizes a hand-crank and gears to gently rock the wooden cradle back and forth. Also connected to the crank is a wooden rod at the bottom which gently strikes a xylophone underneath.
Date: January 11, 1881
Creator: Brown, Fred Harvey
System: The Portal to Texas History