Ant Trap. (open access)

Ant Trap.

Patent for a new and improved ant trap. This design consists in "the combination of a tube having a longitudinal slot in its top at one end and a transverse slot in the bottom near the other end, the top of the tube on each side of the longitudinal slot bent downward, a pen secured to the end of the tube having the longitudinal slot, a portion of one side piece of the pen forming an end for the tube and the other side piece being cut away and secured to the tube, and a receptacle under the end of the tube having the transverse slot, the upper edges of the pen and of the receptacle being bent" (lines 65-77).
Date: February 28, 1888
Creator: Miller, Marshall Crittenden
System: The Portal to Texas History
Box for Washing Gravel, &c. (open access)

Box for Washing Gravel, &c.

Patent for washing gravel and other material for making concrete.
Date: February 28, 1888
Creator: Carrico, Thomas W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tree Protector. (open access)

Tree Protector.

Patent for a new and improved tree protector. This design "provide[s] the means whereby fruit-trees, ornamental trees, and other trees may be protected against the ravages of the cutting-ant and other crawling insects" (lines 35-39).
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: Hornung, August & Fuos, Adolph Hermann
System: The Portal to Texas History
Reciprocating Churn. (open access)

Reciprocating Churn.

Patent for a new and improved reciprocating churn. This design "consists in a perforated open-ended flangeless shell, adapted for application to the common vertical dash-churn, and having at its sides vertical tubes or pipes extending through the cover or lid for the reception of hot or cold water, which thus modifies the temperature of the cream as required without mixing therewith" (lines 8-15).
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: Davis, Henry T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire Place. (open access)

Fire Place.

Patent for a new and improved fire place. This design "consists essentially in the improved construction of the back plate and the combination therewith of side plates or jambs" (lines 20-22).
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: Horn, John W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Barrel (open access)

Barrel

Patent for ventilated barrels for shipment of fruits, vegetables, meat, and other articles in order to remain fresh
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: McCormick, Willis B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spring Punch. (open access)

Spring Punch.

Patent for a new and improved spring-punch. This design "is to provide a punch in which the dies may be easily changed and adjusted, thus enabling one punch to serve for various purposes. [The] invention consists in constructing a punch with two or more sets of connected or geared levers, whereby the power of the jaws is greatly increased. It is not necessary, therefore, to apply as much power to the handles to produce the same result. The invention consists, further, in providing one of the jaws with a slot in which a number of dies may be secured" (lines 14-26).
Date: February 28, 1888
Creator: Jones, Wesley Corry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Portable Dark Room. (open access)

Portable Dark Room.

Patent for a new and improved portable dark room. This design "consists in a box provided with an opening in one side and a sleeve of pliable material extending outward from this opening, which box contains two smaller boxes for receiving the exposed and unexposed dry plates. The box is provided with a handle for carrying it" (lines 13-19).
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: Serdinko, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Stalk Cutter. (open access)

Cotton Stalk Cutter.

Patent for a new and improved cotton stalk cutter. This design "is to facilitate the operation of cutting down of cotton-stalks in preparing the ground for a new crop. The invention consists in the combination, with the sled provided with a series of holes, in its upper surface, of the hinged perforated bars, the cross-bar, the pins, and the knives; also, in the combination, with the sled carrying the hinged perforated bars, cross-bar, and knives, of the platform secured to the rear part of the sled and the standards secured to a cross-bar of the sled in front of the platform" (lines 17-29).
Date: February 28, 1882
Creator: Thompson, Francis Marion
System: The Portal to Texas History