Corn-Husker. (open access)

Corn-Husker.

Patent for a "simple, inexpensive, and convenient hand-operated machine employing an oscillating knife or cutter for severing the stalk or stem and at at the same time clamping the shucks, so that the ear, when turned, will effect the bursting open of the shucks, thus permitting the ready removal of the ear" (lines 8-15).
Date: December 22, 1896
Creator: Willmann, Joseph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Telephone-Exchange System. (open access)

Automatic Telephone-Exchange System.

Patent for "a simple system and arrangement which is especially adapted for a telephone exchange, which enables the instruments to be connected by a single wire, which dispenses with the use of an operator at the central station, which has automatic means for registering the messages sent by each subscriber, and which is provided with an automatic switching device by means of which one subscriber may connect with any other" (lines 10-19).
Date: December 5, 1893
Creator: Serdinko, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Vegetable-Cutter. (open access)

Vegetable-Cutter.

Patent for a vegetable cutter which is to be used as a grater.
Date: December 10, 1918
Creator: Wittenborn, Edmund A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Traction Engine. (open access)

Traction Engine.

Patent for an improved version of traction engine with ambulatory wheels that improve the design, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 12, 1916
Creator: Altgelt, Herman E.
System: The Portal to Texas History