Combined Cigar-Tip Cutter and Match-Safe. (open access)

Combined Cigar-Tip Cutter and Match-Safe.

Patent for a combined cigar tip cutter and match-safe that consists of a shaft, an operating lever, a match box under the lever, a link that attaches the match box to the lever, a coiled spring that is attached to the lever, a curved lever that is lined up to the other lever, a spring connecting the two levers, and a picker.
Date: April 4, 1893
Creator: Briggs, William J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Conduit Electric Railway. (open access)

Conduit Electric Railway.

Patent for a surface trolley for electric railways that operates "upon the surface of the pavement or ground between the tracks of the road, for connecting the car with the motor power, in place of the trolley and over head wires now suspended upon the unsightly poles in the center or at the sides of the street, which are found to be very objectionable on account of their obstructing the passageway in the streets and upon the side walks, and the wires preventing the free movement of fire companies in extending their ladders in gaining access to buildings, and also because of the great danger attending persons and animals moving about in the street, on account of the charged or live wires frequently being thrown down upon the ground, and coming in contact with and destroying the life of persons, and also on account of the frequent fatal accidents to persons having charge of the repair of the wires and other apparatus in connection with them, often coming in contact with live wires while elevated on the poles and engaged in repairing them" (lines 16-38).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Voe, William R. de
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for a new and improved churn. This design consists in "[t]he combination of the standards, the longitudinal bars connecting the same, the driving-shaft journaled on the upper bars, the counter-shaft journaled on the lower bars and provided with a crank-disk at one end, gearing between the driving-shaft and the counter-shaft, the balance-wheel on the counter-shaft, the rock-shaft journaled on the upper bars and provided with the oppositely-extending crank-arms between the said bars, the crank arm depending from the end of the rock-shaft, [and] the pitman" (lines 88-99).
Date: April 29, 1890
Creator: Anderson, Henry C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing-Machine (open access)

Washing-Machine

Patent for improvements to cylinder washing machines.
Date: April 29, 1890
Creator: Anderson, Henry C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sash Fastener. (open access)

Sash Fastener.

Patent for a new and improved sash fastener. This design "has for its object to provide a simple and efficient and at the same time cheap and durable sash-locking device which will serve to automatically lock the sash at any desired height. The device is ornamental in appearance, of few parts, and will not be likely to get out of order" (lines 16-22).
Date: April 26, 1892
Creator: Lynch, William Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Docket, Record, or Similar Book (open access)

Docket, Record, or Similar Book

Patent for a docket, record or similar book that places all necessary material together for recording events, adjusting the space for each title head so that it is sufficient, easing the strain on accountants who need to continue entries, and also make sure the book is easy and efficient to make.
Date: April 19, 1892
Creator: Fry, Edwin Crittenden
System: The Portal to Texas History