Washing-Machine (open access)

Washing-Machine

Patent for "improvements in the water-wheel and in the, mechanism for imparting motion thereto, whereby the washing-liquid is made to flow upward between the sides of an outer and inner pan and downward upon the articles to be washed, which are inclosed in the said inner pan, as will be now described and claimed, and is adapted to wash any articles that may be placed within the said inner pan" (lines 17-26).
Date: May 13, 1890
Creator: McCausland, William, I.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Journal-Lubricator. (open access)

Journal-Lubricator.

Patent for improvements in lubricators by mounting a box, with a pair holes near its ends, on a bearing; with partitions across the box adjacent each holes, a pair of cord shape wicks and a depending flange, depressing the wicks to the bottom of the box. “When the box filled with liquid lubricant and the cover closed, the lower edge of the flange depresses the wicks, submerging them at the center of the box, and the wicks absorb oil at this point, the oil is lead thence by capillary attraction along the wicks down through the holes in the bottom of the box and into the groove, whence it is delivered by direct contact upon the upper side of the rotating shaft which it is desired to lubricate.” (Lines 52-63) Illustration is included.
Date: May 19, 1891
Creator: Hubbard, Benjamin V.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locomotive Ash Pan. (open access)

Locomotive Ash Pan.

Patent for a new and improved locomotive ash pan. This design "relates to ash-pans for locomotive and other fire-boxes; and it has for its object to provide a simple and improved device of this character in which the contents of the pan may be discharged therefrom by a single operation of a controlling-lever. To this end the invention consists . . . in a sliding frame working in guides, a series of slats forming the entire bottom of the pan pivoted to the frame and carried thereby, a lever for operating said frame, and means for sustaining the slats normally in horizontal position" (lines 11-23).
Date: May 31, 1892
Creator: Johnson, Charles J. W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Thill-Coupling. (open access)

Thill-Coupling.

Patent for a new and useful thill coupling, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 2, 1899
Creator: Hauff, Isaac F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for an improved, inexpensive, and simple hay press that "alternately feed[s] the hay into the chamber, and press the same, the two mechanisms being operated from the same source; to provide for increase of power, and for regulating the tension or mouth of the press at the point of exit of the completed bale" (lines 12-18).
Date: May 2, 1893
Creator: Thompson, Joseph F.; Murphree, Richard L. & Harrison, William D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Refrigerator or Cooler. (open access)

Refrigerator or Cooler.

Patent for a refrigerator that has an "arrangement of parts whereby the articles to be cooled are protected from moisture while the space in which said articles are arranged is inclosed by a film of moisture, which is designed to cool the inclosed atmosphere by evaporation" (lines 11-16). The covering is absorbent and the shelves inside are perforated.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Burt, Henry M.
System: The Portal to Texas History