Composition for Concrete Tombstones. (open access)

Composition for Concrete Tombstones.

Patent for "a new and useful composition of matter for concrete tombstones and a process for manufacturing the same whereby a perfectly white substantial rock will be produced that will be very durable, will not be liable to peeling, cracking, or turning dark, but will bleach out in the weather and become very solid, so as to form a permanent and substantial tombstone." (Lines 10-19) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 8, 1896
Creator: Belcher, Jeff D. & Hendley, Marion J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Shoe-Fastening. (open access)

Shoe-Fastening.

Patent for improvements in shoe-fastenings by using a “pivoted clasp-lever which has a tail-piece acted upon by a leaf-spring for holding the lever in its closed or open position.” (Lines 11-13) Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Dessoir, Julius
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tie-Plate Machine. (open access)

Tie-Plate Machine.

Patent for "a machine for properly positioning and securing metal plates to the cross-ties in the construction of railways, and which will obviate the coupling, buckling, or warping of the said plates when applying them to the wooden ties." (Lines 8-13) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 8, 1896
Creator: Greenshield, William H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trolley-Wire Crossing. (open access)

Trolley-Wire Crossing.

Patent for "means of which trolley-wires may be made to cross each other without contact and at the same time admit of the passage of trolley-wheels over each of the cross-lines." (Lines 11-15) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 8, 1896
Creator: Handshy, Henry Milton
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for improvements in car-couplings by using a draw-head having a chamber and a recess from its upper face into the chamber, of a coupling-dog pivoted in the recess and having a notch in its under faces and a hook at its forward end...... and the chain and levers connected with the said eyes.” (Lines 32-41) Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Lewis, Thomas E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for a hay-press where "the plunger or traverser is arranged in a suitable frame and is drawn toward its rearward position by means of a spring. rods are connected to the opposite sides of the plunger or traverser, and these are in turn connected to a cross-head, which in turn is connected with a pitman provided on its outer end with a hook that engages mechanism to give it a motion which imparts a reciprocating motion to the plunger" (lines 15-25).
Date: September 8, 1896
Creator: McIntosh, Alexander
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tire-Heater. (open access)

Tire-Heater.

Patent for improvements in tire-heater by using a tire box with a number of horizontal bars, tires are placed “into the front of the box and moved into correct position upon the horizontal bars without necessarily lifting the tires.” (Lines 29-32) Diverging arms are secured to the axis inside the tire box. Lamps are secured at the outer ends of the diverging arms. These diverging arms operate by a regulating crank which makes the lamps revolved beneath the tires, therefore heating the tires. Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Parks, James H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mowing-Machine. (open access)

Mowing-Machine.

Patent for improvements in mowing-machines by “providing a simplified means of applying the power direct to the cutter-bar by means of levers and connections,” (lines 16-18) in which will result in an easily run and quieter machine. Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Rich, Benjaman F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hand-Car. (open access)

Hand-Car.

Patent for an improvement on the construction of the driving mechanism and brake on hand-cars.
Date: September 8, 1896
Creator: Small, Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Engine. (open access)

Rotary Engine.

Patent for improvements in rotary engines to allow for the expansion of steam after admission and minimum leakage in order to provide an engine that is capable of long-continued use with a minimum of wear and working friction (lines 15-22), including illustrations.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Stocker, James M. & Stocker, Ziba O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for improvements in car-couplings by enhancing a device called pin-lifter to couple and uncouple rail cars. Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Weathersby, Sarah Ann
System: The Portal to Texas History
Feed-Trough. (open access)

Feed-Trough.

Patent for improvements in feed-troughs in which a controlled amount of feed can be placed in a feed box, and in which the latter will be fed as rapidly as consumed and the unconsumed feed will be protected. (Lines 11-14) Illustration in included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: Webb, William James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Replacer. (open access)

Car-Replacer.

Patent for improvements in car-replacers by using a jack-screw with a swiveled rest secured on top. The swiveled rest consists of an oblong box having rollers projecting above its upper edge. A windlass with a rope is journeyed in the jack-screw, passing through the swiveled rest, over a pulley and out of one end of the rest; the rope end having a hook or other suitable means for connecting it with the car. When the windlass is turned, “the car-body is moved laterally upon the rollers until the car-wheels are in line with the track.” (Lines 46-47) Illustration is included.
Date: September 8, 1891
Creator: White, James L.
System: The Portal to Texas History