Bed Bottom. (open access)

Bed Bottom.

Patent for a new and improved bed bottom. This design "consists in a spring-bed formed of two U-shaped spring-rods or frames formed by the rods, which frames have their end pieces crossed and secured at their free ends in the opposite ends of slates. To the longitudinal pieces of the spring-frames the side edges of a piece of canvas are secured, and spiral springs are secured on the slats below the canvas" (lines 11-19).
Date: April 21, 1885
Creator: Bentley, Travis C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for cars. This design "relates to that class of couplers that are self-couplers; and it consists of an open-top hook-shaped draw-bar provided with a pivoted T-shaped vertically-moving coupling-bar, and provided also with an end socket for using the ordinary coupling link" (lines 7-12).
Date: June 21, 1881
Creator: McCray, John Henry Branic
System: The Portal to Texas History