Clasp. (open access)

Clasp.

Patent for a new and improved clasp. This design "consist[s] of the front plate formed with the integral strap loop or slot at its upper end, the teeth at its lower end, and the opening above said teeth, the rear plate formed with integral teeth at its lower end, side ears at its upper end, and the lugs below said ears and projecting beyond the outer face of the plate, the spindle passing through the ears and provided with a spring throwing the plates apart, and the locking-plate pivoted at its upper end to the lugs and having a [different] lug projecting inward from said upper end" (lines 83-96).
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: Lewis, Annie
System: The Portal to Texas History
Carpenter's Hatchet. (open access)

Carpenter's Hatchet.

Patent for a new and improved carpenter's hatchet. This design, "by curving or convexing the back of the hatchet downward from the eye to the rear end of the blade [it] greatly facilitates the ease and efficiency with which the hatchet can be used in driving nails in angles and corners—an improvement which will be at once appreciated by all carpenters—while by forming the back of the blade with the opposite recesses, leaving the thin wall between them, the hatchet can be used as a screw-driver, and the carpenter can thus dispense with the use of a separate screw-driver" (lines 67-79).
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: Stopple, John Julius
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bolting Reel. (open access)

Bolting Reel.

Patent for a new and improved bolting-reel. This design "relate[s] to bolting-reels for flour-mills; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, having for their object to obtain lightness, strength, compactness, and cheapness of manufacture, as more particularly set forth hereinafter" (lines 8-13).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Phillips, Edwin Samuel & Kealy, Stephen Alexander
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water Cooler. (open access)

Water Cooler.

Patent for a new and improved water cooler. This design consists in "vessels, packing, cross-bars in [a] compartment, connecting tube, coiled pipe, coupling, and faucet . . . [and] the swinging bracket arranged below the faucet, and having stands for two or more glasses," as well as casing and lining (lines 1-7).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Schultze, August J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oil Can. (open access)

Oil Can.

Patent for a new and improved oil can. This design "consists in the combination, with an oil-can, of a wire passing loosely through the nozzle and into a tube secured on the bottom of the can within the said can. The outer end of the wire is curved, and part of the wire is finely grooved or roughened" (lines 13-18).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Campbell, James A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Grain Adjuster. (open access)

Grain Adjuster.

Patent for a new and improved grain adjuster. This design "consists in the combination, with the platform-frame, of a wire or rod, which is preferably corrugated or bent, and which is fastened to the outer end of the frame and extends inward over the carrier in the rear of the cutter . . . The object of [the] invention is to apply to the frame of binding-machines a corrugated rod or wire, upon which the heads of the grain will catch, and thus prevent the heads of the cut grain from being moved toward the elevator faster than their butts, whereby the grain is presented evenly and regularly" (lines 14-27).
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: French, Horatio Benjamin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire Escape (open access)

Fire Escape

Patent for Fire Escape. "may be folded up out of the way when not in use, and which can be lowered to the ground and secured in position for use in an emergency in the shortest possible space of time and with the least expense of physical force." (lines 15-20) With illustrations.
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: Hornby, James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sash Fastener (open access)

Sash Fastener

Patent for Sash-Fastener. "My invention relates to sash-fasteners for holding and locking a window-sash either in an open or closed position." (lines7-9). With illustrations.
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: Williams, Harry I.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Metallic Shingle. (open access)

Metallic Shingle.

Patent for a new and improved metallic shingle. This design consists in "a roof made up of a series of metallic shingles bent and doubled at the ends . . . and the joint at the sides of the shingle, the doubled ends being bent at the sides to correspond with the joint at the sides of the shingle, whereby a double thickness is provided at the sides of the end joints and notching is obviated" (lines 11-18).
Date: March 27, 1888
Creator: Harry, Hugh Walker
System: The Portal to Texas History
Post Hole Digger. (open access)

Post Hole Digger.

Patent for a new and improved post hole digger. This design has "the combination of the head, consisting of a ring having vertical dove-tailed recesses to receive the blades or cutters, and provided with converging arms uniting so as to form a shank" (lines 61-65). The result is "a convenient, serviceable, and inexpensive tool" (lines 12-13).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Switzer, William C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Stalk Cutter. (open access)

Cotton Stalk Cutter.

Patent for a new and improved stalk cutter. This design "relates to the shearing device of a cotton-stalk cutter; and it consists in a novel construction of the share or blade, which is made to lie comparatively flat on the ground and to sever the stalk with a hand-shear cut" (lines 7-11).
Date: March 27, 1883
Creator: Stone, James Micajah
System: The Portal to Texas History