Improvement in Plows. (open access)

Improvement in Plows.

Patent for improvement in plows: "The invention consists in so attaching a revolving disk, cutter, or colter to the beam of the plow that it will rotate on its own axis, and vibrate laterally, to accommodate itself to the line of draft or direction of the beam of the plow; also, in the means used by which the revolving cutter or colter is attached to the beam of the plow, and having the means of swiveling or turning in the beam to accommodate itself to the line of draft of the plow" (lines 22-31) including illustrations and instructions.
Date: December 28, 1869
Creator: Hall, Thomas J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Adjustable Saddle-Trees. (open access)

Improvement in Adjustable Saddle-Trees.

Patent for "improvements in saddle-trees; and the invention consists in constructing the forward ends of the trees with the hinged connection between its sides, to allow lateral adjustment of the sides to and from each other..." (lines 10-13) including instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 16, 1874
Creator: Heaton, George & Eckley, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Check-Punch. (open access)

Check-Punch.

Patent for a simple, inexpensive, and compact check-punch that can be operated by one hand and doesn't take much power to operate. The machine consists of two movable members, "one of which carries all of the male and the other all of the female dies, said members being so related that when moved relatively to each other in one direction all the male dies move as a single member...and enter the female dies, and when moved in the opposite direction all of said male dies are withdrawn" (lines 12-20).
Date: March 17, 1896
Creator: Woodworth, Charles H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon-Body (open access)

Wagon-Body

Patent for "new and useful improvements in wagon-bodies, having for its object simplicity and durability," (lines 10-12) including illustrations.
Date: December 27, 1887
Creator: Folsome, Charles F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Manifold-Writing Tablet. (open access)

Manifold-Writing Tablet.

Patent for writing platform which allows for the creation of carbon copies.
Date: April 1, 1879
Creator: Morris, Robert, C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Coolers for Railroad-Car Journals. (open access)

Improvement in Coolers for Railroad-Car Journals.

Patent relating to "an apparatus for cooling the journals and boxes of railroad-cars and other vehicles" (lines 27-29). Includes instructions and illustration.
Date: July 15, 1879
Creator: Morris, Robert C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fiber-Machine. (open access)

Fiber-Machine.

Patent for an improvement in fiber machines that is "adaptable to fibers of various plants; but it is especially designed for separating the fiber of plants found in Mexico--such as lechugilla, Spanish dagger, and similar plants" (lines 28-32). The machine is used to separate the usable fiber from the leaves, stalks, and other parts of the plants.
Date: September 2, 1884
Creator: Worthington, George & Parvin, Enoch, J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fiber machine. (open access)

Fiber machine.

Patent for the improvement of fiber-machines, using rolls, bearings, wheels, brushes, racks and pinions.
Date: September 2, 1884
Creator: Worthington, George & Parvin, Enoch J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Car-Axle Boxes. (open access)

Improvement in Car-Axle Boxes.

Patent for improvement to car-axle boxes, specifically "Oil-Collectors for Railroad Journals" (line 6), including illustrations.
Date: August 5, 1879
Creator: Morris, Robert C. & McLane, Hiram H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Journal-Bearing. (open access)

Journal-Bearing.

Patent for a journal-bearing that has an open spring ring that contains the journal and antifriciton devices in its center. The spring ring contracts to its minimum circumference when the journal and antifriciton devices are worn out. There is also a bearing-ring seat that allows contractions "without altering the disposition of the load" (lines 61-62).
Date: December 1, 1896
Creator: Woodworth, Charles H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Retort Vaporizer and Superheater (open access)

Retort Vaporizer and Superheater

Patent for improvements for vaporizers "of simple and highly efficient means for thoroughly and effectively superheating the vapor of water and oil" (lines 13-15).
Date: March 26, 1889
Creator: Biddison, Stella D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Sheet-Metal Vessels (open access)

Improvement in Sheet-Metal Vessels

Patent for a cylindrical vessel made of sheet-metal rather than tin. Including a inward double hanging ledge and two layers of metal soldiered together.
Date: October 14, 1879
Creator: Morris, Robert C. & McLane, Hiram H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Angle-Plates for Doors. (open access)

Improvement in Angle-Plates for Doors.

Patent for a strengthening bracket for improving angle-plates for door hinges, such that the door will be supported from sagging at the hinge.
Date: October 14, 1879
Creator: Morris, Robert C. & McLane, Hiram H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Press. (open access)

Cotton-Press.

Patent for a cotton-press that compresses "cotton as it is delivered from the gin into convenient shape and size of bundle, for facilitating the transportation thereof" (lines 12-15).
Date: June 25, 1895
Creator: Taylor, George
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Seed Linter (open access)

Cotton-Seed Linter

Patent for an improvement "to prevent the accumulation of lint within the lint-chambers; to provide for the automatic discharge of the lint from the saw-teeth; to provide for a thorough agitation of the seed within the seed-reviews, and, finally, to provide for the delivery of the stripped seed from the machine" (lines 12-19).
Date: August 5, 1890
Creator: O'Brien, Edward J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton and Corn Planter. (open access)

Cotton and Corn Planter.

Patent for a cotton and corn planter that does not put as much pressure on the tongue of the machine as previous models and that allows the plow attachment to be lifted higher off the ground to avoid obstacles.
Date: June 4, 1907
Creator: Goodnight, Frank H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Chilling and Whitening Lard Compounds (open access)

Apparatus for Chilling and Whitening Lard Compounds

Patent for an apparatus for chilling and whitening lard compounds that produces stiffer lard.
Date: August 27, 1912
Creator: Humphreys, Jerome N.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wheeled Plow. (open access)

Wheeled Plow.

Patent for a wheeled plow with multiple accessories attached to it that allows for adjustment of each accessory separately, holds the weight of the parts better, and keeps the parts more securely connected to the plow.
Date: February 26, 1907
Creator: Hendon, Walter P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Moistening and Sprinkling Attachment for Brooms. (open access)

Moistening and Sprinkling Attachment for Brooms.

Patent for attachment to brooms which enables the moistening of the broom during use to prevent the spreading of dust. One part regulates the flow of liquid to the broom and another provides a container for the liquid. In effect the attachment to the broom makes it into a convertible mop.
Date: May 23, 1905
Creator: Taylor, James P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Syringe (open access)

Syringe

Patent for a syringe. Illustrations included.
Date: December 15, 1908
Creator: Hill, Hiram McClung & Farrington, Charles Oliphint
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electromagnetic Ore-Separator. (open access)

Electromagnetic Ore-Separator.

Patent for an electromagnetic ore separator, which reduces the risk of any valuable particles falling with the waste mineral material below the magnetic surface.
Date: February 16, 1909
Creator: Charlton, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electrical Battery (open access)

Electrical Battery

Patent for an electrical battery. Illustration included.
Date: June 14, 1904
Creator: Haschke, Juluis E. & Haschke, Feodor G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Headlight-Shade. (open access)

Headlight-Shade.

Patent for a headlight shade which can be pulled down to block the high beam headlights of a train or car when there is an oncoming train or car.
Date: July 18, 1911
Creator: Green, John R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nutcracker (open access)

Nutcracker

Patent for a nutcracker that can be used for a variety of types of nuts without crushing them.
Date: September 10, 1912
Creator: Moser, Frank W.
System: The Portal to Texas History