Apparatus for Handling Brick. (open access)

Apparatus for Handling Brick.

Patent for an apparatus for handling brick "whereby the number of brick handled by a single hand may be greatly increased" (lines 9-11) including illustrations.
Date: January 3, 1888
Creator: Aber, Edgar
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Banana-Case (open access)

Banana-Case

Patent for a banana case to "provide a case or crate in which bananas may be readily packed and transported without injury to the fruit."
Date: November 13, 1888
Creator: Aiken, Robert H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
File Case. (open access)

File Case.

Patent for a new and improved file case. This design "[t]he combination, with a case, of the pockets constructed in a series of a single piece of material having partitions formed by long folds connected at the bottom by short folds . . . [and t]he combination, with the folded pockets, of the file case having its sides constructed to overlap a part of the ends of the pockets, and an elastic follower with thumb-pieces arranged to bind with the sides of the case by straightening" (lines 9-24).
Date: July 31, 1888
Creator: Altfather, William F.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hame Tug. (open access)

Hame Tug.

Patent for a new and improved hame-tug. This design "relates to a hame and trace attachment, having for its object to provide a simple, strong, and durable device to connect the front end of the trace chain or strap to the hame, whereby the movement of the said chain or strap is prevented from wearing the parts, and thus necessitating frequent repair or replacement" (lines 9-16).
Date: September 18, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Charley N. & McPhaill, Robert
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hame. (open access)

Hame.

Patent for a new and improved hame. This design "has relation to hames, and more particularly to the means of securing the hames adjustable to each other, and for connecting the usual parts of the harness thereto; and among the objects in view are to provide an easily-manipulated serviceable hame connection that may be adjusted to fit any sized collars, and which may be constructed at a minimum cost" (lines 11-19).
Date: November 13, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Lee
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nut Lock. (open access)

Nut Lock.

Patent for a new and improved nut lock. This design has, "[i]n combination with a bolt having a cylindrical stem and a head beveled on its inner face, a nut tapped to receive the threaded end of the bolt and prevented from turning" (lines 73-77).
Date: January 31, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Lee
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nut Lock. (open access)

Nut Lock.

Patent for a new and improved nut-lock. This design consists in "the plate having the outstanding lugs, the retaining arms pivoted to one of said lugs, the detent between said lugs, and the locking-bolts having the head portion and the corrugated shank" (lines 64-68).
Date: June 19, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Lee
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Top Prop. (open access)

Top Prop.

Patent for a new and improved top prop. This design consists in "the combination of a block, a supporting-arm mounted thereon, and a strap passing about the arm and bows and secured to the block. . . . [and a] plate provided with tubular hub and lug, [another] plate provided with an opening to fit the hub, an arm provided with a seat and with a circular opening to fit upon the hub, and a bolt or screw" (lines 82-87).
Date: December 18, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Lee
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trace Lock for Harness. (open access)

Trace Lock for Harness.

Patent for a new and improved trace-lock for harnesses. This design consists in "the combination of the bolt, the metal strap secured to the trace, provided with the recess, the projection, and the slot having the enlarged opening, the locking-plate pivoted on the recess having the opening, and the spring" (lines 72-77).
Date: June 26, 1888
Creator: Anderson, Lee
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press. (open access)

Baling-Press.

Patent for "certain new and useful improvements in baling-presses." (Lines 5-6) Illustrations are included.
Date: April 3, 1888
Creator: Archer, Roger W.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Corn Planting Attachment. (open access)

Corn Planting Attachment.

Patent for a new and improved attachment for planters. This design consists in "the combination of a standard having a seed box at its upper end provided with a longitudinal groove in the upper side of the bottom, and with slots in the end walls registering with the groove and having an arm projecting laterally from the lower end, a wheel journaled upon the said arm, a seed-slide in the groove, a bell-crank fulcrumed upon a rearwardly-projecting bracket of the box, a connecting-rod pivoted to the wheel and to the rear arm of the bell-crank, and a connecting-rod pivoted to the upper arm of the bell-crank" (lines 41-53).
Date: March 20, 1888
Creator: Aten, Frank L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Door Check. (open access)

Door Check.

Patent for a new and improved door check. This design consists in "the combination, with a wheel provided with annular offsets and journaled in a movable bearing, the brake, and the spring, of the sheath provided with vertical grooves for the U-shaped bearing" (lines 54-58).
Date: July 3, 1888
Creator: Bachman, Joseph A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Shutter Fastener. (open access)

Shutter Fastener.

Patent for a new and improved shutter fastener. This design "has for its object the production of a simple and efficient device, and one that can be conveniently operated from the inside of the blind, but not readily tampered with or opened from the outside without removing some of the slats of the blind. . . . one part—a bolt—is carried by the blind, and the other part—a catch—is secured to the windowsill and locks the bolt, so as to unfasten the blind both hands are required—one hand to operate the catch, the other hand to operate the bolt" (lines 16-30).
Date: April 10, 1888
Creator: Bachman, Joseph A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon Break (open access)

Wagon Break

Patent for improvements in wagon-breaks, with the object of providing simple, effective, and durable means by which the breaks may be applied by either foot or hand power (lines 8-12). Additionally, provides "improved means for altering the power of the breaks" (lines 18-19).
Date: September 18, 1888
Creator: Baker, Owen T.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined or Covertible Tool. (open access)

Combined or Covertible Tool.

Patent for a new and improved multi-tool. This design consists in "[t]he combination of a screw-driver, its blade having a hole and a lug, and its handle having in its end a socket with a slotted reversible tool, pointed at one end and formed for a screw-driver at the other end adjustably held against one side of the screw-driver by means of a screw and nut and the lug, and adapted to fit in the socket when out of use" (lines 63-71).
Date: November 20, 1888
Creator: Barber, Edwin L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling Press. (open access)

Baling Press.

Patent for a new and improved baling press. This design consists in "the frame, drum, the power-ropes to be wound thereon, and the platen combined with the levers having rounded upper and lower ends to operate in rounded sockets in the said platen and the upper part of the frame and the toggle-joints near the centers of the said levers, comprising the rounded projection on one of the members adapted to fit a corresponding cavity or recess in the adjacent end of the other member, the lateral ears and the pin to pass through said ears and the rounded projection" (lines 12-23).
Date: May 15, 1888
Creator: Bartle, John Nelson
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Animal Trap. (open access)

Animal Trap.

Patent for a new and improved animal trap. This design consists in "a platform having a rod or bar secured to its upper face, and having the ends of the choke-spring coiled thereon, pins or prongs extending from one edge of the platform for engagement with a side of a box, a box having one of its sides elevated, against which the pronged end of the platform abuts for engagement therewith, and having recesses in its opposite ends for the recession of a loop, which passes thence over the free end of the platform for binding the same to the box" (lines 3-14).
Date: June 12, 1888
Creator: Beach, Philemon Theodore
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hand Propelling Device for Sewing Machines. (open access)

Hand Propelling Device for Sewing Machines.

Patent for a new and improved crank for sewing machines. This design "is to provide propelling device for sewing-machines and similar treadle-power machines which shall dispense with the treadle-action and injurious strain which its use imposes . . . It consists in a rod jointed to the fly-wheel after the manner of a pitman, but which, instead of connecting with a treadle, is fashioned into a handle, which extends obliquely upward toward the operator, and is combined with and held in place by a guide-frame made in the form of a pendent metal loop with flanged ends and screw-holes" (lines 8-21).
Date: April 10, 1888
Creator: Beaird, Kate Palmer
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Damper (open access)

Automatic Damper

Patent for "an attachment for stove-dampers whereby said dampers will be automatically moved, in order that the fire may be maintained at a predetermined heat" (lines 9-13).
Date: January 31, 1888
Creator: Beauchamp, William A. J.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Boot (open access)

Boot

Patent for a boot design that contains a counter-support of coil springs while also being inexpensive, durable, and efficient.
Date: October 2, 1888
Creator: Benson, Henry L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compound Tool. (open access)

Compound Tool.

Patent for a new and improved multi-tool. This design "consist[s], essentially, of the lever having a cutter recessed and centrally-perforated enlargement, a notch at the outer end of the said enlargement, and a curved and tapering jaw, and a lever, similarly enlarged and recessed . . . and centrally perforated, and having a head, a notch, and a curved and tapering jaw, and the rivet for uniting the two levers at the recessed enlargement" (lines 73-82).
Date: October 2, 1888
Creator: Benson, James
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combination-Lock. (open access)

Combination-Lock.

Patent for improvement upon a combination-lock.
Date: May 1, 1888
Creator: Bergman, John
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lock (open access)

Lock

Patent for "improvements in locks, having special reference to locks for the doors of freight-cars; and it has for its object to provide a strong lock so constructed as to be comparatively safe from the attacks of lockpickers" (lines 8-13).
Date: September 11, 1888
Creator: Bergman, John
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Loading Wagons. (open access)

Apparatus for Loading Wagons.

Patent for a new and improved apparatus for loading wagons. This design consists in "[t]he combination of the platform having the opening and the trap-doors, the fastening devices to secure the trap-doors when closed and to permit the same to open, and the counter-weights connected to the trap-doors" (lines 24-28).
Date: November 27, 1888
Creator: Bernard, Alfred Franklin
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History