Locking Joints for Railway-Rail Joints. (open access)

Locking Joints for Railway-Rail Joints.

Patent for a locking device for railway-rail joints. It improves how the meeting rail ends are fastened, and prevents accidental disconnection. It is "a locking fish-plate having keyhole bolt-slots, the narrow portion of the slots having inclined sides, the inclination diminishing gradually toward the end, and double-headed bolts, one of the heads being tapered, whereby the bolt is subjected to a double wedging action" (lines 56-61). A face-plate is perforated and receives the tapered heads and securing-rivets.
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Anderson, Lee
System: The Portal to Texas History
Stamp Mill (open access)

Stamp Mill

Patent for a stamp mill. "The object of the invention is to present a stamp-mill which with a minimum of space utilized for the operating mechanism will give the maximum of output." (line 8-11) illustrations included.
Date: July 21, 1903
Creator: Baker, Richard J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Friction-Clutch (open access)

Friction-Clutch

Patent for friction clutch (used in automobiles) that would allow better control over rotary parts, even when driving in reverse. The improved control is partially due to the inclusion of a tension device unique to this clutch.
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Barry, David Redmond
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam Generating System (open access)

Steam Generating System

Patent for steam generating system. Illustration included.
Date: July 21, 1908
Creator: Bebber, August W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Button. (open access)

Button.

Patent for a button that can fit in any buttonhole. It is "a bar having a button or know affixed thereto and having key-hole-slots, of a button attached to an arm having a tongue and a contracted offset portion adjacent thereto and between the same and the button carried thereby, the said tongue being of a thickness substantially the same as the width of the slot" (lines 55-62).
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Burroughs, John J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cleaning Device for Wells (open access)

Cleaning Device for Wells

Patent for a device that removes loose debris in wells
Date: July 21, 1917
Creator: Carden, David A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fluid-Dispensing Apparatus. (open access)

Fluid-Dispensing Apparatus.

Patent for improvements to a fluid-dispensing apparatus for fluids such as oil. Safety features relieve air pressure through a valve and a pressure tank.
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Catron, John James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pulverizer and cultivator. (open access)

Pulverizer and cultivator.

Patent for improvement of pulverizer and cultivator, which according to the inventors, "pulverizes the soil in an improved manner, and with less expenditure in power in draft, and so that the land can be plowed close up to plants growing in rows, but which are not regularly in line with one another".
Date: July 21, 1885
Creator: Chambers, John R.; Chambers, Silas; Chambers, Asa & Davis, William Jefferson
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lawn-Mower. (open access)

Lawn-Mower.

Patent for lawn mower with special stationary blades; designed to improve the operation of the rotary blades with which the stationary blades come into contact, thus "insuring an easy running, and a perfectly clean and smooth shearing of the grass, and prevent any shock, grinding or clicking, when the contact is made" (lines 8-11).
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Clark, Josepsh Chester
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties.

Patent for the improvement in cotton-bale ties, with description and illustrations.
Date: July 21, 1874
Creator: Cooper, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Water-Wheel. (open access)

Water-Wheel.

Patent for a water-wheel that rotates around a vertical axis and that has blade-like arms that enable the wheel to convert flowing water into rotational energy.
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Crisp, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Brake. (open access)

Car Brake.

Patent for a new and improved brake for railroad cars. This design "consists in the combination, with the brake, of an angle-lever on the end part of the car, a draw-head on the car, a lever pivoted on the same, a rod connecting the said lever with the angle-lever, a toothed locking-bar on the standard, and a pin on the lever on the standard" (lines 10-16).
Date: July 21, 1885
Creator: Daudelin, Joseph M.T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Means for Ventilating and Expelling Water from Mines. (open access)

Means for Ventilating and Expelling Water from Mines.

Patent for a ventilation and water pumping system for mines, which pumps out water underground, removes foul air and gases, and keeps the mine supplied with fresh air through pressurizing the air in the mine.
Date: July 21, 1908
Creator: Durack, Patrick H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Tie Buckle (open access)

Cotton Tie Buckle

Patent for a cotton tie buckle. This invention is an improvement for cotton-bands to prevent slipping. Illustration included.
Date: July 21, 1903
Creator: Eddleman, Dudley E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tourist's Glass. (open access)

Tourist's Glass.

Patent for improvements to tourists' glasses, "intended for use to tourists, hunters, ranchmen, botanists, minerologists, and analogous purposes" (lines 25-27) including illustrations.
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Faehrmann, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Tourist's Glass. (open access)

Tourist's Glass.

Patent for "new and useful improvements in tourists' glasses" (lines 5-6)
Date: July 21, 1914
Creator: Faehrmann, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Saw Attachment. (open access)

Saw Attachment.

Patent for a handsaw attachment that gauges the depth to which one wishes to cut. It is a bar with an extended foot and clamping devices for attaching the device to the top and handle of the saw.
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Gowdan, Richard H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press (open access)

Baling-Press

Patent for a baling press with an improved plunger which returns to upright position automatically after pressing the bale.
Date: July 21, 1908
Creator: Hamilton, James William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Shoe Holder for Boot Blacking Stands (open access)

Shoe Holder for Boot Blacking Stands

Patent for a shoe holder for boot blacking stands. This invention is to provide an inexpensive tree stand to firmly hold in place shoes for polishing. Illustration included.
Date: July 21, 1903
Creator: Hann, Edmund Lyne
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate. (open access)

Gate.

Patent for a rotary gate that has latch-posts and spring-latches at its ends. The spring-latches are designed to employ the latches. "Levers fulcrumed on the top of the gate and connected with each other, connecting-rods connecting said levers with the spring-latches, and vibratory braces rising from the sides of the gate and secured to said levers" (lines 33-37).
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Holder, Elisha G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Computing Machine (open access)

Computing Machine

Patent for a computing machine for addition and subtraction. Illustration included.
Date: July 21, 1908
Creator: Jackson, Joshua Terry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Confection Dipping Machine (open access)

Confection Dipping Machine

Patent for a confection dipping machine. "This inventions relates to machines for coating bonbons, drop-cores, caramels, nuts, and the like with a superficial coating of confection material" (line 8-11_ illustrations included.
Date: July 21, 1903
Creator: Jenner, Edward J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Air Motor. (open access)

Air Motor.

Patent for a new and improved air-motor. This design is of an "air-motor, consisting of an engine, single-acting air-pump, air-receiver, and the double-acting exhaust-pump, with the valves and connections . . . [and] the levers and segments" (lines 81-87).
Date: July 21, 1885
Creator: Koniakowsky, Alois M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Horse-Check. (open access)

Horse-Check.

Patent for an automatic that prevents horses from starting off when left unattended. It detects when the vehicle begins moving and pulls back on the reins.
Date: July 21, 1896
Creator: Lee, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History