Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design's "objects are, first, to couple cars of various altitudes; second, to couple the cars automatically; third, to uncouple from the top or side of the car; [and] fourth, to dispense with pins" (lines 16-20). It consists in a "draw-head [that] is provided with an elastic cover having a link-lifting arm secured thereto, a lever for oscillating said cover, performing the duplex function of disengaging the link and permitting its egress, a sloping projection from the base of said draw-head engaging the link on contact, and the bent link" (lines 51-58).
Date: November 11, 1890
Creator: Burns, John Calvin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Chopper. (open access)

Cotton-Chopper.

Patent for a device by which cotton can be easily, quickly and accurately chopped, "leaving cotton stands the distance apart for future cultivation and to insure the most rapid and satisfactory growth," (lines 13-16) including illustrations.
Date: November 10, 1891
Creator: Henderson, Neely Trimmier & Smith, William F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lumber-Carrier (open access)

Lumber-Carrier

Patent for an improved lumber carrier which, as the cart travels down hill with the weight of the lumber it is prevented from rolling backwards if it were to lose speed by engaging of pawls with notches to hold it in place. It can then be manually pushed to get it started again.
Date: November 15, 1892
Creator: Chauvin, Phillip A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam-Engine. (open access)

Steam-Engine.

Patent for a steam-engine that has "no dead-center" (lines 15-16), and "a volume of one full port will always be exerted on a piston" (lines 18-19). "The full power of the steam will be applied when the crank is on the quarter and there is the greatest leverage in favor of the engine" (lines 21-24). Steam supply is regulated automatically and has a shutoff system in case anything breaks.
Date: November 10, 1896
Creator: Barton, James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate. (open access)

Gate.

Patent for an improved, simple, and inexpensive swinging gate that is strong, durable, and doesn't sag. It can be fully opened and easily conteracted.
Date: November 6, 1894
Creator: Hefner, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Saw Mill Dog. (open access)

Saw Mill Dog.

Patent for a new and improved saw mill dog. This design "is an improvement in the class of dogging apparatus which is affixed to one of the knees of a head-block of the log-carriage" (lines 8-11). The improvement consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, specifically "the notched dog and adjustable slotted drop-catch with the slotted moveable dog-bar and base-stand" (lines 77-79).
Date: November 2, 1880
Creator: Wickham, William J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for an improved car coupling, including illustrations. "This invention relates to an improvement to car coupling, having for its object to effect the coupling of cars with facility and without danger to the operator, the coupling operation being performed automatically, and without requiring the passing of the operator between the cars" (lines 10-15).
Date: November 7, 1882
Creator: Nelson, John B.
System: The Portal to Texas History