Insect Trap. (open access)

Insect Trap.

Patent for a new and improved ant trap. This design "consists in forming the trough of a quadrangular form, and V-shaped in cross-section, with the plates of the opposite sections of the trough forming wedges adapted to be forced into the ground around the mouth of the ant-hill and securely anchor the trap in the ground" (lines 41-46).
Date: June 26, 1883
Creator: Bunnell, James F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Churn. (open access)

Rotary Churn.

Patent for a new and improved rotary churn. This design consists in "[t]he combination of the supporting frame, the walking-beam, two crank-shafts journaled in the rear part of said frame, means for connecting the walking-beam with said shafts, a balance-wheel and dasher carried by one of said shafts, a larger balance wheel connected to the other shaft, and a churn-body secured to said balance-wheel" (lines 50-57).
Date: September 21, 1886
Creator: Stafford, George A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Blacking Brush and Blacking Box Holder. (open access)

Combined Blacking Brush and Blacking Box Holder.

Patent for a new and improved combination blacking brush and blacking box holder. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with a blacking brush, of a swinging frame held on the back of the brush, and of devices for holding a blacking-box loosely, so as to be adapted to be rotated in the said swinging frame" (lines 82-86).
Date: April 3, 1883
Creator: Wood, Edmund Lorenzo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Blacking Brush. (open access)

Blacking Brush.

Patent for a new and improved blacking brush. This design utilizes springs to move a blacking brush to and from a can of polish. This results in "evenness of wear of the bristles of the brush, economy of blacking, absence of spattering while extracting the blacking from the box, convenience in substituting the circular brush as a lid for the box in case of loss of the box-lid, and the saving of time in looking for a blacking-brush and a blacking-box separately" (lines 53-60).
Date: September 21, 1880
Creator: Wood, Edmund Lorenzo.
System: The Portal to Texas History