Bed Stay. (open access)

Bed Stay.

Patent for a new and improved bed stay. This design "consist[s] of wires doubled at their center parts and twisted . . . to form loops . . . and diverged from said twisted parts and attached to the corner portions of the bedstead, and a tension and locking device consisting of a straining-lever fulcrumed to one of the loops and adapted to lock thereon and engaging the other loop" (lines 90-97).
Date: October 2, 1888
Creator: Bethea, Cade
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bed Stay. (open access)

Bed Stay.

Patent for a new and improved bed stay. This design consists in "[t]he combination, in a bed-stay, of wires connected to the corners of the bed-stead, blocks on the wires, loops connected to the blocks, a lever hung to the loop, and a latch device locking the free end of the lever to the loop" (lines 10-15).
Date: December 6, 1887
Creator: Bethea, Cade
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton compressor (open access)

Cotton compressor

Patent for cotton compressor using platens, bearings, pulleys, levels, rods and shafts.
Date: September 1, 1885
Creator: Brown, Maurice T.
System: The Portal to Texas History