Degree Department

Improvement in Hay and Cotton Presses. (open access)

Improvement in Hay and Cotton Presses.

Patent for an improvement of a baling press where the upright framing timbers allows any quantity of cotton to be placed in the bale and creates a uniformity of weight.
Date: July 5, 1873
Creator: Müller, Joseph
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Horse-Powers. (open access)

Improvement in Horse-Powers.

Patent for improvements made to motors that power machinery, called "horse-powers." The specific improvements made are in the arrangement of mechanical pulleys from which the motor derives power, arranged in such a way that will not significantly increase the size or cost of the machine.
Date: February 4, 1873
Creator: Müller, Joseph
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Hay and Cotton Presses. (open access)

Improvement in Hay and Cotton Presses.

Patent for a press that reduces the bulk of cotton, "allowing it to be baled into convenient form for transportation. It consists in a novel mode of attaching the side of the press-box, so that they can be speedily thrown down from the cotton after compression to allow its convenient manipulation. It also consists in a new mode of connecting the follower with its superposed lever, so that it can be readily turned up out of the way when the cotton is being filled into the press-box. It also consists in a peculiar mode of combining lever and the two followers to clamp and press the cotton in between them as if in a vise." (Lines 13-26) Illustration is included.
Date: July 22, 1873
Creator: Nelson, David A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Plows. (open access)

Improvement in Plows.

Patent for an improvement in plow design, including illustrations.
Date: February 25, 1873
Creator: Nichols, James R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Teeth for Cotton-Gin Saws. (open access)

Improvement in Teeth for Cotton-Gin Saws.

Patent for new useful improvement of the cotton-gin saws that consists of the dress or shape of the teeth, includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 6, 1873
Creator: Oglesby, Thomas B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Medical Compounds or Bitters for Treating Chills and Fever. (open access)

Improvement in Medical Compounds or Bitters for Treating Chills and Fever.

Patent for a new medical compound to treat chills and fevers which lists the ingredients and dosages.
Date: May 20, 1873
Creator: Owens, Thomas B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton and Corn Planters. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton and Corn Planters.

Patent for improvement to cotton and corn planters, including a hinged or pivoted frame to carry the plows which can be adjusted by foot levers. Illustration included.
Date: November 11, 1873
Creator: Penington, Asa, Jr.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Medical Compounds. (open access)

Improvement in Medical Compounds.

Patent for a mixture of "amargosa" root, Jamaica ginger, glycerin, and simple syrup for use in treating illnesses of the bowels.
Date: March 18, 1873
Creator: Putegnat, Joseph L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties.

Patent for improving cotton bale ties with buckle-tie plate and zinc-galvanized iron wire.
Date: November 18, 1873
Creator: Quarles, Fred.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Bale-Ties. (open access)

Improvement in Bale-Ties.

Patent for fastening iron or other bands on cotton-bales or packages that put up with iron bands, including illustrations.
Date: February 18, 1873
Creator: Quin, Michael
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement  in Cotton-Cleaners. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Cleaners.

Patent for a new and improved cotton-cleaner that enhances the performance of cotton cleaning. It includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: February 4, 1873
Creator: Ralston, Joe
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Carriage-Springs (open access)

Improvement in Carriage-Springs

Patent for improved design for carriage-springs with included illustrations of the spring design as well as diagram of placement on a carriage/wagon.
Date: April 29, 1873
Creator: Richardson, J. D.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Recording Instruments for Locomotives (open access)

Improvement in Recording Instruments for Locomotives

Patent for improvement in Recording Instruments for recording time, speed, and steam pressure of locomotives or cars or other machinery.
Date: September 26, 1873
Creator: Richardson, John D.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Washing-Machines. (open access)

Improvement in Washing-Machines.

Patent for "washing-machines known as self-regulating machines; and consists in the arrangement for controlling at will the amount of pressure to be used, in combination with the construction of the feed and washing rollers." (Lines 11-15) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: July 1, 1873
Creator: Rowland, William M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Insect-Destroying Compounds. (open access)

Improvement in Insect-Destroying Compounds.

Patent for a "compound for killing the cotton-worm and other insects that infest, eat, and damage the leaves of the cotton-plant," which "consists in combining a poisonous, an adhesive, and a diffusive ingredient in one and the same compound." (Lines 9-14) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 17, 1873
Creator: Royall, William B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Ant-Traps. (open access)

Improvement in Ant-Traps.

Patent for catching burrowing insects, especially for large ants.
Date: July 15, 1873
Creator: Rubarth, Leander
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fluting-Machines. (open access)

Improvement in Fluting-Machines.

Patent for an improvement in gage-fluting machines, including an illustration. "It relates to a machine for fluting or crimping articles of ladies' apparel" (lines 6-7).
Date: January 14, 1873
Creator: Saunders, David R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Sinking Pneumatic Piles or Caissons. (open access)

Improvement in Sinking Pneumatic Piles or Caissons.

Patent for certain improvements in sinking and securing of pneumatic piles or caissons, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 13, 1873
Creator: Sickels, Frederick E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Corn and Cotton Planters. (open access)

Improvement in Corn and Cotton Planters.

Patent for a new and useful seed-planter for corns and cottons, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 3, 1873
Creator: Sims, Zachariah B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton-Plows. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Plows.

Patent for improvements in plows with removable curved flanges.
Date: July 29, 1873
Creator: Sims, Zachariah B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cultivators. (open access)

Improvement in Cultivators.

Patent for an improvement in the design of corn and cotton cultivators, including illustrations.
Date: January 21, 1873
Creator: Sims, Zachariah B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Excavators. (open access)

Improvement in Excavators.

Patent for improvement in earth excavators combining a plow, rotating cylinder, and helical plate.
Date: May 6, 1873
Creator: Smith, Amroy B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties.

Patent for a new and valuable improvement in Cotton-Bale Tie, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 2, 1873
Creator: Starr, Henry D.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in the Manufacture of Fertilizers. (open access)

Improvement in the Manufacture of Fertilizers.

Patent for a process of treating waste animal matter from tallow-rendering factories with plaster-of-paris for use as fertilizer.
Date: November 25, 1873
Creator: Stevens, Hennell
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History