The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 8. (open access)

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 8.

Records of the War of the Rebellion include copies of army correspondence (reports, letters, telegrams, and general orders) from both the Union and Confederate Armies discussing their operations. The first series contains formal reports which, according to the preface in Volume 1, will be arranged "according to the campaigns and several theaters of operations (in the chronological order of the events), and the Union reports of any event will, as a rule, be immediately followed by the Confederate accounts" (p. iii). Index starts on page 835.
Date: 1883
Creator: United States. War Department.
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 9. (open access)

The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 9.

Records of the War of the Rebellion include copies of army correspondence (reports, letters, telegrams, and general orders) from both the Union and Confederate Armies discussing their operations. The first series contains formal reports which, according to the preface in Volume 1, will be arranged "according to the campaigns and several theaters of operations (in the chronological order of the events), and the Union reports of any event will, as a rule, be immediately followed by the Confederate accounts" (p. iii). Index starts on page 737.
Date: 1883
Creator: United States. War Department.
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History
Folding Packing Case. (open access)

Folding Packing Case.

Patent for a new and improved folding packing-case. This design "consists in the construction of a folding packing-case with a bottom tray adapted to receive the inner detachable partitions of the case when it is folded up for transportation, and with a lid formed with flanges adapted to overlap and inclose and thus protect the edges of the sides and ends of the case and tray when folded down, so that it will the more securely withstand rough handling in shipment, and in providing ventilating-apertures in the sides of the case, to be left open or closed at pleasure" (lines 19-30).
Date: March 20, 1883
Creator: Van Hutton, William B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Blind Stops. (open access)

Blind Stops.

Patent for a new and improved stop for blinds. This design "is to provide a convenient means by which blind-slats may be swung on their pivots, so as to open or close to the extent desired" (lines 8-11).
Date: June 5, 1883
Creator: Vandervoort, Charles Frederick
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dry Ore-Concentrator (open access)

Dry Ore-Concentrator

Patent for improvements specifically for ore concentrators. Illustrations and instructions included.
Date: January 18, 1883
Creator: Vollmer, John George
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Railway Steam Car Brake (open access)

Railway Steam Car Brake

Patent for improvement in railway car brake by adding a steam actuating device attached to the locomotive.
Date: May 22, 1883
Creator: Walker, Fred B. & Lauder, James
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Motor (open access)

Motor

Patent for a new and improved motor. This design's "object is to provide a motor possessing superior advantages in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness, easy operation, and general efficiency" (lines 11-14).
Date: November 6, 1883
Creator: Watkins, Samuel H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Landside for Plows. (open access)

Landside for Plows.

Patent for a new and improved plow landside. This design "consists in a landside for plows made with a slotted flange to rest upon the forward side of the plow-standard, and a flange to rest upon the bottom of the furrow, whereby the plow will be made stronger, more durable, and more effective, and will be made to run steadier . . . The object of this invention is to increase the strength and durability of plow-plates, and obtain the efficiency and steadiness of ordinary turn-plows without their weight" (lines 21-31).
Date: August 21, 1883
Creator: Wherry, William B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design "relates to car-couplings of that class which effect an automatic coupling by means of a gravity hook; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction and operation of the same" (lines 9-13).
Date: April 24, 1883
Creator: Whiting, Lewis Peck
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lamp Chimney Cap. (open access)

Lamp Chimney Cap.

Patent for a new and improved cap for oil lamps. A lamp "equipped with [this] improvement may therefore be carried outdoors without danger of being put out or exploding on account of rain or wind. The protector, being made of metal, also serves by radiation to equalize the heat of the chimney and prevent it from cracking" (lines 48-54). Further, it is simpler and more durable than previous lamp-chimney caps.
Date: October 16, 1883
Creator: Wiesendanger, Emil Ulrich
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mosquito Bar Frame. (open access)

Mosquito Bar Frame.

Patent for a new and improved mosquito netting. This design "relates to mosquito-bar frames, and its object is to provide a device possessing superior advantages in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness, ease of adjustment, and general efficiency" (lines 9-13).
Date: October 16, 1883
Creator: Williams, Gilbert L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Horse Detacher. (open access)

Horse Detacher.

Patent for a new and improved device for detaching animals from vehicles. This design "relates to horse detaching devices, the object being to provide a device of this character of simple, inexpensive, and durable construction, and adapted to readily disengage the traces from the single tree. [The] invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts" (lines 10-16).
Date: February 13, 1883
Creator: Willson, Sam A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Condenser. (open access)

Condenser.

Patent for a new and improved condenser. This design "consists in the construction and novel arrangement of a series of condensing-compartments, forming a continuous convoluted condensing-vessel having vertical walls, to be employed in the process of extracting alcohol, essential oils, ether, &c." (lines 18-23).
Date: July 24, 1883
Creator: Wilmans, Frederick A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam Engine. (open access)

Steam Engine.

Patent for a new and improved steam engine. This design "consists in the construction and novel arrangement, in connection with a cylinder having bearings for the piston-shaft at each end and steam and exhaust ports at opposite ends, of an axially-elongated piston having opposite spiral threads or ribs of gradually-decreasing pitch from the end at which the steam enters to the end at which it escapes" (lines 19-26).
Date: July 3, 1883
Creator: Wilson, John C.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Seed-Planter. (open access)

Seed-Planter.

Patent for a seed planter, with illustrations. "The object of this invention is to facilitate the planting of seeds, and also to promote convenience in adjusting and operating the planter" (lines 22-24).
Date: May 8, 1883
Creator: Wise, David
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Windmill. (open access)

Windmill.

Patent for a new and improved windmill. This design "consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the radial arms of the wheel-frame and the vertical pivot-posts thereon, the sails or fans pivoted to said posts, the pivoted detents, and the pivoted governing-levers to which said detents are connected, said levers carrying adjustable weights" (lines 16-23).
Date: June 5, 1883
Creator: Witherspoon, Frank
Object Type: Patent
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
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cap. (open access)

Cap.

Patent for a new and improved cap. This design calls for "an adjustable pillow, which can be used when desired, and folded up out of the way when not in use. To accomplish this . . . the cap [has] an air-tight sack or pillow, which can be inflated when needed, and when not in use the air can be withdrawn and the pillow folded up out of the way in the top of the cap" (lines 25-32).
Date: December 18, 1883
Creator: Wood, William E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Boot and Shoe Indicator. (open access)

Boot and Shoe Indicator.

Patent for a new and improved boot and shoe display. This design "is to provide an indicator for the use of retail dealers in boots and shoes, or other merchandise and wares, by which apparatus the stock can be kept with great accuracy and facility. To that end . . . an indicating-plate with slides [is included], which is to be attached upon the boxes, shelves, drawers, or other receptacles for the goods, as an indicator for showing what goods are contained in the receptacle" (lines 8-17).
Date: April 3, 1883
Creator: Woodlief, George T. & Dunn, George Roe.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Burglar Alarm. (open access)

Burglar Alarm.

Patent for a new and improved burglar alarm. This design "consists in the combination of the lock-frame with a pivoted plate which is connected to it at one end, and which plate carries the nipple to receive the catch, and is provided with sharp points to catch in the jamb of the door, with a sidewise-moving trigger, which is operated by the door, and a set-screw for securing the lock-plate in position upon the door" (lines 13-21).
Date: June 26, 1883
Creator: Wright, William Henry
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History