Car-Coupling (open access)

Car-Coupling

Patent for "an automatic car-coupling which may be uncoupled from the sides of the cars, and which will allow of a car on which it is provided being coupled to a car provided with the ordinary link-and-pin coupling" (lines 7-12).
Date: October 30, 1888
Creator: Eddleman, Thomas J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire-Stretcher. (open access)

Wire-Stretcher.

Patent for an improved, simple, and inexpensive wire-stretcher that enables "one person to stretch fence wires conveniently for the purpose of mending them, or for stapling or otherwise securing them to fence posts in constructing fences" (lines 13-17).
Date: October 30, 1894
Creator: Crisp, James E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Medicine Dial. (open access)

Medicine Dial.

Patent for a new and improved medicine-dial. This design "consists in the combination of an upright or standard, which is suitably bent, with a revolving dial, which is placed thereon and which can be turned so as to indicate the time when the next dose of medicine is to be taken. The object of [the] invention is to produce a medicine-dial which can be stuck into the cork of the bottle of medicine or cover of any kind and set so as to indicate when the next dose is to be administered" (lines 13-23).
Date: October 30, 1888
Creator: Wesson, Miley B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trolley-Catcher. (open access)

Trolley-Catcher.

Patent for a simple and efficient trolley pole that can be "dropped to a position of safety when the trolley wheel leaves the wire, whereby the pole is prevented from coming in contact with the supports of the trolley wire, the feeders, &c." (lines 10-14). The pole is easily re-engaged.
Date: October 30, 1894
Creator: Cobb, Woodson D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cut-Out for Electric Circuits. (open access)

Cut-Out for Electric Circuits.

Patent for a new and improved cut-out for circuits. This design consists in "[a] cut-out for an incandescent lamp embodying, essentially, a magnet or solenoid in derivation from the filament, spring-contacts completing the circuit from the filament to the line on one side, and an armature-lever electrically connected with said magnet adapted to disrupt the circuit between said contacts and maintain the continuity of the circuit through itself" (lines 93-101).
Date: October 30, 1888
Creator: McDill, Henry C.
System: The Portal to Texas History