Cotton-Chopper Attachment for Cultivators (open access)

Cotton-Chopper Attachment for Cultivators

Patent for a chopping device that can be attached to an existing cultivator, allowing for the use of the cultivator to become a more versatile farm vehicle.
Date: December 24, 1901
Creator: Vickers, John J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Chopper. (open access)

Cotton-Chopper.

Patent for a cotton chopper, which attaches to a cultivator.
Date: June 14, 1910
Creator: Vickers, John J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Chemical Fire-Extinguisher. (open access)

Chemical Fire-Extinguisher.

Patent for chemical fire extinguishers "in which the acid-bottle consists of two concentric cylinders, the inner one of which is open at top and bottom, and which, when the bottle is placed in the cylinder containing the water and soda, potash, or other material, a compressed-air seal will be formed, preventing the acid and water from commingling; but when the bottle is inverted the seal will be broken, and the water and acid coming together will generate the gas." (Lines 18-28) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 31, 1895
Creator: Flatau, Louis Spencer
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard. (open access)

Cattle-Guard.

Patent for a simple cattle guard for railroads "which may be applied conveniently and economically to a cattle gap, and which will prevent cattle from getting their legs caught between the sleepers above the gap, which will also prevent cattle from passing over the gap, and which will frighten the cattle from the track" (lines 16-22).
Date: July 18, 1893
Creator: Hills, Lorenzo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard. (open access)

Cattle-Guard.

Patent for a cattle-guard that improves on patents previously granted to the inventor (No. 516,307 and No. 501,785). The improvements include "the provision of a counter balance or lever with a weight slidingly thereon, which can be adjusted so as to better regulate the platform (lines 25-28) and perforated guards, which will not get as damaged by the wind as non-perforated guards. The patent also includes springs under the platform instead of springs under the sills.
Date: September 11, 1894
Creator: Hills, Lorenzo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard. (open access)

Cattle-Guard.

Patent for a cattle-guard that does not let cattle become entangled and killed in the guard, and does not allow cattle to pass over the rails. Cattle also will not get thrown or trip on the guard, and the trains will not be endangered.
Date: March 13, 1894
Creator: Hills, Lorenzo
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press (open access)

Baling-Press

Patent for an improvement in the construction and design of baling presses.
Date: July 2, 1889
Creator: Flatau, Louis S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Whiffletree. (open access)

Whiffletree.

Patent for a new and improved whiffletree. This design consists in "[t]he combination of a whiffletree formed of a single metal plate having the perforations and bent to form a hollow tree, the hooks and ring having the enlarged perforated ends, and the rivets" (lines 91-95).
Date: July 2, 1889
Creator: Flatau, Louis S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Continuous Recording-Seal and Door-Fastener. (open access)

Continuous Recording-Seal and Door-Fastener.

Patent for a continuous recording-seal and door-fastener. The purpose behind this patent is the continuous recording-seal and door-fastener itself which is intended to "provide a simple means of fastening, sealing, and cleating or closing the crack of a car or other sliding hinge door" (lines 9-12).
Date: March 29, 1887
Creator: Ferguson, George J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Clock Speed Regulator And Recorder (open access)

Combined Clock Speed Regulator And Recorder

Patent for a combined clock-speed regulator and recorder. This object is used for recording and measuring speed in a vehicle.
Date: April 30, 1918
Creator: Cook, Charles T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire Tightener. (open access)

Wire Tightener.

Patent for a new and improved wire tightener. This design is especially "for use in the tightening of wires in the construction of fences and in taking up slack after such fences have been constructed, but which instrument is also capable of use in tying packages with wire, binding planks to posts, and in other instances where it is desirable to tighten wire and secure it when so tightened. The invention consists, broadly, in a wire-tightener having a frame provided with guides for the wire and with a threaded bearing, a screw turning in said bearing, and a hook on said screw to engage the wire" (lines 8-20).
Date: February 12, 1889
Creator: Flatau, Louis S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wire-Tightener. (open access)

Wire-Tightener.

Patent for "an improved wire-tightener especially designed for use in the tightening of wires in the construction of fences and in taking up slack after such fences have been constructed, but which instrument is also capable of use in tying packages with wire, binding planks to posts, and in other instances where it is desirable to tighten wire and secure it when so tightened." (Lines 7-15) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: September 7, 1891
Creator: Flatau, Louis S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wagon-Brake. (open access)

Wagon-Brake.

Patent for improvements in automatically operated wagon-brakes using the combination of tongue, rods, hook, levers, spring and chains that connected with each other and secured beneath the wagon-bed to operate the wagon-brake. Illustration is included.
Date: August 25, 1891
Creator: Garrett, James B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Wind-Wheel. (open access)

Wind-Wheel.

Patent for "new and useful Invention in Wind-Wheels" (lines 5-6), including illustrations.
Date: April 22, 1902
Creator: Cannon, Burrell
System: The Portal to Texas History
Insect Destroyer (open access)

Insect Destroyer

Patent for an insect destroyer. This invention is designed to destroy boll weevils by using blowers and agitators that send the boll weevils to receptacles filled with liquid. Illustration included.
Date: July 7, 1908
Creator: Vickers, John J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Washing-Machines. (open access)

Improvement in Washing-Machines.

Patent for the improvement of washing machines, using two washboards. It includes a description and illustrations.
Date: May 21, 1872
Creator: Harper, William F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Seed-Planters. (open access)

Improvement in Seed-Planters.

Patent for an improvement in seed-planters, illustration included.
Date: January 26, 1875
Creator: Garner, John G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Single-Trees (open access)

Improvement in Single-Trees

Patent for "a new and Improved Single-Tree and Breast Yoke." (lines 3-4) Includes specifications and illustrations.
Date: October 3, 1876
Creator: Flatau, Louis
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Single-Trees. (open access)

Improvement in Single-Trees.

Patent for "a new and useful improvement in Wooden Single-Trees" (lines 3-4), "for plows and other similar drafts" (lines 15-16), including instructions and illustrations.
Date: December 18, 1877
Creator: Bass, Thomas Gibson
System: The Portal to Texas History
Whiffletree (open access)

Whiffletree

Patent for a whiffletree, a type of doubletree, which is part of a horse's harness.
Date: November 4, 1902
Creator: Stansell, William H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Combined Seed-Planter, Fertilizer-Distributer, and Cultivator. (open access)

Improvement in Combined Seed-Planter, Fertilizer-Distributer, and Cultivator.

Patent for improvement in a combined seed-planter, fertilizer-distributer, and cultivator by attaching some prongs to a dropping-wheel for the purpose of taking hold of the cotton-seed and draw it out of the hopper. This dropping-wheel can be covered with a case when planning seeds and, removed if fertilizer is to be distributed with small seeds. Illustration is included.
Date: November 21, 1876
Creator: Flatau, Louis
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Hame-Fastenings. (open access)

Improvement in Hame-Fastenings.

Patent for improvements in economical and durable hame-fastening.
Date: July 30, 1878
Creator: Flatau, Louis S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hub Ball-Bearing. (open access)

Hub Ball-Bearing.

Patent for a bearing to be employed in a wheel and axle system. The patented bearing is meant to reduce the usual amount of friction in the system to a minimum.
Date: August 26, 1913
Creator: Price, John W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Marine Propeller (open access)

Marine Propeller

Patent for a marine propeller which allows for "a reversal of the action of the wheel for propulsion in opposite directions or for turning the boat without changing the direction of rotation of the power-shaft."
Date: March 11, 1902
Creator: Cannon, Burrell
System: The Portal to Texas History