Carbureter. (open access)

Carbureter.

Patent for a new and improved carburetor. This design calls for "the apparatus [to be] submerged in water for the purpose of equalizing the temperature of the carbureting-liquid, and thereby imparting a more uniform illuminating quality to the gas; also obviating the danger of explosion from access of flame to the exterior of the apparatus" (para. 2).
Date: July 18, 1876
Creator: Pollard, James M. & Barton, Wallace R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Tube-Expanders. (open access)

Improvement in Tube-Expanders.

Patent for improvements to tube expanders with springs rigidly secured at one end, detachable rolls, and the ability to fit tubes of different sizes.
Date: July 18, 1876
Creator: Rooney, Hugh L
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Bale-Band Tighteners. (open access)

Improvement in Bale-Band Tighteners.

Patent for improving the operation of tightening baling-bands and saving the length of metal bands.
Date: September 18, 1877
Creator: Hodges, John C., Jr.
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
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties. (open access)

Improvement in Cotton-Bale Ties.

Patent for a secure cotton-bale tie which is "held securely in place on the hoop or band without depending therefor upon the elasticity of the bale" (lines 12-14), including illustrations.
Date: August 18, 1874
Creator: Davis, Waters S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Blind-Stop. (open access)

Blind-Stop.

Patent for improvements in blind-slat adjusters and locks by providing a plate to secure the cross-stile of the blind; in which the plate having a slotted right-angled portion. “A bar pivoted to the slat-rod and having its lower end bent at the right angle, a screw passed through the slat and provided with a handle. (Lines 96-99) “When the handle is turned to the left, the slats can be adjusted into any desired position, and when in their adjusted position all that it is necessary to do is to turn the handle to the right which binds the parts together and holds the slats against movement.” (Lines 82-87) Illustration is included.
Date: August 18, 1891
Creator: Roll, John F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Cutting Stick-Candy. (open access)

Machine for Cutting Stick-Candy.

Patent for a simple and durable machine for cutting stick-candy that is "capable of traveling over a table or other support upon which stick candy in given lengths may be laid, and to so travel over the table that the lengthy sticks of candy will be made to slide over the bed of the machine, under a knife or its equivalent; and a further object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the knife may be manipulated at predetermined points in the travel of the machine to cut the lengthy sticks into shorter predetermined lengths" (lines 11-21).
Date: December 18, 1894
Creator: Allardyce, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Grain-Driers. (open access)

Improvement in Grain-Driers.

Patent for an improved grain-drier with design specifications and a description of the object's applications and usage, including illustrations.
Date: June 18, 1878
Creator: Henesee, Richard Tiernan
System: The Portal to Texas History
Projectile for Fire-Escapes. (open access)

Projectile for Fire-Escapes.

Patent for a rope fire escape "in the form of a harpoon to which a chord or rope is attached, said device being projected from a gun or by any other means against the burning building with sufficient force to embed itself therein so that any suitable apparatus may be elevated to the building necessary for the escape of the inmates or so that the person or persons may descend by the rope attached to the harpoon" (lines 14-22).
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
System: The Portal to Texas History
Time-Calculator. (open access)

Time-Calculator.

Patent for a machine that easily calculates the number of days within a given time span, up to one year, with illustrations.
Date: October 18, 1886
Creator: Wood, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire-Escape. (open access)

Fire-Escape.

Patent for a fire-escape that uses ropes and pulleys held up by brackets and attached to a window. A receptacle is at the end of the rope and is designed to lower people from the building to the ground.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire-Escape. (open access)

Fire-Escape.

Patent for a fire escape "with a cord or rope of suitable length which has at one end a weight to serve as a projectile to facilitate throwing the cord or rope to a person at any part of the burning building, after which the fire-escape or other device necessary for the purpose may be conveniently elevated to the window or other portion of the building where most needed for the rescue of person or property" (lines 14-22). It is adapted to assist firemen.
Date: April 18, 1893
Creator: Martin, Johan
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electric Call or Signal Apparatus. (open access)

Electric Call or Signal Apparatus.

Patent for a new and improved electric call or signal apparatus. This design consists in "a telegraph or telephone circuit, the combination, with a polarized electro-magnet and a short circuit around the same, which is closed when the magnet is transversed by a constant current of a given polarity, of a battery having the proper pole to line, a switch for connecting the line and battery circuits, and a telephone in the battery circuit, whereby the telegraph or telephone line may be tested" (lines 41-49).
Date: October 18, 1887
Creator: Foster, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cable Stopper. (open access)

Cable Stopper.

Patent for a new and improved cable or chain stopper. For this design, "the chain-links lie diagonally in opposite directions upon the recessed bottom of the clamping-box, and the clamping-block has a similarly recessed under face . . . and a forked lever is employed to press the clamping-block toward the bottom of the clamping-box, and thereby apply the required force to the chain to lessen its speed as it runs out" (lines 18-32).
Date: October 18, 1881
Creator: Lucas, Thomas P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automobile Torpedo (open access)

Automobile Torpedo

Patent for a submarine torpedo which explodes in the hull of a vessels it hits.
Date: July 18, 1911
Creator: Douglas, William M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Insecticide Apparatus (open access)

Insecticide Apparatus

Patent for an insecticide apparatus. Illustration included.
Date: October 18, 1904
Creator: Berger, Otto
System: The Portal to Texas History
Marine-Engine Governor. (open access)

Marine-Engine Governor.

Patent for marine engine governor "designed to maintain uniformity of speed of the engine when the resistance to the propeller or propellers is varied" (lines 11-13), including illustrations and description of construction.
Date: August 18, 1903
Creator: Corneliussen, Ivar
System: The Portal to Texas History
Supplemental Bed and Guide Attachment (open access)

Supplemental Bed and Guide Attachment

Patent for a supplemental bed and guide attachment. Illustration included.
Date: December 18, 1906
Creator: Heckel, Albert F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Packing for Piston-Rods. (open access)

Packing for Piston-Rods.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in packing for piston rods and the like, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: April 18, 1899
Creator: Lewis, George Harris
System: The Portal to Texas History
Road-Grading And Ditching Machine. (open access)

Road-Grading And Ditching Machine.

Patent for a new and improved road grading and ditching machine, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: April 18, 1899
Creator: Cornett, James William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Paper-Holder for Enlarging-Cameras. (open access)

Paper-Holder for Enlarging-Cameras.

Patent for an improvement in holders attached to enlarging-cameras to hold the paper being exposed: "The object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient form of paper-holder in which the paper may be readily inserted and removed and from which the light will be effectually excluded" (lines 15-19).
Date: February 18, 1902
Creator: Hutchings, George B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Device for Enlarging Negatives. (open access)

Device for Enlarging Negatives.

Patent for a new or improved device to enlarge negatives; that is simple, portable, and ready to use, including illustrations.
Date: February 18, 1902
Creator: Hutchings, George B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Acetylene-Gas Generator. (open access)

Acetylene-Gas Generator.

Patent for a new and useful acetylene gas generator, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: July 18, 1899
Creator: Eldridge, Hilliary & Blum, Sylvain
System: The Portal to Texas History
Life-Saving Device. (open access)

Life-Saving Device.

Patent for a collapsible life-saving device that can be stored in little space on a ship or dock and unfolded quickly for use as a flotation device for several persons.
Date: March 18, 1913
Creator: Bradford, Thomas C.
System: The Portal to Texas History