Corn or Cotton Dropper (open access)

Corn or Cotton Dropper

Patent for corn or cotton dropper in which improvements are made on general efficiency, "simplicity, expensiveness, [and] durability" (lines 12-13).
Date: December 25, 1888
Creator: Brown, William Franklin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machinery for Irrigating Purposes (open access)

Machinery for Irrigating Purposes

Patent for a machine that irrigates with a water wheel. The water wheel is connected to a float and a rod connected that is connected to a crank on the shaft of the wheel.
Date: September 25, 1888
Creator: Owen, Benajah Dotte
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fire Kindler. (open access)

Fire Kindler.

Patent for a new and improved fire-kindler. This design is for "[a] fire-kindling torch consisting of two perforated sections, each having an exterior longitudinal ridge, and angular side flanges, and provided at one end with lugs which bear flatly against each other, a pivot-pin passing transversely through the lugs to permanently connect the sections and form a pintle on which they can turn, and a handle connecting the other ends of the sections together, said sections having an interposed filling of mineral wool" (lines 1-11).
Date: December 25, 1883
Creator: Osborn, Adelbert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Ratchet Wrench. (open access)

Ratchet Wrench.

Patent for a new and improved ratchet wrench. This design "relates to improvements in ratchet-wrenches wherein a handle carrying a rotating head having jaws to grasp a nut is provided with pivoted pawls, so that by oscillating the handle the pawls serve to rotate the head and screw or unscrew the nut, bolt, or other device" (lines 8-14).
Date: March 25, 1884
Creator: Osborn, Adelbert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Door Check. (open access)

Door Check.

Patent for a new and improved door-check. This design "relates to improvements in devices for checking the movements of a door to prevent its forcible contact with a wall or other object, and for automatically fastening it in an open position, so that it will not be accidentally closed. The invention consists of a check or catch plate adapted to be secured to the floor or wall and provided with an inclined track for the passage of a spring-bolt on the door, a transverse projection being arranged vertically at the rear end of said inclined track and formed into a seat for the spring-bolt" (lines 8-20).
Date: May 25, 1886
Creator: Cevor, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History