Ant Trap. (open access)

Ant Trap.

Patent for a new and improved ant trap. This design consists in "the combination of a tube having a longitudinal slot in its top at one end and a transverse slot in the bottom near the other end, the top of the tube on each side of the longitudinal slot bent downward, a pen secured to the end of the tube having the longitudinal slot, a portion of one side piece of the pen forming an end for the tube and the other side piece being cut away and secured to the tube, and a receptacle under the end of the tube having the transverse slot, the upper edges of the pen and of the receptacle being bent" (lines 65-77).
Date: February 28, 1888
Creator: Miller, Marshall Crittenden
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design consists in "[t]he combination, with the draw-head, of an upright or standard secured thereto, a lever pivoted to said upright or standard, a coupling-pin pivoted to said lever, a flat spring secured to the underside of the draw-head and extending outwardly beyond the same, and a chain connecting said lever and spring" (lines 16-22).
Date: October 28, 1884
Creator: Pritchett, William Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sulky Plow. (open access)

Sulky Plow.

Patent for a new and improved sulky-plow. This design "has for its objects to provide simple and efficient means whereby the plow may be caused to run level when breaking upon uneven ground, or, when after breaking, when one wheel is run in a furrow previously formed. These objects [the design] attain[s] by . . . the mechanism for lowering or elevating the [plow] for the purpose of leveling it" (lines 10-20).
Date: September 28, 1886
Creator: Brown, Peter C. & Bragg, Thomas P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay or Cotton Press. (open access)

Hay or Cotton Press.

Patent for a new and improved baling press. This design consists "[i]n a hay-press, the combination of the box or casing having suitable doors in its top, bottom, and side, and supported on longitudinal base-strips, a main lever having a short toggle-arm, a semi-rotating fulcrum thereof, auxiliary arms pivotally connected with the main lever, reciprocating followers, and a drum and cord" (lines 26-33).
Date: July 28, 1885
Creator: Bragg, Thomas P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Suspension-Bridge. (open access)

Suspension-Bridge.

Patent for improvements in suspension-bridge by using a combination of upper main cables reached from one pillar to the opposite pillar and anchored in the rear side of the pillars. A pair of lower cables at each side of the bridge; each pair being crossed at the center of the A-shaped or angular girders, these girders are bent for use as receiving hooks to form vertical stays. A series of girders hold the upper and lower cables in position thus making the bridge strong, light and rigid span. Illustration is included.
Date: April 28, 1891
Creator: Tucker, Argyle W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spring Punch. (open access)

Spring Punch.

Patent for a new and improved spring-punch. This design "is to provide a punch in which the dies may be easily changed and adjusted, thus enabling one punch to serve for various purposes. [The] invention consists in constructing a punch with two or more sets of connected or geared levers, whereby the power of the jaws is greatly increased. It is not necessary, therefore, to apply as much power to the handles to produce the same result. The invention consists, further, in providing one of the jaws with a slot in which a number of dies may be secured" (lines 14-26).
Date: February 28, 1888
Creator: Jones, Wesley Corry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Coop (open access)

Coop

Patent for a coop. Illustration included.,
Date: December 28, 1909
Creator: Mann, John P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Furnace (open access)

Furnace

Patent for a furnace that burns low grade fuel completely reducing waste.
Date: May 28, 1912
Creator: Rice, Earley W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Coffee Pot (open access)

Coffee Pot

Patent for a coffee pot. Illustration included.
Date: February 28, 1905
Creator: James, Will S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hammer (open access)

Hammer

Patent for a hammer
Date: April 28, 1903
Creator: Rowe, George Henry
System: The Portal to Texas History
Harrow. (open access)

Harrow.

Patent for a riding harrow, which can have its teeth lifted up and out of operation.
Date: January 28, 1908
Creator: Hosford, Frank
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sanitary Telephone-Mouthpiece. (open access)

Sanitary Telephone-Mouthpiece.

Patent for new and necessary improvements in sanitary telephone mouthpieces, such as improving overall construction of the telephone mouthpiece so that the mouthpiece is more sanitary, compact, and practical. Illustration and instruction included.
Date: March 28, 1916
Creator: Jenkins, Ed Monroe
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spark Plug Protector. (open access)

Spark Plug Protector.

Patent for a spark plug protector that will shield the spark plug from moisture.
Date: March 28, 1922
Creator: Sharp, Morrison M.
System: The Portal to Texas History