Voting Machine. (open access)

Voting Machine.

Patent for a new and improved voting-machine. This design consists in "the combination, with the transverse bridge, through the opening of which are fulcrumed by means of a pin two parallel keys, said keys having pivotally connected to their fulcrumed ends to parallel pawls, the free ends of which mesh with teeth in two ratchet-wheels carrying hands indicating on a dial and having eccentrics upon their faces, two parallel narrow plates moved by such eccentrics to indicate the complete revolution of the hands, and a shield upon the top" (lines 124-134).
Date: January 24, 1888
Creator: Ford, William W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Liquid Cooler. (open access)

Liquid Cooler.

Patent for a new and improved liquid cooler. This design "provide[s] an apparatus by means of which a variety of liquids may be simultaneously cooled as required for use as beverages, and by which the glasses or drinking vessels may be at the same time cooled and protected from dust and insects" (lines 14-20).
Date: January 25, 1881
Creator: Capps, Matterson F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Valve Gear. (open access)

Valve Gear.

Patent for a new and improved valve-gear. This design "relates to improvements in mechanical movements adapted especially to the valve-gear of steam-engines, and is designed to produce a device having a reciprocatory movement having intermediate impulses" (lines 9-14).
Date: August 18, 1885
Creator: Pinkham, Delmar D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam Engine (open access)

Steam Engine

Patent for improvements in steam engine, particularly the cylinder.
Date: June 30, 1885
Creator: Pinkham, Delmar D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Steam Boiler Feeder (open access)

Steam Boiler Feeder

Patent for improvments in automatic steam-boiler feeders
Date: April 7, 1887
Creator: Kelly, George A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow (open access)

Plow

Patent for invention new and useful improvement in Plows, relates the shape of the mold-board and the manner of securing the point and land side to the standard [5-15].
Date: June 30, 1885
Creator: Kelly, George A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Attachment for Harness. (open access)

Attachment for Harness.

Patent for a new and improved harness attachment. This design utilizes two disks, "one being notched in its thick or heavy edge and the other being notched in its thin or less weighty portion . . . thus effectively closing the space that would otherwise be left at the point of the hook, and preventing the ring . . . from becoming detached" (lines 55-63).
Date: June 28, 1881
Creator: Baton, Durham D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Washing Machine. (open access)

Washing Machine.

Patent for a new and improved washing machine. This design consists "[i]n a washing-machine, the combination of the suds-box with an open-bottomed perforated inner casing, smaller in dimensions than the suds-box, and having supports to raise it above the bottom of the suds-box, and a perforated rubber, the upper wash-board or rubber provided with flanges fitting over the inner casing, the intermediate frame and operating lever" (lines 12-20).
Date: July 29, 1884
Creator: Lee, Joseph Green
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dry Kiln Furnace. (open access)

Dry Kiln Furnace.

Patent for a new and improved dry-kiln furnace. This design has "a grate at its forward end, a bridge-wall extending upwardly from the lower side at the rear end of the grate, a smoke-outlet in the bottom between the rear end and bridge, and a transverse flue under the furnace, open at each end and dividing the draft at the smoke-outlet, said flue communicating with the interior of the drying-chamber, and having a vertical baffle-plate under the smoke-outlet extending longitudinally along its bottom in each direction from said outlet, arresting the rotary motion of the products of combustion" (lines 24-36).
Date: August 13, 1889
Creator: Ketcham, William
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Gin. (open access)

Cotton Gin.

Patent for a new and improved cotton gin. This design calls for the circular saw blades of the gin to pass through two metal ribs, one of which aligns with the tip of the saw teeth, while the other aligns with the root of the saw teeth.
Date: August 22, 1882
Creator: Basom, Ransford W.
System: The Portal to Texas History