Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design consists in "a draw-head having a longitudinal slot extending in the upper face into a groove, and formed with notches or recesses in the upper face at the side of the slot, and having a beveled upper corner and a flat face and a downwardly-extending portion at the under side, an anchor-bar pivoted at its inner end in the inner end of the slot, and having an anchor or arrow-head at its outer end formed with rearwardly-hooked flukes or barbs, and a link pivoted with its eyed rear ends upon a transverse bolt in the anchor-bar" (lines 20-32).
Date: September 13, 1887
Creator: Bywaters, Joseph K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hopple. (open access)

Hopple.

Patent for a new and improved hopple. This design consists in the combination of the surcingle, the bands connected to the bottom thereof, the supporting straps secured to one of said bands, and the knee-bands constructed of stiff leather in semi-cylindrical form, attached to said straps and having the securing-straps" (lines 37-42).
Date: November 15, 1887
Creator: Burris, John Albert Wilson
System: The Portal to Texas History
Harness-Saddle (open access)

Harness-Saddle

Patent for the "construction and combination of devices" (line 10) that serve as "an improvement in harness-saddles" (lines 8-9) for horses, with illustrations.
Date: April 26, 1887
Creator: Goodman, William Dave & Tuttle, Frank
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rail-Joint (open access)

Rail-Joint

Patent for improvements in the construction and design of rail-joints.
Date: May 17, 1887
Creator: Anderson, Lee
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Chopper and Scraper (open access)

Cotton Chopper and Scraper

Patent for new "construction and combination of devices" (lines 10-11) to improve cotton choppers and scrapers, with illustrations.
Date: July 5, 1887
Creator: Rouse, Samuel James
System: The Portal to Texas History