Animal Poke. (open access)

Animal Poke.

Patent for a new and improved animal poke. This design "is to construct a device which may be secured to horses, cattle, and other animals, and which will effectually prevent fence-jumping, while at the same time allow the animal free use of [its] head and limbs, doing away with any tendency to cramp the wearer" (lines 17-23). It consists, "with bar and a means for suspending it beneath the animal's body and the bar, which is secured at its outer end to the animal's head, of a hinge to the opposite side of which the adjacent ends of the said bars are pivoted" (lines 78-83).
Date: May 17, 1892
Creator: Stracener, Upton W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Step. (open access)

Step.

Patent for an improvement in steps by using "a metallic frame or support composed of a series of light metallic plates, which are suitable shaped to adapt them for the purpose and then clamped and braced together,” (lines 13-17) includes illustration.
Date: March 17, 1891
Creator: Williams, Stephen P.
System: The Portal to Texas History