Ink-Bottle. (open access)

Ink-Bottle.

Patent for improvements in in bottles: "it consists, essentially, of a hexagonal or analogous polygonal shaped body having dip cups arranged adjacent to one and thereof at such angles as to regulate the flow by turning the body and bringing it to bear on different bases." (lines 12-17).
Date: October 19, 1897
Creator: Anderson, Alexander C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trace Carrier. (open access)

Trace Carrier.

Patent for a new and improved trace-carrier. This design "consist[s] of a rectangular frame, a central integral transverse bar provided at its upper and lower edges with pairs of spaced-apart superficial ribs having central aligning bores, a spring-pressed bolt mounted in one of said ribs, adapted at its inner end to take into the opposite rib and provided at its outer end with a knob or head, a pintle mounted in the lower pair of ribs, a tongue pivoted upon the pintle, said tongue having its upper end reduced to fit between the upper pair of ribs and provided with an eye for the reception of the bolt" (lines 82-94).
Date: December 30, 1890
Creator: Harbour, Thomas J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Thatch Roof. (open access)

Thatch Roof.

Patent for a simple, cheap, and effective thatched roof for temporary storage of goods or animal pens. It has "overlapping layers of straw or like material secured or fastened in place by running wires attached to the foundation on which the said thatching or covering is arranged" (lines 15-19).
Date: November 28, 1893
Creator: Mandeville, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Attachment for Harvesters and Mowing Machines. (open access)

Attachment for Harvesters and Mowing Machines.

Patent for a new and improved attachment for harvesters and mowers. This design is "to afford means whereby a mowing or reaping machine may be enabled easily to travel over soft or marshy ground; . . . the novelty consists in a shoe proper for each driving-wheel of the machine, each shoe made of a curved piece of metal . . . and provided with a long narrow slot running lengthwise of the shoe, . . . and so adapted that under each wheel one of the shoes shall be placed in such a manner that one of the shoes shall pass through the longitudinal slot in the shoe" (lines 19-32).
Date: June 28, 1887
Creator: Jones, Jeremiah C. & Marshall, Sumner B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Quilting Attachment for Sewing-Machines (open access)

Quilting Attachment for Sewing-Machines

Patent for "a simple, novel, and convenient frame capable of being attached to any pattern of sewing-machine and adapted to carry the top and lining of a quilt to the needle" (lines 12-15).
Date: April 2, 1889
Creator: Mandeville, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Calf Weaner. (open access)

Calf Weaner.

Patent for a new and improved calf weaner. This design "consist[s] of the plate provided with an upper inclined portion in which is held a rod having pointed projections, a vertical fixed arm, and an opposing pivoted arm, the upper ends of the said arms being curved toward each other and provided with opposing aligning buttons, and means for locking the pivoted arm" (lines 72-79).
Date: June 28, 1887
Creator: Rickman, Robert L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Calf Weaner. (open access)

Calf Weaner.

Patent for a new and improved calf weaner. This design "consist[s] of the pivoted plates provided with upper aligning recesses, horizontal aligning eyes, having opposing buttons secured to their inner ends, and goads projecting from their outer ends, aligning concavo-convex surfaces whereby the plates are guided, the registering apertures, and pin, whereby the plates are secured in a closed position" (lines 82-90).
Date: November 29, 1887
Creator: Rickman, Robert L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Buggy-Shackle (open access)

Buggy-Shackle

Patent for a buggy shackle which "has a spring actuated coupling pin, and means for holding the pin in uncoupled position while the thills are being attached" (lines 10-13).
Date: August 2, 1910
Creator: Perry, Charles Franklin
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lever-Shears. (open access)

Lever-Shears.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in lever shears, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: March 6, 1900
Creator: Williams, Felix A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Spark-Arrester. (open access)

Spark-Arrester.

Patent related to a spark arrester with a superstructural frame that can be used for either traction engines or railway locomotives.
Date: April 2, 1912
Creator: Taack, Ed Gustav
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate. (open access)

Gate.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in gates, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: November 22, 1898
Creator: Billingsley, John
System: The Portal to Texas History
Safety-Stirrup (open access)

Safety-Stirrup

Patent for a safety stirrup with improved attachment of parts.
Date: January 21, 1913
Creator: Parker, Andrew
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rail-Clamping Plate-Fastener (open access)

Rail-Clamping Plate-Fastener

Patent for a rail clamp for clamping the rail to the rail tie or joining two rails together. Illustrations included.
Date: October 15, 1912
Creator: Willoughby, Alford Pervis
System: The Portal to Texas History
Agricultural Machine (open access)

Agricultural Machine

Patent for a cotton chopping machine which can cut plants at regular intervals.
Date: September 10, 1907
Creator: Lax, Alfred A.; Hinson, George W. & Willhoit, James I.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Chopper. (open access)

Cotton-Chopper.

Patent for a cotton chopper that is meant to "provide an improved means for controlling the position of the chopper blades." (lines 17-19) It is designed to make the action of cutting cotton more stable and precise.
Date: August 26, 1913
Creator: Woodrom, George A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gate or Door Closing Device (open access)

Gate or Door Closing Device

Patent for "improvements in closing devices for doors, gates, and the like" (lines 12-13) using a spring connected to the door and frame, including illustrations.
Date: June 26, 1917
Creator: Hawley, Royal A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Elevated Irrigation System (open access)

Elevated Irrigation System

Patent for an elevated irrigation system that relates to a useful system for supplying and distributing water, for the irrigation of large tracts of land.
Date: September 23, 1913
Creator: Anderson, Young Rhea
System: The Portal to Texas History
Garment-Protector (open access)

Garment-Protector

Patent for a garment protector which functions by wrapping the wearer and her garments in heavy rubberized cloth, so that water and mud do not get on her clothes, including illustrations and instructions.
Date: July 10, 1917
Creator: Goode, Ovelia Mamie
System: The Portal to Texas History
Clothes-Pin. (open access)

Clothes-Pin.

Patent for a new type of clothing pin that allows it to be permanently attached to the clothing line.
Date: May 8, 1917
Creator: Boynton, Willie A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Alarm Device (open access)

Automatic Alarm Device

Patent for a spring motorized automatic alarm device with an improved tripping mechanism actuated by the medium of fire severing an actuator cord "or the like".
Date: March 9, 1915
Creator: Willoughby, Alford Pervis & Bolding, William D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Boll Thresher. (open access)

Cotton Boll Thresher.

Patent for a cotton-boll thresher which opens the bolls and separates the cotton. This thresher tries to improve on others by making them "strong, durable, efficient, and simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct" (lines 21-23); patent includes illustrations and specifications.
Date: May 9, 1916
Creator: Bryan, Andrew J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Picker's Knee-pad (open access)

Cotton-Picker's Knee-pad

Patent for "knee pads especially adapted for cotton picker's use." (lines 10-11)
Date: March 17, 1914
Creator: Boynton, Willie A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Yoke. (open access)

Cattle-Yoke.

Patent for a cattle yoke which enables the yoke to be attached to a cow's head to prevent grazing from other side of the wire fence.
Date: April 27, 1915
Creator: Carr, Jessie D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bag-Mouth-Spreading Device (open access)

Bag-Mouth-Spreading Device

Patent for a device which holds open the mouth of a bag or sack so that it can be easily filled. The device works with bags hung on a post or with bags hung from the shoulder, as a cotton picker's sack.
Date: January 5, 1915
Creator: Willoughby, Alfred Pervis
System: The Portal to Texas History