Improvement in Fish-Hooks. (open access)

Improvement in Fish-Hooks.

Patent for "new and useful improvement in the Sockdolager Fish-Hook" (lines 4-5), including illustration.
Date: April 11, 1854
Creator: Sigler, Henry
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Fences. (open access)

Improvement in Fences.

Patent for improvement in fences, with description and illustrations.
Date: April 11, 1876
Creator: Ingalls, Alfred
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Stalk-Pullers. (open access)

Improvement in Stalk-Pullers.

Patent for an "improved machine designed especially for pulling cotton-stalks, but which may be used with advantage for pulling other stalks, weeds, &c., and which shall be so constructed as to clear itself of the stalks as they are pulled" (para. 4).
Date: April 11, 1876
Creator: Butler, George W. & O'Connell, Timothy P.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn Dasher. (open access)

Churn Dasher.

Patent for a new and improved churn-dasher for butter churns. This design calls for two weights on opposite ends of the bottom of the churn-dasher so that the dasher will "revolve with greater force and to balance it more easily upon its pivot" (lines 17-18). This lessens the wear on the bottom of the churn, which increases the longevity of the dasher.
Date: April 11, 1882
Creator: Pinter, Francis T.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Gin. (open access)

Cotton Gin.

Patent for a new and improved cotton gin. This design "has for its object to so attach the front and rollers to the device that the rollers may be cleaned and freed from trash, burrs, and seed, when necessary, without stopping the gin" (lines 14-18).
Date: April 11, 1882
Creator: Boatwright, Thomas
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fence. (open access)

Fence.

Patent for a new and improved fence. This design calls for two spring-bars to be driven into the ground alongside two crossbars and laced between the latter. This lacing of spring-bars allows for "much additional bracing strength" for the crossbars and enables barbed wire to be stretched along where the spring-bars intersect (line 33).
Date: April 11, 1882
Creator: Daviss, Horatio P.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Snath Fastener. (open access)

Snath Fastener.

Patent for a new and improved snath fastener. This design "relates to devices for attaching scythes to their handles; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction of the same" (lines 17-20).
Date: April 11, 1882
Creator: Schultze, August
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for a churn with an improved "construction of working body churns, to effect a rapid production of butter, and to enable the temperature of the contents of the churn to be readily controlled and regulated to facilitate churning" (lines 11-15).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Robert, Cumberland M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Compensating Pump-Spring. (open access)

Compensating Pump-Spring.

Patent for an improvement on the inventor's previous patent (No. 450,657). The improvements include getting rid of the sleeve, and "employ[ing] volute springs instead of the straight flat springs formerly used; [the inventor] also dispense[s] with the links and connect the inner ends of the springs to long pitmen which have a pivotal connection with the suction rod at a point above the springs; [the inventor] furthermore provide[s] a means for adjusting the tension of the springs without altering the connection of the same with the suction rod" (lines 23-31).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Black, William L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Conduit Electric Railway. (open access)

Conduit Electric Railway.

Patent for a surface trolley for electric railways that operates "upon the surface of the pavement or ground between the tracks of the road, for connecting the car with the motor power, in place of the trolley and over head wires now suspended upon the unsightly poles in the center or at the sides of the street, which are found to be very objectionable on account of their obstructing the passageway in the streets and upon the side walks, and the wires preventing the free movement of fire companies in extending their ladders in gaining access to buildings, and also because of the great danger attending persons and animals moving about in the street, on account of the charged or live wires frequently being thrown down upon the ground, and coming in contact with and destroying the life of persons, and also on account of the frequent fatal accidents to persons having charge of the repair of the wires and other apparatus in connection with them, often coming in contact with live wires while elevated on the poles and engaged in repairing them" (lines 16-38).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Voe, William R. de
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cultivator. (open access)

Cultivator.

Patent for a cultivator that is easily adjustable and works between rows of plants. It consists of two expansible side-beams, a fixed cross bar, sliding cross bars, pivoted rods, and a toothed lever latch.
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Robinson, Nelson B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cutting-Table. (open access)

Cutting-Table.

Patent for an improved trimming-table that easily measures, holds, and cuts or trims fabrics. It consists of a table with measures, keepers that are attached to the top of the table with a stem, and an arched front portion that ends in a foot-piece.
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Jones, Vina
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Extension-Brace for Ladders. (open access)

Extension-Brace for Ladders.

Patent for an extension brace for ladders that improves on the inventor's previous patent (No. 416,413). The invention's parts "are positively raised and lowered by means of direct acting mechanism which is so constructed and arranged as to obtain the most beneficial results from a comparatively small application of power, the parts being strong and durable easily operated and readily understood" (lines 20-26).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Crews, Dayton H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Index. (open access)

Index.

Patent for "an improved method of indexing books of reference, and more especially city and county records, and the means for carrying over from one line to another where several indexes are to be set opposite one name" (lines 9-14).
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Heppenstall, James Edward
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Cleaning Seed-Cotton. (open access)

Machine for Cleaning Seed-Cotton.

Patent for an improved machine that cleans and transfers seed cotton to a gin. It combines exhaust fans and a cleaning mechanism, and is less expensive than similar machines.
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Cannon, Burrell
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Engine. (open access)

Rotary Engine.

Patent for an improved, simple, and effective rotary engine that economically uses steam and automatically controls steam discharge. "Two distinct rotary motions in reverse directions are obtained at the same time" (lines 16-18) in this engine.
Date: April 11, 1893
Creator: Walker, James C.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for an Insect-Exterminator. (open access)

Design for an Insect-Exterminator.

Design patent for an insect-exterminator that consists of a circular pan and a conical lamp-body arranged centrally within the pan and projecting above the plane thereof.
Date: April 11, 1899
Creator: Hightower, Elijah H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Articulating Plate (open access)

Articulating Plate

Patent for "new and useful articulating plate" (lines 5-6), including illustration and instructions.
Date: April 11, 1900
Creator: Driskill, T. F.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling Press (open access)

Baling Press

Patent for a baling press. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Kruse, William & Vanderwerth, Theodor M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling Press (open access)

Baling Press

Patent for a baling press. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Darnell, David E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Canning and Cooking Apparatus (open access)

Canning and Cooking Apparatus

Patent for a canning and cooking apparatus. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Garner, James Charlie
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Picker (open access)

Cotton Picker

Patent for a cotton picker. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Summerfield, John
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electric Time Switch (open access)

Electric Time Switch

Patent for an electric time switch. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Jones, Robert D.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Fumigator and Insect Destroyer (open access)

Fumigator and Insect Destroyer

Patent for a fumigator and insect destroyer. Illustration included.
Date: April 11, 1905
Creator: Frazer, James A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History