Combination Well-Packer and Setting-Tool. (open access)

Combination Well-Packer and Setting-Tool.

Patent for a well packer and setting tool for the prevention of intermingling between oil and water in a well when used by itself or with other pipes. The invention allows for the packer to be set using the setting tool which can then be removed once the packer is in place.
Date: January 6, 1920
Creator: Abercrombie, Jamie & Dunman, Nesbit M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Breakwater. (open access)

Breakwater.

Patent for improving seawalls to "preserve channels across the bars at the mouths of rivers, creeks, or canals and between bays and gulfs" (lines 6-8), including illustration.
Date: June 7, 1859
Creator: Armour, D. Hillen
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Two-Piece Box. (open access)

Two-Piece Box.

Patent for certain new and useful improvements in two piece boxes, including instructions and illustrations.
Date: November 28, 1899
Creator: Armstrong, Martin
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Fusing Sulfer from Low Grade Ores (open access)

Apparatus for Fusing Sulfer from Low Grade Ores

Patent for the Apparatus for Fusing Sulfer from Low Grade Ores. This machine makes the extraction of sulfur from ores containing less than 20% sulfur, while also removing the impurities.
Date: September 16, 1919
Creator: Austin, Paul P. Jr.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pump. (open access)

Pump.

Patent for rotary pump designed to counterbalance thrust at each step by a "series of lifting-wheels mounted upon a common shaft" (lines 10-11) in order to minimize wheel thrust.
Date: October 22, 1901
Creator: Baker, Josheph W.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for Sugar Cane Hook. (open access)

Design for Sugar Cane Hook.

Patent for a sugar cane hook that provides a pair of outwardly-branching and downwardly and inwardly curved hooks.
Date: July 27, 1897
Creator: Beall, George Ashcom
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sea Water Corrosion Test Program (open access)

Sea Water Corrosion Test Program

From Introduction: "The first demonstration plant sponsored by the Office of Saline Water was located in Freeport, Texas, and came 'on stream" in 1961. The incoming sea water was deaerated since both Speller (6) and Uhlig (7) recognized that dissolved oxygen was usually the controlling factor in the corrosion of iron stream condensate at temperatures even as high 400 degrees F. The water was acidified prior to daeration with H2SO4 to decompose the carbonates which subsequently would cause scale when the water was heated. After the carbonates were removed, the pH was raised to the neutral point, again to provide a less corrosive environment."
Date: March 1969
Creator: Behrens, H. C.; Martin, F. D.; Osborn, O.; Rice, L.; Russell, W. B.; Schreiber, C. F. et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Soil Survey of the Brazoria Area, Texas (open access)

Soil Survey of the Brazoria Area, Texas

Text describing climate and soils of the Brazoria area, Texas.
Date: 1902
Creator: Bennett, Frank & Jones, Grove B.
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oil-Burner. (open access)

Oil-Burner.

Patent for oil burners that is designed specifically for burning crude fuel oil that also has improved construction that centers the spray head with the burner head.
Date: September 7, 1920
Creator: Booker, William B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Brazoria County Regional Water Facility Study (open access)

Brazoria County Regional Water Facility Study

Report on the findings of a study on a regional water facility for Brazoria County, Texas.
Date: December 2013
Creator: CDM Smith
Object Type: Report
System: The Portal to Texas History
Annual Report (FY 1969): Freeport Test Facility and Vertical-Tube-Evaporator Test-Bed Plant, Freeport, Texas (open access)

Annual Report (FY 1969): Freeport Test Facility and Vertical-Tube-Evaporator Test-Bed Plant, Freeport, Texas

Report presenting progress in saline water conversion at the Freeport Test Facility and Vertical-Tube-Evaporator Test-Bed Plant in Freeport, Texas, and the economics of its operation. Includes information regarding the LTV multiple-effect evaporation method of desalination.
Date: 1969
Creator: Campbell, Keith S. & Williams, Donald L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development Report Number 9: V.T.E. Process Development, Freeport Test Facility, Freeport, Texas (open access)

Development Report Number 9: V.T.E. Process Development, Freeport Test Facility, Freeport, Texas

Report presenting accounts of testing saline water conversion and the economics thereof. This report covers the fifteenth and sixteenth Development Runs, which evaluated the following: the performance of the plant's double-fluted tube bundle and titanium tube bundle; the condensate handling-restrictions in the 5 effect module; a sump to sump brine transfer system modification; porcelain spray nozzles; enhanced surface tubes; and an oxygen scavenging system.
Date: October 1971
Creator: Campbell, Keith S. & Williams, Donald L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Core-Discharge Apparatus. (open access)

Core-Discharge Apparatus.

Patent for an Improvement in Core-Discharge Apparatus. It is meant to be used in connection with core drills in well or mine drilling. This improvement is meant to be carried to the surface by an air-lift pump.
Date: October 1, 1918
Creator: Carhichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rotary Boring Drill (open access)

Rotary Boring Drill

Patent for a rotary boring drill to be used in mining and drilling.
Date: March 4, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, R. E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Apparatus for Sulfur Mining (open access)

Apparatus for Sulfur Mining

Patent for "new and useful improvement" for sulfur mining by Mr. Robert Carmichael. This device has particular application for mining in subterranean environments, "by use of pumping a heated fluid down into contact with a sulfur strata" (lines 14-15).
Date: December 9, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Means for Preventing Clogging of the Working Barrels of Pumps. (open access)

Means for Preventing Clogging of the Working Barrels of Pumps.

Patent for an apparatus that prevents the clogging of the working barrels of pumps.
Date: November 13, 1917
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Means for Reducing Wear in the Working Barrels of Pumps (open access)

Means for Reducing Wear in the Working Barrels of Pumps

Patent for a means of reducing wear in the working barrels of pumps. The pumps made in this wat are specially adapted for operations in water or oil wells where the fluid being pumped is is mixed with sand and sediment.
Date: March 4, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Method of and Apparatus for Sulphur Mining (open access)

Method of and Apparatus for Sulphur Mining

Patent for a methodology and mechanical structure for the mining of sulfur using extendable concentric cylindrical tubes.
Date: July 8, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Method of Sampling. (open access)

Method of Sampling.

Patent for improving methods of boring wells by "raising the cuttings from an earth boring drill to the surface" (lines 70-71), including illustrations.
Date: July 20, 1920
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pipe-Cutter (open access)

Pipe-Cutter

Patent for a pipe cutter used while said pipe is in use.
Date: April 28, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pipe-Wrench. (open access)

Pipe-Wrench.

Patent for the improvement of pipe wrenches necessary for use in well drilling or other circumstances where a wrench of strong construction is needed. This patent provides for a pipe wrench that can be easily adjusted to fit pipes of differing sizes and is easily manipulated for use regardless of direction.
Date: December 9, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pump. (open access)

Pump.

Patent for a new and improved design for pumps as they are used in deep wells. New design meant to prevent sand from entering machine between the working barrel and plunger.
Date: February 1, 1919
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sulfur-Mining (open access)

Sulfur-Mining

Patent for improvement on sulfur mining by which "sulfur is fused by a heated fluid forced down into the well to the vicinity of the sulfur deposit and when so fused the sulfur is forced to the surface of the ground through a return pipe" (lines 14-18).
Date: December 17, 1918
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sulphur-Mining Apparatus. (open access)

Sulphur-Mining Apparatus.

Patent for a thermal solvent based sulfur mining apparatus that is placed in a sulfur mining well. Utilizing thermodynamics, the apparatus has a new way to introduce air or steam into the various parts of the apparatus. It is designed with "simplicity and durability of construction" (lines 49-50).
Date: December 17, 1918
Creator: Carmichael, Robert E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History