Cane Mill. (open access)

Cane Mill.

Patent for a new and improved sugarcane mill. This design "consist[s] of the frame composed of [a] bed-piece, vertical standards, and horizontal pieces, [one] piece having [a] trough, the vertical shaft, horizontally movable . . . and provided with the gear, the roller having stationary shaft provided with pinion, the [other] roller having stationary shaft provided with pinion, boxes, and screw-threaded rods" (lines 81-89).
Date: February 9, 1886
Creator: Webb, John T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design consists in "the combination of two sliding draw-heads, each provided with a shank having coiled around it a spring and a nut secured thereto, an upper sliding supporting-plate for the pin, having a tripping device, a lower sliding supporting-plate for the link, having a catch, a latch with a trip-arm for holding and releasing said plate, and a spring for drawing it back to its normal position" (lines 11-20).
Date: February 9, 1886
Creator: Ballentine, John C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Band Stretcher. (open access)

Band Stretcher.

Patent for a new and improved band stretcher. This design "relates to improvements in band-stretchers in which a windlass, crank, and ratchets operate in conjunction with a sliding clamp; and the object of [the] improvement is to provide a device with which the ends of a band may be drawn together and held for the purpose of lacing" (lines 15-21).
Date: February 23, 1886
Creator: Lawrence, Joseph A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard for Railroads. (open access)

Cattle-Guard for Railroads.

Patent for a cattle-guard for railroads that is "a series of plates or slates mounted with the capability of partial or complete rotation on axes substantially parallel with the rails and between the said rails and on either side of the track so as to span the road bed or space between the ends of the fence" (lines 25-31). The plates have longitudinal flanges with serrated edges.When the cattle step on the guard, they will experience pain and avoid the spot.
Date: February 6, 1894
Creator: Lee, Jacob M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Brace for Boring Holes, &c. (open access)

Brace for Boring Holes, &c.

Patent for a brace for boring holes through window sashes. It was invented "to enable [the inventor] the more quickly and better to apply my "sash lock", patented July 19, 1892, and numbered 479,152, but may be used for other purposes" (lines 20-23).
Date: February 13, 1894
Creator: McClellan, Stephen
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Railway-Gate. (open access)

Automatic Railway-Gate.

Patent for an automatic railway gate that consists of a picket shaft under the rails, cranks between the rails that are connected to the picket shaft, springs holding the shaft, tread rails that run along the rails and join the cranks, and guide blocks along each tread rail.
Date: February 13, 1894
Creator: Warren, Governor D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Replacer. (open access)

Car-Replacer.

Patent for a car-replacer that is simple and inexpensive and can be easily set and removed. The replacer has two blocks shaped like triangles and tie rods connecting the blocks.
Date: February 13, 1894
Creator: Debose, Albert S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Damper-Regulator. (open access)

Automatic Damper-Regulator.

Patent for an automatic steam damper-regulator that is simply constructed, and can quickly close and open its damper in the flue of the boiler or furnace.
Date: February 13, 1894
Creator: Gaston, Stephen M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Condenser and Dripper for Coffee or Tea Pots. (open access)

Condenser and Dripper for Coffee or Tea Pots.

Patent for "a combined condenser and dripper for coffee or tea pots, the main object of the invention being the provision of a combined condenser and dripper to be attached to and used in connection with an ordinary coffee or tea pot; second, to construct a condenser readily connected to or disconnected from the lid of coffee or tea pot, and to have the reservoir or body of the condenser a proper distance above the pot to prevent its receiving external heat from the pot; and thereby, to produce such condenser and dripper at a minimum cost; and perfect in its operation" (lines 25-38).
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: McClellan, John A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Back-Band Buckle. (open access)

Back-Band Buckle.

Patent for an inexpensive and simple back-band buckle that doubles as a trace-carrier and locks the trace into place. It secures to the carriage and locks the trace into place with a snap-hook.
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: Ware, William J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Convertable Corn Sheller and Grater. (open access)

Convertable Corn Sheller and Grater.

Patent for a simple and inexpensive convertible corn sheller and grater that, when shelling, can fill a receptacle without spilling or clogging. The sheller also separates dust from the corn. The grater is easily removable for cleaning.
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: Crockett, William E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combination Drafting-Instrument. (open access)

Combination Drafting-Instrument.

Patent for a combination drafting-instrument that is "carried about the person and serve as a combined pencil-holder and drafting tool and when used in the latter capacity to serve the functions of a divider, a square, a compass, and a caliper for either inside or outside gaging" (lines 10-15).
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: Deats, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cattle-Guard. (open access)

Cattle-Guard.

Patent for a simple cattle-guard that provides an unstable footing for the cattle without injuring them, and thus preventing the cattle from going onto train tracks. The cattle do not get injured when stepping on this device.
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: Brady, Peter L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bicycle. (open access)

Bicycle.

Patent for a bicycle that is safer than other bicycles. It has compensating gearing so that "the variations in leverage in the various positions assumed by the pedal crank are equalized" (lines 12-13).
Date: February 20, 1894
Creator: Lillibridge, Freeman
System: The Portal to Texas History
Artificial Tooth. (open access)

Artificial Tooth.

Patent for an artificial tooth with an improved crown so that "it can be attached to the gold cap that has been made to fit the end of the root that is to be crowned, the manner of attaching being materially facilitated" (lines 15-19).
Date: February 27, 1894
Creator: Harrell, Hardy B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for an automatic car-coupler that operates without someone having to go to between the cars. It is simple and compact.
Date: February 27, 1894
Creator: Calhoun, Cloud B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combined Car and Air-Brake Coupling. (open access)

Combined Car and Air-Brake Coupling.

Patent for the connection between two railway cars.
Date: February 7, 1893
Creator: Smith, Jacob C.; Golfin, John H.; Hardeman, Eammanuel J.; McNeal, Thomas. & Love, W.G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Composition of Matter for Removing Grease, &c. (open access)

Composition of Matter for Removing Grease, &c.

Patent for a compound that is meant to remove grease, oil, paint, and similar things from delicate cloth. It is composed of gasoline, chloroform, sulfuric ether, alcohol, spirits of ammonia, powdered borax, powdered carbonate of soda, and saltpeter in lumps.
Date: February 7, 1893
Creator: Ehman, Benedickt
System: The Portal to Texas History
Chain-Steamer. (open access)

Chain-Steamer.

Patent for a chain steamer that has an improved means of propulsion with a uniform speed despite a changing current. It does not allow the boat to laterally deflect. It is especially meant to be used with tow boats that travel on fast-moving, shallow streams. It can be used to move ferry boats across fast-moving rivers as well.
Date: February 7, 1893
Creator: Pfeifer, Edmund I. & Pfeifer, Eduard A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cinder and Smoke Consuming Apparatus. (open access)

Cinder and Smoke Consuming Apparatus.

Patent for "devices for conducting exhaust steam, gases and cinders to the fire place of a boiler and is primarily intended for use in locomotive boilers, and its object is to increase the efficiency of such apparatus" (lines 11-16).
Date: February 14, 1893
Creator: Little, Francis
System: The Portal to Texas History
Broom-Rack. (open access)

Broom-Rack.

Patent for an improvement in a device to hold brooms and items with handles by simplifying the design and making it more resistant to strain.
Date: February 14, 1893
Creator: Jones, Wesley C. P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for an improved and simple churn that works easily and quickly. It "is adapted to permit of the simultaneous securing and retention of the cream vessel or receptacle in position in its journaling or carrying frame, as well as the cover upon said vessel, and to provide for the ready removal of said vessel or receptacle and its said cover preparatory to removing the contents of the vessel or the cleaning thereof" (lines 18-25).
Date: February 14, 1893
Creator: Alexander, Horace C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Baling-Press. (open access)

Baling-Press.

Patent for "a double-acting [screw] baling press...capable of exerting pressure from two directions and operated by two independent mechanisms" (lines 15-18).
Date: February 14, 1893
Creator: Kenner, William Housenton
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Bag Carrier. (open access)

Cotton-Bag Carrier.

Patent for improved cotton sack carrier: "the object of the present invention is to provide a device whereby cotton sacks may be conveniently carried during the picking of cotton from one portion of the field to another without wearing the sack and with convenience to the picker" (lines 10-15).
Date: February 21, 1893
Creator: Laird, Archibald F.
System: The Portal to Texas History