Window-Shade Raiser. (open access)

Window-Shade Raiser.

Patent for an improved way of raising, lowering, and locking window shades into place. "The operating-cord passes over a pulley located between two larger disks, one of which is screwed toward the other by a spring to clamp the folds of the cord and is screwed in the opposite direction by means of a lever, upon which the chord itself acts when drawn in the proper direction" (lines 14-20).
Date: April 14, 1896
Creator: McCauley, John H.
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.
System: The Portal to Texas History