Case for Rural-Mail Carriers. (open access)

Case for Rural-Mail Carriers.

Patent for a device to enable rural mail carriers to efficiently carry and store postal items for sale. The storage unit (device) is water-resistant to protect the items inside from inclement weather while delivering mail.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Campbell, Guy
System: The Portal to Texas History
Delinter (open access)

Delinter

Patent is for a Delinter. It provides a means for mechanical separation of cotton seeds from fiber as a new way of cotton ginning.
Date: April 24, 1912
Creator: Mullen, Joseph D.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Writing-Machine. (open access)

Writing-Machine.

Patent for writing-machine mechanism which prolongs the life of the ribbon and provides "means to rotate the platen step by step at each actuation of one or more of the keys" (line 20).
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Edwards, Alrah B. & Russell, Frank K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Weed-Killing Composition (open access)

Weed-Killing Composition

Patent for "new and useful composition of matter designed for killing and preventing the growth of weeds and noxious grasses, and is particularly designed for killing and preventing the growth of Bermuda and Johnson grasses." (lines 9-14)
Date: April 24, 1912
Creator: Owen, Hillery O.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Well-Boring Stem. (open access)

Well-Boring Stem.

Patent for a well-boring stem. This design eliminates buckling at the couplings of the stem.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Layne, Mahlon E.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sulky-Plow (open access)

Sulky-Plow

Patent for the design of a plow that can "overcome obstacles without injury to"(lines 14-15) to the machine. It also includes a new design for a plow foot spring, in addition to an element that allows the foot spring to be adjusted quickly by there operator.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Sanders, John T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gangway. (open access)

Gangway.

Patent for a ramp for use by the Army in loading farm animals and wagons on train cars and other transports. This gangway is designed in sections to be adaptable for different needs and to be collapsible for storage and easy transportation.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Titsworth, Richard
System: The Portal to Texas History
Rod-Lifting Tool. (open access)

Rod-Lifting Tool.

Patent for a gripping device for large metal rods.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Miller, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Reamer. (open access)

Reamer.

Patent for a reamer with a hexagonal shaped body and shell, central hub, a series of plates, springs, and metal dogs. Used for reaming well drilling tubes, which are used to drill artesian wells and deep water, and for cleaning out the reamer's own interior.
Date: April 24, 1911
Creator: Sly, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Dry Closet. (open access)

Dry Closet.

Patent for a new design that improves "construction, utility, and efficiency of dry closets"(lines 10-11) that would also allow the use of an attachment specifically for dry closet seats. Includes design for mesh cloth to capture waste.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Mershon, John H.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Device for Slicing Fish. (open access)

Device for Slicing Fish.

Patent for new and useful improvements to a device for slicing fish into smooth and even slices, including illustrations.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Allen, James Leonard
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Chopper. (open access)

Cotton-Chopper.

Patent for a machine to thin and cultivate cotton plants without covering them with debris. Designed to be used with most cultivators and to be inexpensive to construct.
Date: April 24, 1917
Creator: Gunn, Jc. Christon
System: The Portal to Texas History