Piston-Rod Packing (open access)

Piston-Rod Packing

Patent for "provide a metallic packing for piston-rods that is self-adjusting; secondly, to provide a packing the parts of which are so arranged as to avoid any escape of steam through the gland of the stuffing-box; thirdly, to provide a packing that does not require a lubricator; fourthly, to provide a packing that relieves the piston of all friction, except when steam is admitted to stuffing-box end of cylinder" (lines 19-27).
Date: May 9, 1890
Creator: Carlson, Frank A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electric Bath-Brush (open access)

Electric Bath-Brush

Patent for improvements to an electric brush so that it is "exceedingly effective in its operation and at the same time simple in construction, combining lightness with durability, and securing the best results medicinally to the user. A further object consists in providing a construction whereby the entire brush may be dismantled, so as to obtain access to the interior when necessary, and to permit of the brush being used as an ordinary bath-brush by simply removing the batteries" (lines 15-25).
Date: May 20, 1890
Creator: Williams, Robert E.
System: The Portal to Texas History