Ant-Trap. (open access)

Ant-Trap.

Patent for a "trap designed to be placed around an ant-hill and adapted to capture ants leaving or returning to the ant-hill." (Lines 11-13) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 18, 1897
Creator: Bond, William Beebe
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bicycle Attachment. (open access)

Bicycle Attachment.

Patent for "a new and improved bicycle attachment arranged to serve as a foot-rest for the feet of the rider while coasting and adapted to be lowered to support the bicycle in a vertical position when not in use and to securely lock the wheel and support together to prevent the machine from being stolen" (lines 7-14), including illustrations.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Zintgraff, August
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bottle. (open access)

Bottle.

Patent for a bottle that has a mechanism near its opening, and when the cork is pulled out, it becomes impossible to refill the bottle and use it again. The point of this bottle is so that after it has been sealed, it cannot be opened and emptied without apparent evidence that it has been opened.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Phillips, George C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Canopy for Vehicles, & c. (open access)

Canopy for Vehicles, & c.

Patent to "improve the construction of canopies and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one adapted to be readily mounted on all kinds of vehicles, plows, machines, &c., where shade or protection from weather is desirable" (lines 11-15) with instructions and illustration.
Date: December 10, 1896
Creator: Buchanan, Hugh A. & Tisdal, Jefferson M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car-Coupling. (open access)

Car-Coupling.

Patent for "automatic pin-and-link car-couplings in which a sliding spring-actuated block is employed for supporting the coupling-pin in an elevated position preparatory to coupling." (Lines 8-12) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 25, 1897
Creator: Lee, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Churn. (open access)

Churn.

Patent for an automatic churn, which churns up and down and rotationally. To operate, turn a crank and a gear inside the churn moves the blades.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Rogers, James P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Coat-Adjuster. (open access)

Coat-Adjuster.

Patent for a machine that holds a coat for a person and puts it on that person, thus avoiding the need to personally put on a coat. Pivoted arms hold on to the coat and clamps are connected to the arms which hold on to the coat.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Spoon, William L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combination-Tool. (open access)

Combination-Tool.

Patent for a combination tool "specifically adapted for use as a pan or plate lifter or a stove-lid lifter and which may also be used for holding dishes while being washed" (lines 4-7), including illustrations.
Date: May 18, 1897
Creator: Swenson, Charles E. & Swenson, Olive C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton-Chopper. (open access)

Cotton-Chopper.

Patent for a cotton chopper that is "cheap, durable, have as few parts as practicable, and be easily assembled" (lines 13-15). The device uses hoe-carrying shafts and a main-drive shaft, and the hoes elevate and depress to chop the cotton.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Moore, John Neally
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for a Game-Board (open access)

Design for a Game-Board

Patent for a design for a game-board this is both useful and ornamental.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Sneddon, Guy Hoyt
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for a Knife (open access)

Design for a Knife

Patent for a design for a knife that has a curved terminal that forms a shield.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Albert, Alfred K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Design for a Nut Cracker. (open access)

Design for a Nut Cracker.

Patent for a Nut-Cracker.
Date: May 25, 1897
Creator: Collins, Corties
System: The Portal to Texas History
Device for Preventing Hens from Setting. (open access)

Device for Preventing Hens from Setting.

Patent for improvements to a hood that prevents hens from flying (by cutting off vision above or to either side) while allowing them to continue scratching and eating.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Sparks, Andrew J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Electric Cigar-Lighter. (open access)

Electric Cigar-Lighter.

Patent for a cigar lighter in which the cigar is lit on a glowing surface, improves on the ease of operating a cigar lighter, and provides space for an advertisement.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Handshy, Henry M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Extension-Step. (open access)

Extension-Step.

Patent for improvements in extension-steps which attach to vehicles and "do away with the boxes used to assist in getting up to the first or lower step" (lines 10-12). When not in use, the steps can be swiveled up. They are raised, lowered, and locked into position with a mechanism operated using a handle.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Hamilton, Samuel R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Flue-Beader. (open access)

Flue-Beader.

Patent for a tool that allows a boiler flue to rotate while not letting any steam out of the flue. This allows for the projecting end of the flue to turn without damaging itself and makes taking the flue apart easier for workmen.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Hutchison, Wilson F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Freezer. (open access)

Freezer.

Patent for improvements to freezers for freezing liquids and confections, with illustrations.
Date: May 18, 1897
Creator: Jordan, James T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hand Seed-Planter. (open access)

Hand Seed-Planter.

Patent for an improvement in hand-seed planters, designed especially for cotton-seed. The seeds are spit out the bottom through a series of springs, pins, and plungers.
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Merwin, Charles F.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Index for Books. (open access)

Index for Books.

Patent for "... improvements in indexes for books which receive the freight tariffs or schedules of railroads and the agreements between one road and others a to division of freight charges where the traffic is handled by more than one" (lines 11-16 ) including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Kerr, Warren Dunlop
System: The Portal to Texas History
Lamp. (open access)

Lamp.

Patent for improvements to headlight lamps used in locomotives, with illustrations.
Date: May 25, 1897
Creator: Pitts, William Wirt
System: The Portal to Texas History
Machine for Separating Decorticated Cotton-Seed. (open access)

Machine for Separating Decorticated Cotton-Seed.

Patent for a machine dedicated to "increase the capacity of machines for separating decorticated cotton-seed" (lines 9-10) and to "separate the meal from the husks of the decorticated cotton-seed, whereby perfectly clean meal is collected" (lines 12-15)
Date: May 11, 1897
Creator: Bell, Thomas
System: The Portal to Texas History
Non-Refillable Bottle. (open access)

Non-Refillable Bottle.

Patent for non-refillable bottles "which in order to obtain access to its contents will have to be sufficiently mutilated or altered in appearance so that it cannot be again used as an original package for the fraudulent sale of an imitation liquid." (Line 13-17) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Clinton, John S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Oil Substitute. (open access)

Oil Substitute.

Patent for an oil paint substitute consisting of furniture glue, water, soda ash, and salicylic acid, rosin, and pigment. Includes instructions for three different formulas.
Date: May 18, 1897
Creator: Reynolds, Walter James
System: The Portal to Texas History
Pen-Cleaning Attachment for Inkstands. (open access)

Pen-Cleaning Attachment for Inkstands.

Patent for innovations in "pen-cleaning attachments for inkstands" (lines 9-10). It is a lip that extends past the top of ink-wells, and is meant to prevent blotting. The attachment is "an annular expansible body portion of spring metal adapted to be fitted in the mouth of an ink-well" (lines 93-95)
Date: May 4, 1897
Creator: Higgins, Pattillo
System: The Portal to Texas History