Buttonless Neckband. (open access)

Buttonless Neckband.

Patent for a buttonless neckband eliminates collar buttons "which would have a tendency to discolor the neck of the wearer" (lines 21-22).
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Narmore, Missouri A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locking Device for Steering-Wheels. (open access)

Locking Device for Steering-Wheels.

Patent for a device which is completely detachable from the steering column, can be quickly applied and removed from the steering wheel, and securely holds the steering wheel from turning on the steering column. The purpose of this device is to prevent unauthorized use or theft of a vehicle.
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Grimm, Max F.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Closure for Refrigerators and the Like (open access)

Closure for Refrigerators and the Like

Patent is to "provide a simple and efficient construction of doors or lids for refrigerators, refrigerator cars, ice boxes, fireless cookers, telephone booths and the like, and as fire doors for storage houses, and wherever it is necessary or desirable to provide for facility of movement in opening or shrinking, due to head or cold, dampness or dryness, or other climatic or atmospheric or similar changes or conditions, while insuring an air tight, smoke, fire and bug proof, and heat insulating closure and seating joint, regardless or vibration of the receptacle on the door frame and of the size or shape of the door or lid." (lines 9-24).
Date: May 28, 1918
Creator: Seifert, John W. of Houston, TX
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Air-Regulating Attachment. (open access)

Air-Regulating Attachment.

Patent for a new attachment in a carburetor that regulates air through suction and has a valve to release pressure from an engine, including illustrations.
Date: May 14, 1918
Creator: Kimbler, Henry R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Train Stop (open access)

Automatic Train Stop

Patent for an automatic train stop. Used to simplify the construction where fewer magnets and changeable switches are necessary. To provide an automatic train control mechanism with a normally closed circuit, the breakage or disarrangement of any part that would ensure the stopping of the train.
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Bulla, Melbern B.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Carbon-Brush Holder (open access)

Carbon-Brush Holder

Patent for a carbon-brush holder that provides the user with novel means of holding a carbon brush. Through this device, users can more efficiently transmit an electric current from the brush to motors, dynamos, or commutators.
Date: May 28, 1918
Creator: Knight, James H.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cistern-Cleaner (open access)

Cistern-Cleaner

Patent for a device to be used for cleaning mud and sediment from cisterns while preventing contamination of the water within the cistern.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Davis, Lewis F.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Combination Valve and Cap Tool (open access)

Combination Valve and Cap Tool

Patent for a combination valve cap and stem used to ease the process of deflating pneumatic tires by eliminating the need to keep track of a separate cap piece when removing the valve core, including illustrations and instructions for use.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: McComb, William Perry
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cane Stripping Machine. (open access)

Cane Stripping Machine.

Patent for a new cane stripping machine, specifically for use in harvesting sugar cane grown particularly in Lousiana and Texas.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Piatt, Charles E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Boll-Weevil Catcher (open access)

Boll-Weevil Catcher

Patent for a machine for removing boll-weevils from growing cotton
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Hitt, Reed R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Belt-Buckle (open access)

Belt-Buckle

Patent for belt-buckles that design "to be worn around the waist, without injuring or mutilating the ends of the belt (lines 13-15)."
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Hall, Cyrus M.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Gold Dredging in the United States (open access)

Gold Dredging in the United States

Report discussing the development of gold dredging in the United States, the essential features of present-day dredges, the facts that determine whether a placer deposit can be profitably dredged, and the approved methods of prospecting placer ground and of operating dredges. Intended for designers and builders of dredges, mining engineers, and persons who may contemplate investing capital in placer-mining ventures.
Date: May 1918
Creator: Janin, Charles
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Suggestions for Improved Methods of Mining Coal on Indian Lands in Oklahoma (open access)

Suggestions for Improved Methods of Mining Coal on Indian Lands in Oklahoma

Technical paper issued by the Bureau of Mines over studies of Oklahoma coal mines. As stated in the introduction, "this report describes the systems of mining used, points out their defects, and presents suggestions for improved methods, more especially as regards the applicability of different modifications of the panel system to mining coal in Oklahoma" (p. 5). This paper includes tables, maps, and illustrations.
Date: May 1918
Creator: Rutledge, J. J. & Harrington, Daniel
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Battery (open access)

Battery

Patent for an improvement on batteries. Meant to increase insulation and plate stability inside the battery.
Date: May 15, 1918
Creator: Pipkin, Maurice E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Automatic Locking Device (open access)

Automatic Locking Device

Patent for improvements to automatic locking devices when turned one direction with illustrations.
Date: May 14, 1918
Creator: Dixon, Thomas K.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Boring-Machine. (open access)

Boring-Machine.

Patent for Boring-Machine. Particularly a boring-machine for boring brush blanks, and can bore all of the necessary openings, both straight and at an angle, at a single operation.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Miller, Emma T.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Coffee Roaster. (open access)

Coffee Roaster.

Patent for a coffee roaster, with key features such as electric heat and agitation of coffee beans during roasting, including illustrations.
Date: May 6, 1918
Creator: Shortt, Everett T.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Child's Bed. (open access)

Child's Bed.

Patent for a retractable crib and mattress attached to side of bedstead, folding underneath for storage when not in use. When fully extended, allows crib mattress and bedstead mattress to be in the same plane.
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Myers, Daniel E.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cigar or Cigarette Holder (open access)

Cigar or Cigarette Holder

Patent for improvements to cigar and cigarette holders so that the stub (butt) of the cigar/cigarette can be easily ejected, thereby decreasing the instances of choking. This also makes the mouthpiece easier to clean and therefore, more sanitary.
Date: May 14, 1918
Creator: McClintock, Herbert R.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Caterpillar-Tractor. (open access)

Caterpillar-Tractor.

Patent for 1) a mechanism preventing the Caterpillar tractor's driving element from becoming clogged with mud; 2) a mechanism to regulate the force put on the wheels in relation to the weight of the tractor's load; 3) a mechanism to allow this regulation of force in relation the weight of the tractor's load to be manually adjustable; 4) a construction improvement to allow the tractor to be turned in a relatively short radius, including illustrations.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Rountree, Joseph G.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Camp-Cooker. (open access)

Camp-Cooker.

Patent for "a new and useful improvement in a form of camp cooker, or camp stove and particularly appertains to a folding and demountable cooker" (lines 8-11), including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Hanson, Frank
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trousers-Stretcher. (open access)

Trousers-Stretcher.

Patent for a trousers stretcher that removes wrinkles and creases from trousers by stretching them. The stretching tension may be increased or decreased as desired.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Johnston, Renord C.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Insect-Trap. (open access)

Insect-Trap.

Patent for a new and improved insect trap with a flanged pan, the mouth of which has an inclined surface. The insect trap is designed to be arranged directly over a burrow of ants, so that ants are directed to a bait pan.
Date: May 7, 1918
Creator: Mosby, William A.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mail-Bag-Delivering Apparatus. (open access)

Mail-Bag-Delivering Apparatus.

Patent for "a device for effecting the receipt of bags and the like from and the delivery thereof to railway trains, cars, etc., while the latter are in motion" (lines 11-14), including instructions and illustrations.
Date: May 21, 1918
Creator: Kost, Joseph L.
Object Type: Patent
System: The Portal to Texas History