Combination Roller and Protector. (open access)

Combination Roller and Protector.

Patent for a new and improved roller and protector for maps and charts. This design consists, "with the case having longitudinal slot at its under side, the caps upon the ends of the case and formed with ears, the springs upon the case having their ends engaging the ends of the caps, metal bearings in the ends of the caps, the roller within the case with its pintles journaled in said bearings, and the cord wound upon the roller at one end in a reverse direction to the article carried by the roller with its free end passed through the opening in the under side of the cap at that end of the roller" (lines 21-32).
Date: June 24, 1890
Creator: Turner, Ephraim M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cord-Fastener for Envelopes. (open access)

Cord-Fastener for Envelopes.

Patent for a device for attaching a chord on a merchandise envelope or a similar package that provides "a means for permanently holding one end of the chord in an improved and secure manner, and adapted for temporarily securing the free end when desired" (lines 11-14).
Date: June 25, 1895
Creator: Scougale, Malcom
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press. (open access)

Hay-Press.

Patent for "improvements in presses for compressing and baling hay or other fibrous material" (lines 9-10), with illustrations.
Date: December 21, 1895
Creator: Young, William T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hydraulic Dredging-Machine. (open access)

Hydraulic Dredging-Machine.

Patent for "an improved device for the excavation of material from the bottoms and sides of channels or other water ways; and has for its object to provide a novel machine of the type indicated, which will afford means to rapidly loosen earth or gravel below the surface of a water course, mix it with water, and subsequently transfer and discharge the débris upon the shore of the stream or within a floating receptacle, as may be desired" (lines 8-18).
Date: June 6, 1893
Creator: Robbins, John M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Piano-Action. (open access)

Piano-Action.

Patent for a new and useful piano-action in which the so-called hammers is "pivotally connecting the hammers to the rail by a specific means." (Lines 11-12) Illustration is included.
Date: June 30, 1891
Creator: Norcross, Levi W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sash Balance. (open access)

Sash Balance.

Patent for a new and improved sash balance. This design consists "of the strap provided with a series of holes and designed to have one end secured to the upper sash of a window, the hanger secured to the top of the window-frame and provided with the roller, the clasp or fastener secured to the lower sash and consisting of the plate having the ears and provided with a roller journaled in the ears and having the pin or stud arranged to engage the hole of the strap" (lines 85-95).
Date: June 10, 1890
Creator: Estill, Charles C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Self Cigar-Lighter. (open access)

Self Cigar-Lighter.

Patent for a new and improved self-lighting cigar that has "[a]n attachment for cigars, consisting of a metallic holder having spring-arms . . . and a projecting portion adapted to hold the igniting composition, and a disk adapted to bear upon the outer end of the cigar" (lines 6-11).
Date: June 3, 1890
Creator: West, Thomas & Turner, Ephraim M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Trolley-Finder. (open access)

Trolley-Finder.

Patent for a simple, durable, and easily constructed trolley guide that can be easily attached to an above or below ground trolley that is already in use.
Date: June 25, 1895
Creator: Taylor, James P.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Truck for Railway-Carriages. (open access)

Truck for Railway-Carriages.

Patent for an improved truck for railway carriages that is meant "to construct surface-rollers which have their center of bearing above the center of the traction of surface roller, and which have traction rollers bearing upon the upper portion of the main surface-roller, and upon which the load is supported equally upon two points of the surface or traction roller" (lines 17-23).
Date: June 27, 1893
Creator: Turner, Ephraim M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Valve-Motion. (open access)

Valve-Motion.

Patent for "a valve-motion having simple and positive means for varying the points at which the ports of the engine-cylinder are opened and closed to vary the lap and lead, and while accomplishing this result the invention has especial reference to a form of valve-motion designed for use in connection with that type of locomotive or other engines in which there is a comparatively short space between the drive or driving-shaft and the engine-cylinder." (Lines 11-21) Includes instructions and illustrations.
Date: June 15, 1897
Creator: Shelb, Peter J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Window-Curtain. (open access)

Window-Curtain.

Patent for improvements in curtain-fixtures in which it can be “readily applied to a window and capable of enabling its brackets to be readily adjusted to suite a curtain-roller.” (Lines 11-13) It also can prevent the curtain-roller becoming accidentally disengaged from the bracket by reason of one bracket being slightly higher than the other. (Lines 15-17) Illustration is included.
Date: June 30, 1891
Creator: Mendenhall, John W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Womb-Battery. (open access)

Womb-Battery.

Patent for a womb-battery that has "an advantageous electrical or galvanic device adapted, when placed in the womb of a patient where it will be subject to the chemical action of the mucous fluid, to develop a mild electric action and thereby stimulate the generative organs and promote the cure of the various diseases peculiar to the female sex" (lines 13-20). It also is not easily displaced and is easily adjusted.
Date: June 5, 1894
Creator: Petit, Julius C.
System: The Portal to Texas History