Car Axle Bearing. (open access)

Car Axle Bearing.

Patent for a new and improved car-axle bearing. This design is "compris[ed of] the separable upper and lower sections having the longitudinal grooves on their respective upper and lower sides, the straps fitting in the said groove, and the bolts engaging the said straps and clamping the sections of the box together . . . in combination with the axle having its end fitting within the box, the collar shrunk onto the end of the axle within the box, said collar having the annular flanges, and the block pressing on the collar within the flanges" (lines 73-93).
Date: July 12, 1887
Creator: Hawkins, Andrew Jackson & Wilkins, John Walker
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupler. (open access)

Car Coupler.

Patent for a new and improver coupler for railroad cars. This design "consists, first, in a transversely-arranged bar supported by suitable hangers secured to the end of the car a suitable distance above the draw-bar, each end of said transverse bar being provided with hand-wheels having a notch on their outer periphery, with which engage weighed pawls suitably pivoted to the side of the car; secondly, in an arm extending from said transverse bar for supporting the link" (lines 22-31).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Farnam, Stephen
System: The Portal to Texas History
Carriage Curtain Fastener. (open access)

Carriage Curtain Fastener.

Patent for a new and improved curtain fastener for carriages. This design is "an improvement upon that particular form of curtain-fasteners . . . in which a sleeve or barrel having a rotary and sliding movement on a spring-encircled shank or post is provided with a wing or projection for effecting the connection of said sleeve or barrel with the eyelet or grommet of the curtain . . . which will effectually prevent the accidental disengagement of the curtain" (lines 18-29).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Paschal, Thomas M.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Composition for Preserving Wood. (open access)

Composition for Preserving Wood.

Patent for a new and improved compound for “preserving all kinds of wood, in or above ground, but is especially adapted for preserving wood in salt water from the ravages of worms, barnacles and etc…” (Line 24-27) Ingredients, proportions of ingredients and mixing instructions are included. No illustration.
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Smith, Bat
System: The Portal to Texas History
Cotton Gin Attachment. (open access)

Cotton Gin Attachment.

Patent for a new attachment for cotton gins. This design consists in "[t]he combination, in a cotton-gin, of the carrier, feed-roller, having teeth or projections, and the adjustable sliding rake . . . [and] the combination of the carriers, the latter having covering, receiver, toothed feed-roller, adjustable rake, gin-saws, and brush" (lines 68-75).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Compton, Willis W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Hay-Press (open access)

Hay-Press

Patent for improvements in the construction and design of baling presses for compressing hay for baling.
Date: July 12, 1887
Creator: McNeill, Charles DeWitt
System: The Portal to Texas History
Locking Latch. (open access)

Locking Latch.

Patent for a new and improved latch. This design consists "[i]n a latch, the combination, with the sliding-bolt, tumblers having their forward ends provided with hooks or right-angled projections adapted to engage studs upon the bolt, and the lever operated by the bolt and having its forward end adapted to engage with the tumbler of the supplementary lock having its operating mechanism connected to the lever" (lines 68-76).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Rand, Anders
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plow. (open access)

Plow.

Patent for a new and improved plow. This design "consists in combing with the plow a furrow-cutter for the purpose of cutting or dividing the furrow-slice and pulverizing it to a greater or less extent, like a harrow" (lines 13-16).
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Pinter, Francis T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Sun Shade Hat. (open access)

Sun Shade Hat.

Patent for a new and improved sun shade hat. The hat is designed to shield the wearer's head from the sun to prevent heatstroke and keep the wearer's hands free to work. This design utilizes a clamp and washers to enable the hat to remain in the desired opened/closed state while off of the wearer's head, which represents an improvement over previous designs.
Date: July 12, 1881
Creator: Ross, George W.
System: The Portal to Texas History