Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design consists in "the combination of the draw-heads provided with forwardly-projecting portions having curved faces and notches in the rear thereof, bails pivoted centrally on vertical pins passing through the center of the draw-heads, springs exerting a rearward pressure on the rear ends of the bails, and chains secured to the forward ends of the bails to move them in opposition to the pressure of their springs" (lines 78-87).
Date: July 16, 1889
Creator: Neal, Adam S.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Car Coupling. (open access)

Car Coupling.

Patent for a new and improved coupling for railroad cars. This design "consists in a shaft journaled at its lower end in the ordinary draw-bar and at its upper end in a bracket . . . and in the combination therewith of a brace . . . adapted to support the lower end of said shaft, a hook placed between the brace and the draw-bar, and a spring surrounding the shaft and arranged to hold the shaft and hook normally . . . It also further consists in . . . the hook, . . . a spring-actuated uncoupling-rod extending through a bracket . . . and a retaining-latch. . . adapted to hold the said rod in a retracted position" (lines 22-37).
Date: July 26, 1887
Creator: De May, Eugene A.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Bale-Tie. (open access)

Bale-Tie.

Patent for a new bale tie made from metal, with "integral interlocking terminal portions" (lines 25-26), including instructions and illustration. The bale tie is "strong in character, constructed at small cost, of a minimum number of parts, and capable of easy and expeditious manipulation" (lines 18-21).
Date: July 11, 1916
Creator: O'Riordan, John Eldridge
System: The Portal to Texas History
Improvement in Running-Gears for Wagons. (open access)

Improvement in Running-Gears for Wagons.

Patent for an improvement to running-gears for wagons, including "improved means for connecting the front axle and reach of a wagon or other vehicle" (lines 6-8) and illustrations.
Date: July 15, 1879
Creator: Fowler, Joseph C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Running-Gear for Wagons (open access)

Running-Gear for Wagons

Patent for a new and improved wagon coupling. The invention is related to "king-bolts and coupling devices that connect the forward axle of wagons, carriages, and other vehicles." (lines 8-9)
Date: July 13, 1880
Creator: Fowler, Joseph C.
System: The Portal to Texas History