Bale Tie. (open access)

Bale Tie.

Patent for a new and improved bale tie. This design "consists of a short thin plate of metal having two tongues . . . fronting each other, said plate being pivoted at one end to the bale-hoop . . . the other end of the bale-hoop being passed under the tongues and drawn tightly around the bale, the expansion of the bale on the hoop causes the respective ends to pull on the respective ends of the tie-plate . . . so as to grip the edges of the end passed between the tongues and hold it firmly" (lines 7-19).
Date: July 24, 1883
Creator: Arnold, Abbott
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 "[t]he combination . . . of the laterally and vertically movable draw-head having the hook at its outer end, the keeper depending from the lower side of the car, and in which the draw-head is confined, the spring connected to one side of the draw-head and bearing thereon, and the arm pivoted in a slot in the draw-head, and having the head projecting in rear of the lip or shoulder of the hook, and the lever fulcrumed to the end of the car and connected to the car" (lines 87-97).
Date: July 20, 1886
Creator: Gorny, Jacob
System: The Portal to Texas History
Valve-Gear for Engines. (open access)

Valve-Gear for Engines.

Patent for "a new and useful improvement in Steam-Engine Valve-Gears." The invention consists in "combining with a crank-shaft and a valve-shaft a lever, shaft, and two friction-wheels" (lines 4-9)
Date: July 6, 1880
Creator: Josserand, Peter
System: The Portal to Texas History
Treasure Box. (open access)

Treasure Box.

Patent for a new and improved lock-box. This design "is provided with means for giving an alarm when an attempt is made to enter the same; and it also has a device for clamping it to the berth or other part of the apartment in which the traveler lodges, so that when the alarm sounds he [or she] is awakened, and thus notified at an attempt at robbery. The device is especially adapted to be clamped to the inner-face of a bed-rail, adjacent to the mattress thereof, so that it cannot be reached without awakening the traveler" (lines 21-31).
Date: July 13, 1886
Creator: Hayes, Elbert Newton & Sauer, Venant August
System: The Portal to Texas History
Nut Lock. (open access)

Nut Lock.

Patent for a new and improved nut lock. This design "consists of a volute spring-washer which is formed of a stiff or steel strong plate that is coiled or set up in . . . an edgewise manner, and is provided with one or more projections or spurs on its top and bottom surfaces, adapted to engage with the under side of the nut and the fish-plate or other object, said spurs or projections being formed on the top and the bottom edges of the inner and outer coils of the spring-washer" (lines 20-29).
Date: July 1, 1884
Creator: Campbell, Eli F.; Noble, Laroy C. & Howe, Milton G.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Heel Attachment. (open access)

Heel Attachment.

Patent for a new and improved heel attachment. This design consists in "[t]he shoe having the sole provided with the plate having the struck-up flange and U-plate, the flange and plate forming the groove, and the plate being further provided with the perforation, in combination with the heel provided at its upper end with the plate, supported slightly above the same and adapted to fit the groove and provided with a perforation aligning with the [former] perforation, and the screw inserted downwardly through the perforation and terminating in the heel" (lines 71-82).
Date: July 30, 1889
Creator: Grumbach, Charles
System: The Portal to Texas History
Mosquito Net Frame. (open access)

Mosquito Net Frame.

Patent for a new and improved mosquito-net frame. This design consists in "the combination, with the standards provided with detachable heads, horizontal bars, and a detachable bracket, and downwardly-inclined pins secured to the standards, adapted to enter a diagonal aperture at the upper ends of the bedstead, and an angular bar pivoted to the lower ends of the standards to be passed under the edge of the head-board" (lines 1-10).
Date: July 26, 1887
Creator: Lottman, Albert C.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Funnel Attachment. (open access)

Funnel Attachment.

Patent for a new and improved funnel attachment for pouring. This design consists in "[t]he combination of the supporting frame, a shaft journaled in the frame, a crank for rotating the shaft and carried by the frame, and a screw-conveyer carried by the shaft and having the smaller blades and the larger blade arranged above the [smaller] blades, and bearing against the funnel above the conducting tube thereof when the device is adjusted in the funnel" (lines 52-60).
Date: July 27, 1886
Creator: Charlton, James & Lynch, Hubbard Calhoon
System: The Portal to Texas History