Combined Pessary and Womb-Battery. (open access)

Combined Pessary and Womb-Battery.

Patent for a combined pessary and womb-battery. It is inserted into a woman's vagina and is used to deliver medication "and to stimulate the genitals to a healthy and normal action both mechanically and electrically" (lines 11-13). The device is worn without discomfort and can be worn while pregnant.
Date: July 7, 1896
Creator: Keller, Martha Ellen
System: The Portal to Texas History
Letter-Box. (open access)

Letter-Box.

Patent for improvements in mail-boxes, where a movable partition is place inside of a mail-box “which is raised by the cover or lid so as to receive the mail and then drop it into the box as soon as the lid is closed, to attach to the lid an apron which rises in the box so as to make connection with the inner edge of the partition when the lid is raised to deposit mail-matter, and thus prevent any possibility of the content of the box from being abstracted when the cover is raised.” (Lines 18-27)Illustration is included.
Date: July 7, 1891
Creator: Wesson, Miley B.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Speed-Indicator. (open access)

Speed-Indicator.

Patent for a speed-indicator to be used on trolly-cars and other vehicles that informs anyone looking behind the trolly-car if that car is speeding or not. An alarm goes off when the car goes above a predetermined speed, which is activated by a governor that is controlled from the wheels. A device keeps the signal normal.
Date: July 7, 1896
Creator: Bateman, Talbot Owens
System: The Portal to Texas History