What is it? LXXVII

I agree! Puller for thornbrush, small stumps, etc. we used was more like a pair of scissors, made of 1/2" thick steel with short chains attached to handle ends & a ring where you hooked the pull chain.

443. Sheet metal tool, perhaps. Set the ball end against the piece being worked and strike the other end of the head with a mallet.

445. Used for scribing designs in wood.

447. Part of a crane, used for picking up the new apprentice by the shirt.

From RCM.

Gary Brady Austin, TX

The vent core?

Most of the items have been identified correctly except 445.

John Martin

(top posted for your convenience) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) snipped-for-privacy@7cox.net

Haven't been able to confirm what it is, here are the guesses so far:

-note holder

-static electricity dischargers

-puncture test tool

-grandfather's clock mechanism

-weights for the scales of justice

-for electrical experiments

-durometer

-tester for finding the hardness of optical pitch

-spindle for paper

-for making indentations in metal

-standard lightning rod balls and needles

-for gravity experiments

-desk decoration

Rob

I believe you got it correct, but the image is "upside down."

Each of the last two sets of photos has had an item that has not been verified, but there have been numerous guesses. I would be interested to know what the individuals here think the solutions to these two might be so that I could post on the answer page the percentage or number of votes for the most popular.

1. static electricity dischargers/electrical experiments

1. puncture test tool
2. grandfather's clock mechanism
3. weights for the scales of justice
4. durometer, used to measure hardness/tester for finding the hardness of optical pitch
5. spindle for paper/note holder
6. for making indentations in metal
7. standard lightning rod balls and needles
8. for gravity experiments
9. desk decoration, no practical function for it

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Before you vote on the next one, please take a look at the close-up of it at the link below. It shows the bracket on the back, it looks like it could possibly be mounted on a beam or some other structure. Also note the small spring in the upper right that looks to serve as a cushion for the lever.

If you would like to participate, please email the votes to me.

Rob

Still an open question: How do the upper ends of the needles/rods look like? Is there a hole or whatever?

And also please note: If you pull up the lever on the right, the thing will _open_. So if you want to lift something up, you would have to press it down. Not the most clever way, nor not? So this device is not for lifting anything. IMHO, if you want. :-)

Nick

Sounds like a good possibility, someone posted a similar idea on my site:

"This is quite possibly a release mechanism for a drop door on an old farm dump wagon. The T like casting would be fastened to the side. The handle is offset to allow clearance for your hand when operating."

I'll have to do a some research on this.

Rob

I'll email the owner and ask him.

Good point, I'm starting to like the release mechanism idea more.

Rob

What confuses me the most about that thing is: Where can you lift it. OK, there is the "release-lever", but not very solid. Between the two gears, there is some flat, that might have broken. But if this is where some kind of handle has been, it should point outwards not inwards. Or has this device been taken appart and back together wrong?

Nick

You see what I saw...I gave it up as the images are too indistinct for my eyesight to really discern the mechanism clearly enough to decide what was what...

If one had it in ones' hands, all would probably come clear...then you could tell if something's broke and quite probably if it is incorrectly assembled.

Or a (bloodletting)lance. I have seen the same item advertised as both.

Kevin Gallimore

For what I have in mind would be that the other holder cast plate is broken and missing that would be on the other side of the gear teeth. Wonder if the tongs cross each other and if there is a broken eyelet between the jog in the lever and the handle for the release rope to be pulled from above.

But why the nice wood stand?

Maybe a store display for a place which sold such things?

And presented upside down to reduce the chances of ripping someone's clothes or flesh?

(It's hard for even me to believe what I just wrote.)

Without the spike parts I'd be tempted to say they had something to do with some very cold weather and two different size metallic monkeys. :-)

Jeff

OK! You've done it now!

I know this trivia (being in the explosives industry), but most don't.

WHAT does it mean to "freeze the balls off a brass monkey"?

This sort of fits into the "What is it? LXXVII" series.

LLoyd