What is it? Set 134

In todays' "Oil Patch" it'd be called a "Fishing Tool" for a Cable rig: if the [as originally used] rope attached to the "bit" broke, this would allow for recovery. If the "bit" were wedged, "B" in the patent would permit retrieval ot "A".

The device would be lowered into the bore-hole until it reached bottom then, hopefully, the "jaws" would clamp around the "bit".

FYI, a Cable-tool rig works by repetitively dropping a heavy iron weight to "drive" a hole into the ground and penetrate rock strata. The "bit" or "tool" may have one of several end shapes as determined by the strata being penetrated.

I was wondering that myself, according to the web site below, it's "most often a heavy black lacquer, almost like enamel paint."

I thought it might be a dated term, but Lee Valley still uses it:

Rob

You could be right about the spring, there has to be a reason for those notches to be there.

I'll ask the owner of it how much it weighs. FWIW I changed the post on the answer page, I agree that it's most likely for wells, considering its size and the fact that no one has found a patent with the same date for a log grabber.

Rob

Unfortunately you can't search the early patents by keyword so I just ploughed through all the 500 plus patents listed on 12th November 1889. It finally turned up some 2 hours later about half way through.

-- Dave Baker

"Why," said Ford squatting down beside him and shivering, "are you lying face down in the dust?" "It's a very effective way of being wretched," said Marvin.

It's clearly missing its spring which would locate in the notches either side of the top of the arms.

-- Dave Baker

"Why," said Ford squatting down beside him and shivering, "are you lying face down in the dust?" "It's a very effective way of being wretched," said Marvin.

Inherited from my mother via my grandparents I have a similar but simpler carpet stretcher. It's about 1 foot long and consists of almost identical metal teeth like yours at one end and a turned wooden handle comprising a 1 inch diameter shaft and a round circular pad about 4 inches in diameter at the end. You dig the teeth into the carpet, push it taught and then hold the tension with your knee against the pad while you nail the carpet down. I clearly recall asking mum what this strange thing was when I was a kid.

Yours is designed to be used by digging the teeth into the carpet then using the hooked lever against the edge of the floorboards to pull the carpet tight then finally you press the spike through the carpet and into the floorboards to hold everything. Basically a hands (or knees) free version of the simpler one I own. Frankly I'm not sure if so many holes in a fine carpet would be a good idea. Of course yours requires floorboards under the carpet to take the spike and mine can be used even if the carpets are over a stone or concrete floor.

I've no idea where it is at present but if it ever turns up again I'll post a photo to you. It's entirely possible my grandfather bought it to help him fit the carpets in the house he built when he married my grandmother in the early part of last century.

I'm slightly annoyed that having such a similar object with the same teeth I still didn't twig what your device was until the solution was posted.

Indeed. A lot of the early Japanese cameras were "japanned"...rather than blued. A fairly tough lacquer, IRRC shellac based. When it chips..it leaves bright metal under it usually.

"A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

- Proverbs 22:3

IIRC the one you have is referred to as a knee kicker, at least around here, that is. Gerry :-)} London, Canada

Ontario, huh....ever do any ice fishing? What did/would you use to clear the ice from the hole?

I just added a photo that shows where Gary placed a spring, same as in your picture:

It weighs 2 pounds 15 ounces, and considering that it opens to a maximum of

6", I think the well hook answer is correct.

Rob

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the follow up.

I'm pretty sure you're on the right track. I didn't really think it looked to be heavy-duty enough to be lifting anything much. It even weighs less than I would have hazard guessing...

If the patent date is truly accurate, I'm pretty sure the one I linked to before would be the most likely candidate. I searched through that date pretty well via hit-and-miss and classes (classes are the best way to search, but take the most homework to figure out).

It sure would be nice to have the original instructions that must have went with this item. I think there must have been something (another string or rope) that attached to the sliding wedge at the top too.

Did the owner happen to comment on how/where they got it from? No biggy, just curious. That might shed some more light on the matter.

As others have commented, Thanks a lot for putting all your work into this "puzzle" every week :)

He got it from a garage sale a little north of Dallas, and since the inventor lived in Arkansas, this is another indication that it's most likely a well hook.

Rob