Posting from Rec.crafts.metalworking as always.
Yes, Opera now works on the "Larger" links.
2857) Quite an interesting item.First glance says military, based on the color, but not quite right for US Army equipment.
Closer looks say that it is from Russia. (The lettering on the controls, and on the globe look Cyrrilic to me.
Given the fact that there is a complete globe in it, and the fact that it has scales marked in degrees, and at least one dial in degrees, minutes and seconds, I suspect that it is a target entry console for an ICBM.
In particular, I find the thick red lines at the borders between the US and the neighboring countries to be of interest. I suspect that the globe is in there to serve as a double-check that the latitude and longitude were entered correctly. You dial in the setting, then look at the map to make sure that it looks like where you wanted to hit.
I suspect that the knob to the bottom right of the globe is the arming switch, with a safety lock around it.
And -- it looks like it is designed to mount in a console.
I would be interrested in seeing a translation of the control markings once the answers are all in.
2858) Hmm ... I suspect that the larger plug should also have an O-ring in the groove between where the threads end and the knurled knob starts.At a guess, this was for sampling the atmosphere, for detecting poisonous or explosive gasses which are common in coal mines.
It may hold some absorbent material, and have a pump pulling air into it for some hours or days.
2859) My first guess was that it was to puncture cans like oil cans or beverage cans. (No dimensions to select between the twoP.However, the points are not sharp enough. So -- they may be to open valves in a cylindrical object, or to hold a screw-in lid against rotating by the pins in (perhaps blind) holes, while the cylindrical object itself is rotated below to screw in or unscrew a lid.
2860) A paddle for use on only one side of a canoe (one hand grips the T-bar at the top, and the other hand grips part-way down the handle. but it would be difficult to swap sides quickly.Or -- it could be for stirring something being mixed, a large amount of stew, or a paint, or fertilizer, or whatever.
2861) Looks like a tool for crimping either large electrical terminals, or swaged fittings on the end of steel cables.It has sockets for three different sizes -- and the chained semi-circles could be used to adapt to two other sizes.
However -- one feature does not look right for that purpose. The larger notches are at a greater distance from the threaded bar which applies the force. Unless it is way undersized for the task.
2862) The black cylindrical object is a battery -- to be filled with acid just prior to use.Are the wired rods in the third photo a part of the battery or grounding rods?
At a guess, it is a portable (likely military) telegraph, hooked to the wires, and to a headphone, while the spring-loaded button is the sending key.
I would be interested to know what lives in the drawer.
And the three-fingered thing is another puzzle.
Time to post this, and then see what others have suggested.
Enjoy, DoN.