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what is it?? Found in my dads stuff.

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    Posted 13 years ago

    lams
    (1 item)

    The silver dial can swing around in circles, and it moves the numbers on the dial. there are two dials..one numbered 10 to 90 . connected to the underside of that is another dial,,cannot tell what it is numbered to. it is heavy, with a brass ring at the top. The dial has the mark: Lionel Corporation New York..Is this a train item? if so what was it used for, if anyone knows. Thanks in advance!

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    Comments

    1. Dizzydave Dizzydave, 13 years ago
      Could be something off a ship, Lionel made ship instruments back in the day. Dave
    2. Picking-and-Collecting Picking-and-Collecting, 13 years ago
      Maybe something for determing the angle of something compared to the horizon? 0-90 degrees on the big dial, minutes on the small dial, use the square window next to the dial as a view finder. Just my guess.
    3. Happythisway Happythisway, 13 years ago
      My guess: I looks like maybe a turns counter for something. Each revolution of the horizontal screw would turn the outer dial (100 to 1 ratio). The inner dial being geared down from the outer dial (10 to 1) you would be able to read the total revolutions of the horizontal shaft. Is there a way to couple the horizontal shaft up to something that it came off of? Or like Pick'n said, something to determine a position, like a big gun elevation position indicator. ???
    4. Picking-and-Collecting Picking-and-Collecting, 13 years ago
      Looks like most of the Lionel WWII naval items were in the field of compasses and compass housings. Could it be part of a binnacle? Maybe the knobs and screw are to adjust the compass for true north and compensate for magnetism.
    5. lams, 13 years ago
      Happy..I don't see any signs that something else was ever attached. the inner dial shows 20, 30, and so on, but i have not flipped it around enough to see how high it goes.. the round ring at the top is in a fixed position, sort of awkward, not facing the front as would seem natural to me. P-and C.. a compass idea makes sense also. I have had this for years, and never got the chance to ask my father what it was, or if he even knew. Should I try to take it apart and clean the silver dials? thank you for your input. :)
    6. Dizzydave Dizzydave, 13 years ago
      Don't clean it, leave it as is! Dave

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