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Tools and Hardware6818 of 9815Brass Bronze? Etched Mark ? What is This? Help Please!! sword and sheath pin
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    Posted 9 years ago

    jfdiow
    (2 items)

    Hi, This was found in one of my father's many workshop drawers- made of brass, very adjustable- everything seems to be moveable. Size is 5 1/2 inches by 3 inches, not more than 1 inch high on visible side- back plate has block 1 1/2 by 1/2 by 3/8 inch for holding in vice? No makers mark or name.
    Mum thinks it may be for winding wire coils - possible date 40's/50's.

    Any ideas?

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    Comments

    1. Roycroftbooksfromme1, 9 years ago
      I think its a whichamacallit...smiling no idea but I like it
    2. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      No Roy. Thatsarollickingrodforawhatchamacallitthatthatmakesthedoflochygo up&downonthewingwangwasher. Knew what it was as soon as I saw it!
      Another sleepless nite trying to figure it out!
    3. AzTom AzTom, 9 years ago
      This may be a tough one.
    4. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      Hi, If it helps...the long handled screw part ends in a very small adjustable chuck or holder- the screw opposite has a very small dent in the end as if something is held between them. Thanks for your help!-
    5. AzTom AzTom, 9 years ago
      Ah, I'm only guessing but maybe a tool to wind fishing lure wire????
    6. jacko66, 9 years ago
      whats the distance between the 2 large screw points
    7. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      Uh ouh, Jacko is on it. We should know soon.
    8. jacko66, 9 years ago
      lol blunderbuss iv been looking at this since it was put up has me stumped
    9. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      Me too. I don't think the screw goes in at the end where the "chuck" is but just moves the arm with the slot in it. That's about as far as I have gotten. We still have the old fallback: Left by aliens to confuse us.
    10. jacko66, 9 years ago
      the mecacanism looks like some kind of lock device
    11. IMASapp IMASapp, 9 years ago
      So, if we need another guess.....I think it may be a thread cutting lathe. Perhaps a watchers lathe.
    12. IMASapp IMASapp, 9 years ago
      Actually, I meant a watch maker's lathe.
    13. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      Hi, Thanks for trying guys! The distance between the two screw points ( the screw and the tiny chuck) is about 1" to 1 1/2 ". I'll measure it tomorrow and try to take a few close-ups. It does look as if there should be a 'bobbin' or armor? between those points and the square holes line something up which would then be wound around the bobbin. (a mainspring perhaps?) If it's a lathe wouldn't one have to wind very fast? again, thanks for getting the little grey cells working on this.
    14. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      IMA, I've been even thinking in that direction & it may prove true yet. That (vertical) arm attached to the screw part is attached to the horiz. via a screw(?). At almost a 90 degrees, to the vertical arm, that horiz. arm isn't going going to move up without at least a spring to assist.
    15. IMASapp IMASapp, 9 years ago
      Yes, the swing arm has be puzzled. The Olay thing I can think of is that limits the travel in some way.

      What led me to a lathe of of kind is the two square holes that hold the cutting stock. But, I am still puzzled as to what it may have been used for. If you search for screw lathes you will find some old ones that were hand powered, but none are like this one. The size leads me to think it was a watch makers tool.
    16. jacko66, 9 years ago
      jfdiow did your father work at any paticular trade might help us with search for info
    17. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      Good question! Right now, - me not know man!
    18. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      Hi, my father was an engineer- fork lift truck design for a job, home model engineer- trains, stationary engines etc, and he made his own parts. My mother's father (this may have come from him) was also an engineer and a ham radio person... worked for the war office during WW2 but mum wasn't sure what he did.
    19. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      Mum used to work for a jeweller/watch-mender but is fairly adamant this didn't come from him.
    20. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      I think IMASapp may be right- I've tried it with a pin between the screw & chuck (can't loosen the tiny screws on the chuck yet) and moved the square broken bit to up to the other square guide (the one with the three screws)- the handle then turns the pin, the arm swings and moves the baseplate in a very controlled manner. Photos when I get to the right camera-I think it would cut a very small accurate thread if one had the correct tools and material- so jeweller or watchmaker lathe. Went over it with a magnifying glass There is some very faint marking on the back in elaborate script Fran N17 ? - hand-scratched rather than stamped. Would be glad to know if anyone still makes tiny lathe tools with square stock.
    21. jacko66, 9 years ago
      i have seen pics of clock and watch mainspring winders on the net some look similar but not the same design as your
    22. TubeAmp TubeAmp, 9 years ago
      Clockmaker's Fusée Engine.

      T A
    23. jacko66, 9 years ago
      looks like tubeamp got it welldone
    24. AzTom AzTom, 9 years ago
      Good job Tubeamp.
      I see now that the whole table slides as the crank is turned. Still not sure how the tail stock would work though if it's slotted.
    25. IMASapp IMASapp, 9 years ago
      A little long winded but explains how the swing arm works:

      The clock-barrel engine could also be used for cutting the groove in fusees for bracket clocks, except that the cutter would follow the conical profile of a fusee instead of the straight cylinder of a barrel. Because variation was often needed in the pitch of fusee or barrel grooves, a more elaborate form of engine was devised in which the pitch of the groove could be altered. In general terms it follows the same principle as the earlier engine, but in this case the cutter carrier, which is a flat rectangular bed free to travel axially, is moved by a lever from the guiding block on the driving arbor thread, this lever having a pivot which engages a slot in the carrier. By adjusting this pivot the amount of travel of the carrier can be varied; when the piot is nearer the front of the machine the tool carrier will travel less for a given number of turns of the work than when it is at the rear. By this means, and by having differently threaded driving arbors and blocks, considerable variety of pitch of fusee or barrel groove could be cut. Many modern Swiss fusee cutting tools use the same principle.
    26. jfdiow, 9 years ago
      That's brilliant guys, thank you all so much- I'll mark this as a solved mystery
    27. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 9 years ago
      I'm impressed TA & IMA! "You 2 dun good". Sure had me & a friend stumped. Still don't really understand how it works though & please don't try to explain it further!

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