Posted 3 years ago
JSP2912
(14 items)
So I myself have not done any searching for info on this item. It was recently given to me by my nephew who took it off a wall in a rental of his. A buddy did some searching and said that this was some kind of clock motor is what he got out of his search. If anybody could confirm that or maybe knows of another purpose please share. My first guess was some kind of Morse Code communication device???????
Have you ruled out it being for a wall mounted telephone?
It is certainly a clock *motor* that operates a camswitch assembly of some sort (the dial looking thing with the little fingers over it) and that's probably a relay in the center beside it that'd actuate *something* with wall socket voltage -- the black thing opposite the motor would be a line current filter so it wouldn't mess with other electrical things. Now exactly **WHAT** it timed/controlled is a whole buncha different questions ENTIRELY...? <groan> Does the motor have an RPM speed on it, that could be a clue to begin with?
Could it be some type of timer switch?
You said that your nephew took it off a wall in a rental of his. Can you give us more information on the rental?
As AnythingObscure has already confirmed, it has a clock motor. You can find many examples of Telechron motor powered clocks here: https://www.collectorsweekly.com/clocks/telechron/stories
It looks like the dual cam switch the clock motor is attached to could be adjusted for 1-7 intervals (minutes? hours?). Assuming that the cams rotate clockwise, there would be a sudden drop at the on/off position for one of the two cycles followed by a gradual lift to on/off
Perhaps the dual cam switch powered an electromagnetic high-voltage(?) contact switch?
I'm just guessing. I haven't seen anything like it before. More context with some history on the use of the rental could be helpful.
Sorry Bruce, I have nothing on the rental. It was a house divided into 2 apartments. From memory I’d guess the house was built in the 70’s roughly. Honestly If I had anymore info I would share it in hopes of understanding the mystery of its functionality.
That device looks a good bit older than 1970's -- I'd say much more 1940's by its construction and wiring. I'm seeng a strip of screw terminals at its bottom where other wiring could be connected to it, are they numbered or labeled or anything?
for combo in wall clock and door bell....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telechron
Anything, It does have a row of numbers with contact points 1-4.
Finally found out what the mystery piece is……a timer for traffic lights is what I was assured it was. A early one obviously
Thanks for the followup info! Begs another question, what the heck was it doing mounted on a wall of the rental? :)
Hi again JSP - respectfully, I think I've gotta disagree with the 'traffic control' purpose for this item, for a couple reasons. While I wouldn't necessarily consider myself an 'authority', I have otherwise been an active collector of traffic control equipment for a long time and haven't ever seen anything configured like this, though it does have some similar looking components.
Firstly I'd simply think this device isn't really sturdy/weatherproof enough, as it is. Even if a sub-assembly it still doesn't quite make sense for that given its components (some of which are indeed similar) and its screw terminals for additional wiring, especially those on the end that still look like they have low voltage wire stubs attached. (a traffic controller wouldn't have those...?)
I'm also really wondering what part of this now appears *missing*, that would have mounted to it on the side opposite the motor/camswitch. Whatever that was looks like it probably had two wires of its own, that'd go thru the small holes in the panel to the backside to hook into the rest of it. When you first showed this I guessed maybe a bell/gong or its actuator, which still could be the case I suppose, but if so (and once more) a traffic light controller wouldn't have that...??
I still don't know what it *is* though, no matter how curious I remain. Looking again I think I'm seeing the motor itself is labeled for 1 RPM, that's a rather unusual speed that might help figure it out. Also puzzling is why it would have been on a wall in a residential building, that aspect keeps bringing me back to the guess that it could have been part of a doorbell chime or maybe alarm or something similar to that...??
Guys questions I have no no idea why or what it is. I brought it with me to a great lol tool museum over the weekend and spoke to the guy in charge and he did a Google search and that’s what he came up with. He also said it was used for other purposes. Then again I never have trusted a gent when having a conversation with that I can’t make eye contact with because his nose always seems to be looking for better air quality at a higher altitude……..nostrils ya know