Test your skills on this one! Spent years trying to ID this.

For my own reasons I have removed my hand drawn sketch of the M118 750 pounder
                                           Bluezman

Since we're working for Beer and Wine here's my entry:

IT'S A PERFORATOR!

It travels left to right and right to left on assembly line equipment to cut dough making 15 small slits for steam to escape when making apple pies or chicken pot pies crusts.

OK. . .  The first two possibilities that come to mind are:

1)  A measuring device that you roll along the bottom of your bare foot to determine your hiking-boot size while sitting on a log in the Alaskan wilderness. (Note: You must also like your foot tickled during this measurement process)   or,

2)  A measuring device for clicking off the hours of sunlight a potted plant by the window of your cabin receives in one day. (Perfect for those who are bored enough to watch grass grow. . . )

PLEASE!!!!!!  someone solve this!!!

watercolor

Is it a Racing pigeon clock or door counter once all 15 pigeons are back it locks?


or

thermostat or oil furnace dial?

Since we're working for Beer and Wine here's my entry:

IT'S A PERFORATOR!

It travels left to right and right to left on assembly line equipment to cut dough making 15 small slits for steam to escape when making apple pies or chicken pot pies crusts.

No that looks like this

Well since this was haunting me all night i asked the one people i know, the people i work with at the cabel company.

Yes we all went to MIT.

So i get the usal corney answers then soem others not so corney one was a loom thread count which actually was not bad.   But then the computer guys said yeah thats HEx  15 char.  I said guys it probably i little old for a computer they said no teletypes used hex.  This intriged me an yes they did 15 cog wheel one 2 chars and puncuation.   so thats our answer thus far.  so if you dial a number once you get one char twice for a differnt an one is a blank.

Kia Ora,

... This intriged me an yes they did 15 cog wheel one 2 chars and puncuation.   so thats our answer thus far.  so if you dial a number once you get one char twice for a differnt an one is a blank.

Jasonbo, Bro, can you explain this bit, a bit more please

I'm trying to get my head around (Nooo! not like The Exorcist), that it only counts to 14? It doesn't count 15 because of the stop. It counts from 1 to 14 and then it has to start again. The fact that it has the 15 stamped, but not counted, lends some significance to the fifteenth thing-a-ma-jig.
If only we knew for what?
I still accept Bluezman's explanation, as to the use of the item, as the most credible.
Cheers, Mike

As far as I can tell, this was part of a temperature control device on an old refrigerator/incubator/freezer.  It worked pretty much like the ones we have today do except you used your finger to turn the dial to change the temperature of the inside.  It would only turn so far - coldest - and down so far - warmest - and it needed only one turn.  The cogs just made it easy to turn.  The numbers are just for reference just like they are on today units.  The clips are there to hold it during the manufacturing process and to hold it in place while the cover was placed over it.  It is only part of the complete device which makes it tough to identify.  Hence the long time to figure it out.

That's what my sources say and I can't find a reason not to believe them.

Daryl

a long while back I said a reefer part on semi tractor trailers ---for setting defrost cycles- I think --temp control seems like a good choice to me ---maybe ---we carried reefer tractor trailer units full of food on the containerships quite often----Like I said I do believe I have seen this beast somewhere before in mt 27 years of sea travel (but god only knows where) racked my brains till my head hurts over this "thing"----Ivan

I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE OF THOSE IN YEARS!!

You guys are all guessing, and you coulda' just asked me! My (Ex) boyfriend wore one of those as a belt buckle... said it saved him from whittlin' down the bedposts. Took me awhile to figure that one out, but when I did.. 
Well, that's why he's my Ex

Do I win a bottle of wine??? (or at least a beer?)

Good luck. Great guesses so far.

So he's your ex because he had to stop at 15?

 

Daryl

Daryl -
There's no gracious way for me to answer that.
But like many people guessed, when you got to 15, you just started over.
(At least, hedid )

Sounds like he would have needed more than one buckle.  Either retire it at 15 and screw it to the headboard and get another, or wear two.  One to count the number of 15s from the other.  Then when you are at 15 15s, you would add a third buckle and so on.  If it was really that bad, he would look funny with all those buckles anyway.

 ;)

Daryl

  :DLOL!

[But then the computer guys said yeah thats HEx 15 char]

Well since this was haunting me all night i asked the one people i know, the people i work with at the cabel company.

Yes we all went to MIT.

So i get the usal corney answers then soem others not so corney one was a loom thread count which actually was not bad.   But then the computer guys said yeah thats HEx  15 char.  I said guys it probably i little old for a computer they said no teletypes used hex.  This intriged me an yes they did 15 cog wheel one 2 chars and puncuation.   so thats our answer thus far.  so if you dial a number once you get one char twice for a differnt an one is a blank.

Nope.  Hexadecimal uses characters 0 through 9 and then letters A through F before it begins the 16's place (second character).  15 base 10 would be "F" in Hexadecimal and 10 in Hexadecimal is "16" in base 10.  I took Assembler/ASM and Logic Circuits (using the 8080 chip) in college (ugh).

I just wanted to bump this post back to the top of the list because I am a sick sick man!

A counter for the wifes ovulation cycle    twice a month.

Piece from the inside of a vending machine?

I think something like this....I have a few vending machines and a slot machine and it looks like a piece that would come out of one of them however I cannot exactly identify it.

I just wanted to bump this post back to the top of the list because I am a sick sick man!

Nice one relic lover!
My sleep patterns were just starting to return to normal ;)

Cheers, Mike

Thanks.  I thought I had Googled every gadget known to man and sent a picture of that #+%&!@+* thing to as many people as would look at it.  Now I gotta start over because I can't remember what I Googled or who I sent it to.

I say we take a vote as to what it is and that's it.  For now and forever it will be a ??  Somebody start a list.

Daryl

Looks like a dial in changing frequency channels.  Perhaps an old television dial.

I have no freakin clue but it is very interesting. I hope that you find out what it is.  Mary ann

Hi Mary Ann,

Looks like history repeats itself.  Isn't this where we started about a million posts ago???
 

Daryl

What we have here after extensive study is a brass acorn counter. The factory could only turn out fifteen per day under union rules. I found the solution very simple after I got all the facts together.
 
DG

musclecar, How much money will it take for you to delete this post?...

I say we start a collection to send him to the next Antiques Roadshow.  Let them tear their hair out.   

Daryl

I've just come to the conclusion that something should never be dug up.  Musclecar if you remember exactly where you found this item please go back, dig a very large hole and bury it with this post.

My theory is that for every 100 replies to this post the counter moves up one number and when it hits 1500 post the world ends.  Ohhh the humanity....

Only kidding but I have to admit I have not read anymore of the posts since about 150-175.

Good luck.

NJ

[Goldfinger]

I think it would be easiest to invent a machine that uses it.  Reverse engineer the part.

Now about that 15-a-Day brass acorn counter . . .

What are you trying to achieve here, the Guiness Book of Records for the longest whatzit.  If so your freakin close, so I thought I would add this pointless rant.  Because I'm a friend & want to help out

If I told you what it was I would kill the game

Don't we have to find another one or a picture or it to verify what it is.  Now that's where the fun is going to come in.

One more post to the thread from hell.

Daryl

Musclecar,
Are all the teeth the same thickness?

If not, Using the idea that it has to be something simple that we aren't seeing.
A gauge to measure the gaps in mechanical devices would need to be as adjustable and simple as this looks to be.

only a thought,
OD

I'm not giving up!
DG

Maybe a spark plug gauge..

I found this in Alaska about 10 years ago, and have never been able to ID it.  It is an aluminum piece, about 3 inches square.  It has 15 teeth and is numbered 1-15.  There is a stop preventing it from spinning freely.  The back has two tabs that may have been used to mount it.   ANY GUESSES?

Thanks,

MC

PS The quarter used for size was found yesterday!  1935S  Yeah!

O.K. After watching this post for such a long time, here is my two cents..

This may be part of a rachet reel that lets line out for a set number of feet when releasing a weather balloon with a Radiosonde attached. 
A Radiosonde is a radio that detects temperature, humity and pressure. And can be tracked for winds.  They are expendable and lost after use.
 I have yet to find a picture of the reel.

I still think it's temperature adjustment wheel for an old freezer. It has a stop on it so it can't "unwind" very far. (to 15 & that's it) It has no return spring so it can't reset it self back to zero automatically after reaching 15. The teeth & wheel are way too thin to be used as a drive sprocket of any kind & show no wear of being used that way. The spaces in the wheel fit the tip of your finger. It's seems to be a light weight item not designed for a heavy job & heavy use. So that means little weight & light use. Now think about how many times have you adjusted the temp in your freezer in the last 10 years?

It's seems to be a light weight item not designed for a heavy job & heavy use.

This is a key clue I believe, and (as a possibility) as one of my knowledgeable mates pointed out, lightly made, think aeroplanes.

The stamping/pressing is very precise, the quality is obvious, there must be more of these.

We Shall Find Them !!

Cheers, Mike

I still think it's temperature adjustment wheel for an old freezer. It has a stop on it so it can't "unwind" very far. (to 15 & that's it) It has no return spring so it can't reset it self back to zero automatically after reaching 15. The teeth & wheel are way too thin to be used as a drive sprocket of any kind & show no wear of being used that way. The spaces in the wheel fit the tip of your finger. It's seems to be a light weight item not designed for a heavy job & heavy use. So that means little weight & light use. Now think about how many times have you adjusted the temp in your freezer in the last 10 years?

I think Rtde3 is right.  From the part in the picture you can see it look identical.  Is anyone going to the local junkyard soon and if so look for on of the freezers and see if you can take apart the temperature adjustment for a nice picture of the insides.  And aluminum would make sense so it would not rust from the condensation.

Good luck...

NJ

I think Rtde3 is right.  From the part in the picture you can see it look identical.  Is anyone going to the local junkyard soon and if so look for on of the freezers and see if you can take apart the temperature adjustment for a nice picture of the insides.  And aluminum would make sense so it would not rust from the condensation.

Good luck...

NJ

Just to be clear, the picture is what I think it would look like with a cover on it. I just added a cover to the original picture.

I have a couple thoughts.

1) A fisherman wants to go to sea for a month. 15 days out 15 days to get back!

2) A month dial for a waxing and waning for tide calculation.

3) A cog for a moon dial on a grandfathers' clock

4)  A cog for acreage calculation on a grain drill or feed planter.

5) I like the freezer theory too.

[Goldfinger]

It's a Catholic Scapular medal for St. Quindecim - the patron saint of the number fifteen.

quote from Daryl

I say we start a collection to send him to the next Antiques Roadshow.  Let them tear their hair out.   

Daryl,

Hey professor,
Put  me down for five

OD

Dunno, but it brings to mind some interesting ideas:

1. Early Indian Labelmaker?

2. Keep count of the kids?
 
3. Primitive Birth Control Container?

or a Tension Device?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15_(number)

after reading and scrolling through this extended adventure everyone has endured for so long.....the sleepless nights of your minds working overtime..... i have to agree with the gentleman who have said this is a temperature setting device on an icebox...its old that for sure... but flip it to its back side and look at in 3-d .... and picture 2 wires attached & extending and mounted in-side a aluminum enclosed box with a no# window ....attached to left side of an ice box .......bingo baby!!!! 

Musclecar,

No offence Buddy, Some of these people asked some serious questions.
You don't answer,
I don't think you care,
We are on to you ....
So take this thing ,,,,,,





and reburry it .

OD

Without reading any of the posts above me and by just looking at the pictures I think it is the inside of a wristwatch. Not sure what brand, but that's my guess.

Without reading any of the posts above me and by just looking at the pictures I think it is the inside of a wristwatch. Not sure what brand, but that's my guess.

Maybe for flava flav.... but that thing is WAY too big to fit on your wrist. It is a freezer part for sure.

[Goldfinger]

I had to look up who "Flavor Flav" was.      Cripes.  This guy is my age (b. 1959). 

 An empty birth control pill dispenser

15 pills don't work so well.

Daryl

15 pills don't work so well.

Daryl

Hi Daryl, I still think this thing only 'moves' from one to fourteen. That stop on the 15 negates the use of the fifteenth sprocket socket. That's assuming the socket does the work (of whatever) and not the tip of the sprocket cog

As to other suggestions of electric wires dangling off this thing, possibly as a fridge controller, no pun intended, but it's All Metal. I'm not a sparky, but I cannot see how the thing can be an electrical device.

And, it would be nice if musclecar would explain, where did he find this? in what surroundings? because someone who posted a reply earlier suggested it was found in a field and I suspect that's not correct. So,
Please Mr Musclecar, R.S.V.P.
Cheers, Mike

I appreciate all responses.  I had no idea this would draw so much attention.  I will try and describe it again.  I found it on an old homestead (circa 1950's) in a treed area by the river, in Soldotna, Alaska.  It was about 2 inches deep. 

It is all aluminum, weighs .4 oz, and measures 2 5/8 square.
It is not very durable for full time use.
Numbers are 1-15, with 15 at the stop.
It spins freely, with no detents between numbers. 
No markings other than the numbers.
The back has two folded-over tabs, mounting maybe?
The teeth are the same thickness.
The only wear spot is where the tips of the teeth have worn slightly into the base.

There have been lots of great guesses, and I lean toward the refridgerator, but like Daryl says, unless a photo is found, can't be sure.

I will try to keep better track of this post, to answer questions.

HH
MC

I say it is a measurement counter for a rain guage!

DIE POST, DIE DIE!

OK .... everybody quick, go to page one of this thread.
Now copy all the posts from page one to this page .
Do the same with page two, three etc



HEY Musclecar,
We all want to know
What it will take to get you to burry this thing, REAL DEEP ?

OD

Rather than bury it, maybe I should burn it into a wad of aluminum,, like the kind you find around every campfire!  NO,, better yet, I will hang it on my wall as a reminder of all the great people on TN!  Who knows, maybe someday, PBK's kid will figure it out:)

MC

its a alien brain melter---too late its a maxiumum power 15-----aaaarrrrggghhh--
eirher that or a "reefer coolant adjustment knob"----Ivan

I finaly have it,

it is an early version of a super acurate Al Gore global warming thermometer.

OD

Secretly place it into the cornerstone of some new building they'll be dedicating . . . then let future generations of TNet figure it out

Well, I think it may have something to do with cameras...either 35mm or video. It seems like a primitive exposure counter or shutter speed dial or something like that. Look at these pics to see what I mean:

yyah but the size of the object is too big ---unless its a HUGE camera---Ivan

i agree with previous poster that said it hung on an animal cage to keep track of something. 15 days would be bi-monthly would it not? maybe to keep track of vitamin routines or special feedings. you farmer guys chime in here.. what involves a 15 cycle and animals?

I have seen this thing on an old camera of my grandmothers.
Fifteen exposures!

I have an old Brownie that is half as big as a shoe box,

Maybe.

But I'll be datned if I'm taking that thing apart to ID this thing.

you'ld thing after a mere 13,500 or so looks some one would have come up with a exact "photo" of this "thing"---we need a prize to motive folks to "find" absolute "photographic or other prove without doubt" what this breast is to fnally " Kill" the never ending post once and for all---(still say its a reefer adjustment part off a old semi trailer reefer) myself---Ivan

Hi Ivan,
with respect, I quote you

"we need a prize to motive folks to "find" absolute "photographic or other prove without doubt" what this breast is"

Lost in the annals of ancient posts, is my offer of a bottle of fine New Zealand wine, I will send to the "winner"
(aka - 'the releaser from misery, of thousands')
that irresistible reward was compounded by the addition of an offer of $100 worth of fine Chicago delicate meats,
obviously from an equally frustrated 'guesser'.

Would you like to add  another prize? ;)

Cheers, Mike

all I got on hand is a rather nice 44 walker half---silver is good---Ivan

I want to know how much he wants for it.  Maybe I can buy it, beat it into an unrecognizable blob, cut it into small pieces, melt it, beat it into small discs, throw them in a river, flush a few of them, scatter them in the park, run over them with my car, eat a few of them, and it will be over. 

FINALLY!!!

Daryl

it refuses to DIE DIE DIE!!!!!

That's why we have to figure out a way to kill it. 

Daryl

I have an old Brownie that is half as big as a shoe box,

Maybe.

But I'll be datned if I'm taking that thing apart to ID this thing.

Maybe we could buy Old Dog's brownie & take it apart! But if it's not it then we get our money back!

Put me down for $5. 

Daryl

 

This is a (animal) cage counter (lab use). For a box wire cage, two longer tabs clip to cage . Other side clips to cage too; larger bent metal tab prevents bending two smaller v-tabs when clipping to cage. Two small holes top + bottom are for safety wiring to cage. I just signed up to this web site or I could have save everyone all the anxiety.

Martyh,

Welcome to TN,
Welcome also to the longest running thread, LOL.

GOOD GUESS......?

post a photo of a like one in use or a catalog or even another one just like it---it'll be worth your while --really---Ivan

post a photo of a like one in use or a catalog or even another one just like it---it'll be worth your while --really---Ivan

Hi and welcome Martyh,
Believe Ivan 

Cheers, Mike

I found this in Alaska about 10 years ago, and have never been able to ID it.  It is an aluminum piece, about 3 inches square.  It has 15 teeth and is numbered 1-15.  There is a stop preventing it from spinning freely.  The back has two tabs that may have been used to mount it.   ANY GUESSES?

Thanks,

MC

PS The quarter used for size was found yesterday!  1935S  Yeah!

I believe that this is one of the many decoders which were issued by radio and tv shows. Using it (with the missing key) enabled the owner to decipher coded messages given during the show. Orphan Annie was one of several popular shows that offered such devices.

faaus

try another forum the more the merrier

OKAY, I'M NEW... BUT HERE'S MY SUGGESTION.
IT WAS HIT ON BEFORE A LITTLE...
IT IS A BILLIARDS BALL COUNTER FROM A COIN OPERATED TABLE. 
YOU PUT YOUR MONEY IN, SHOVE IN THE COIN PUSH AND THE DIAL RESETS, AS EACH BALL PASSES THE COUNTER THE DIAL COUNTS THEM OFF, WHEN IT REACHES 15 THE MECHANISM CLOSES SO ANY BALLS THAT ENTER THE TABLE THROUGH THE POCKETS DON'T ROLL COMPLETELY BACK THROUGH.

GREG

Greg,

That has to be the best Idea yet, at least that I have heard.

OD

It looks like me and you are in the same boat. We have found items that don't belong in this world. Man was never suposed to find them, and we did. Now we are resposible for driving people crazy, breaking up families, and general lunacy in the streets. And to top it off, neither one of us is any closer to knowing what we have than when we started. I think they need a special forum for Most difficult to identify, or Not of this world. Surely if we are patient enough and don't die first, someone will identify what we have found.

Maybe there are 15 Piggman nuts.  Once collected and assembled around the single turn, count to 15 sprockety thing, it turns all the nuts simultaneously in the same direction and they open.  Inside are all the pieces to a map to find the secret KGS treasure.  ;)

Daryl

I believe it, and I think the professor is on to something.

I was the one who found the brass acorn in a Sears Catalogue. I'm still lookin for this one.
Humm, maybe Mongomery-Wards?
DG

Bravo, Stoney56!

http://www.antique-watch.com/des/w4437.html

Okay, all you Acornites... say goodnight, Gracie!

Did I miss another Brass Acorn other than the one PBK nailed?

Tony

maybe its a brass acorn counter? 

Or a Piggman nutz counter. 

Daryl

I gave up on this one a long time ago. I searched till my fingers are sore.

It's a prototype two week birth control pill counter.It was attatched to the inside of a tin and the pills were loaded into it and dispenced one at a time with each turn of the wheel.
 Glad my moma lost it. 

I think Daryl says it all,
"it turns all the nuts simultaneously in the same direction and they open"  ;)

Call me stupid - I'm used to it  
but I still reckon, it only counts 14 whatevers, the 15 is the stop

Cheers, Mike

Ah, but the 15th nut is the special one.  It is turned by the other 14 nuts on the device.  If it is not there, turning the other 14 won't do anything.  The one without the basketball logo may just be the special 15th nut.

Daryl

It's pretty cool make a neat belt buckle from it, It is some type of counter I would say I will have to hunt some and see it I can find it, who says treasure hunting ends when the detector is shut off.   

Think I have seen this on a old singer sewing machine before as an attachment accessory. beats me what it did but you can divide 360 degrees evenly by 15

I could use it to count my golf swings and help speed up the game, you know, hit 15 then pick up and move to the next hole, the guys playing behind me would be happy too.


It seems to attach to a wire cage or crate of some kind, the holes are prolly alignment holes for manufacturing, so no permanent attachment.  I swear I've seen something like this on my Grampas farm when I was little.

I can't believe I just read this whole post.

Now you should read the Pigg nutz post. 

Daryl

OK, here is a fresh idea. I know the automatic pill counter was invented in my home town many years ago.  The man's name was Pearson if I remember correctly...Maybe this is from an early automated pill counter bin. Counts 15 at a time??
Hey its just as good a guess as anyone else.
DG

I forgot about this post and just ran across it again.  I guess I can tell you what it is now. It's one of those , no wait, they are bigger and made of steel aren't they?  And besides it wouldn't fit on the one I'm thinking about. Sorry but never mind.  Monty

 elevator switch for old style 15 story building?

I hope I get this photo stuff right.









As for what this thing was----THE HELL IF I KNOW!!!!   

Braving the risk of having hot tar poured over me and covered in feathers for bringing this back to the top of the page I just wanted to say I haven't given up on this yet. I still have only theories as to what it might be. I've sent it to everyone I know and still no answer.

                                   DANGLANGLEY