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

We had one of those plastic films that stuck on the screen, with blue at the top, green in the middle, and red at the bottom, but when a picture of a fire or a sunset was on, we had to take it off and turn the TV upside down.
 Back when chicks were shipped in shallow wire crates these things were used as an indicator for 'days in transit".   or was it for marking fence and wire rolls for how much left?  Coulda been used to keep count of political lies in the old days, of course now we need computers.

After reading 5 pages of guesses ..............................................
i simply don't know what it is.
Tenn. Joe

I may have stumbled onto another part of the original thingy...

ModernMiner has a post with a find over at -  http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,137123.0.html

Here is the photo I stole off of the above thread showing the second piece...

I may have stumbled onto another part of the original thingy...

ModernMiner has a post with a find over at -  http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,137123.0.html

Here is the photo I stole off of the above thread showing the second piece...

The item in this picture is part of a clock. I have found a few of them. None had the part we are trying to ID.

I may have stumbled onto another part of the original thingy...

ModernMiner has a post with a find over at -  http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,137123.0.html

Here is the photo I stole off of the above thread showing the second piece...

The item in this picture is part of a clock. I have found a few of them. None had the part we are trying to ID.

The original part (that started this topic) was found in Alaska. The picture above (ModernMiner's) was found in North Carolina.

I didn't really for truly honestly think that they were part of the original what-cha-ma-call-it... I was just making a phunny.

Interesting thingamabob.

Mystery Box ......similairities......

People have suggested it is a part of a clock device.
How about a part of an antique pedometer used by people to track how far they walked?
15 miles being the limit it tracked.

When I first saw the 15, I thought of the hexadecimal system (0-9, A-F) but this little gadget is missing the zero.

ok i think im getting warmer here.  the pic in my previous post what not 100% accurate...it is actually a half bushel counter from a threshing machine.  here is a pic http://www.lakecountyshow.org/AverySeparator/avery_elevator.JPG if someone can zoom in on the unit it is right beside the guy in the green shirt. (not too good wiff deeze pewters here)    i new these were on threshing machines just couldnt remember where and what they did.   so its not a bale counter.   what these counters did was as a half bushel of grain filled the bin it would then trip and dump the grain into the wagon and also trip the counter to keep track of how much the thresherman charged the farmer.  (usually about 2 cents per half bushel)  this one was made by avery and the pic i posted earlier was made by j i case and only went to 1000.   as far as the wheel needing a "stop" i dont think this would be the case as the trip lever would still be trying to activate the counter when it reached its stop thus breaking it. so at the end of the day if the unit read 123 it was a given that it ment 1623. photos of the units are hard to come by on the web but when the engine shows start this summer im sure ill find one from the manufacturer that this wheel came from as each brand of thresher made thier own counter....some im sure went to 1000 as well as some going to 1500 ect ect.    so what do you guys think?   it sure makes sense...the size is right....it was found on a farm as well.  i really think this is it!!!!!      dave

just did a google search for ("bushels per day" threshing machine)  and seems the threshers ranged from 200 to 1800 bushels per day of grain.   hmmmm so a 1500 count unit would not be out of the question.  just looked at the pic again and i stand corrected as it DOES have a stop.....maybe everyone went home when it hit 1500.   as far as the teeth on the unit go my theory is that when the center wheel (or tenths wheel) hit 9 a tab would move the hundreds wheel to the next number which also explains the drag the wheel has when turned....wouldnt want it to viberate and move around.    hmmm maybe ill post it on some old engine and steam engine web pages...im sure someone would recognize it if it were part of a bushel counter.          dave

hey just found another version....this one was made by the frick thresher company.     dave

....it was found on a farm as well. 

Dave, according to the finder, musclecar, in his comments in response #253 on Page 3 of this saga, he found the thingy "at the site of an old homestead in a treed area by the river". He has never mentioned a farm, although many others have.

Having said that, there is some merit to it being linked to a bushel counter as I and others have previously pointed out.

If it counts to only 14 as I suspect it might, that equals one quarter of a bushel of maize (56 pounds). If it does count to 15, then that could equal one quarter of a bushel of wheat or soybean (60 pounds).

Anyway it's obvious you've "got the bug" like the rest of us and can now look forward to sleepless nights, massive hair loss, shredded finger nails and an inordinate desire to destroy inanimate objects.

Cheers, Mike

I think it may be a counter for a board game.  Get to 15 and win.  It's too cheap (throw away) for anything serious. This is just my first guess.  I guess a few more are in order.
HH,
MT
Tom

Been awhile since I posted and figured I'd throw in my 2 cents worth. So....

My guess is that this is part of one, (of various brands and models) of mechanical calculators, like the Curta on this page:
http://www.vcalc.net/cu-bckup.htm
Some of the models of the Curta mechanical calculator did have 15 digits. And finding parts from one of these in Alaska wouldn't seem to be overly far fetched.

These models and assorted others can be found by doing a Google search for mechanical calculators, like this:
http://images.google.ca/images?gbv=...alculator%22&btnG=Search+Images

F.

and these mechanical calculators operate on a 1 thru 15 numerical system used where else on earth?  This thing is pure concentrated evil don"t look at it or it will eat your soul either that or it is a melted pop can from a beach campfire moved north by plate tectonics I am sure I have it narrowed down to one or the other

The evil thing is back!

[SO PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Who brought this thing back up here after it was sitting nicely deep down in the string, where it belonged, for over a MONTH
OK....fine, Fine, FINE!!!....I'm gonna tell you ALL what this is and put it out of EVERYBODY'S misery

SO PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!!

It's the Cycle Counter for the Rotary Flinkus Valve on a Moss-Covered, Three-Handled, Family Gredunza manufactured by the Geisel Corporation. The Geisel Corporation produced its first Gredunza on March 1st, 1957.

 Now as you well know, a Rotary Flinkus Valve can turn (or cycle) 45 times before needing to be purged. Each of the 3 handles on a Gredunza turns the Flinkus Valve 15 times before the handle reaches it's right limit. This indicator was to enable the operator of the Gredunza to know when to get ready to switch to the next handle, which required some mental and physical preparation beforehand in order to ensure a smooth transition between handles, thus enabling the Flinkus Valve to maintain a state of steady, continuous operation until the purge stage which is reached upon the completion of the fifteenth turn on the third handle, at which time the operator in in transition back to the first handle, which begins a new 45-turn cycle of the Rotary Flinkus Valve. Upon reaching this segment of operation, all three of these counters will reset to "0" and the counter for the first handle would be progressing towards indication of the numeral "1" thus signaling the well-trained and competent Gredunza operator that the Rotary Flinkus Valve has indeed successfully began another 45-cycle run sequence.

The Geisel Corporation also forbids photography of their Gredunzas which is a binding agreement made upon purchase which is also bound over to subsequent owners, so I am unable to post a picture of my Gredunza.....but you all know that as well so no apology or regret on my part is necessary. In fact I may have said too much already

Now I held off letting you all know what this think is as long as I possibly could. I didn't want to sound like a know-it-all, and I also figured that someone would eventually click and remember what this item was a component of.

But enough is ENOUGH!!!....I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!

So put SOLVED next to this puppy and lets all move on already!!!

-SgtSki

Wow!  I'll be danged!  I have a Gredunza also, and that looks just like the Rotary Flinkus Valve on mine, too!  I don't know why in the hell I didn't notice it before...but you know, those Gredunzas are of such good manufacture that they seldom have to be worked on.  I was just opening the Intake Flinkus Manifold for routine maintenance...and it all made sense!  Nice Find!

-Buckleboy

See?


Told ya!

Do your parents know your up past bed time reading  Dr. Seuss under the covers?

F.

I read through 5- pgs.  ?

I read through 5- pgs.  ?

How much time is that, that you will never get back?

F.

Dear Lord - Again, I humbly pray...

Make this damned post just go away.

okie dokie then!

    this isnt over until PBK sings

its a finger and toe counter for babys born in Arkansas

  Hey now can't y'all pick on others. what's wrong with Pollacks for instance I got all ten,my wife isn't barefoot &prego( OK she is barefoot[in bed]),and my tree DOES fork.

lol ....This is a old camera part the film packs had 15 pics 

a shutter.........hmmm rather big

Yep frame counter.

Yep frame counter.

Could be... but... can you prove it?

Please?

If I find the right camera.

http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/

Write these folks... Maybe they know?

http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/

Write these folks... Maybe they know?

   Aluminum     hmmm    
Most shutters had multiple pieces

Haha!  I just saw the picture of Ol William Sherman up there holding the thing.  Very funny stuff!

looks like part of an enigma coding machine the Germans used in WWII nice find..

db

looks like part of an enigma coding machine the Germans used in WWII nice find..

db

nice try...close butt no cigar...

looks like part of an enigma coding machine the Germans used in WWII nice find..

db

nice try...close butt no cigar...

I just got on this topic. I would belive it is a grandchild counter for a half blackfoot male married to a blond califoria lady.  I used on for many year's and just turned it to fifteen since my fifth daughter gave birth to twin boy's a week ago. Now i have given it  to my oldest son to use to count his times in jail on an annuel cycle.  We injun's needed these counter's cause we loose count after two.   lol

looks like part of an enigma coding machine the Germans used in WWII nice find..

db

nice try...close butt no cigar...

I just got on this topic. I would belive it is a grandchild counter for a half blackfoot male married to a blond califoria lady.  I used on for many year's and just turned it to fifteen since my fifth daughter gave birth to twin boy's a week ago. Now i have given it  to my oldest son to use to count his times in jail on an annuel cycle.  We injun's needed these counter's cause we loose count after two.   lol

We still haven't decided what the hell this thing is yet!?!?!?!  Somebody has to recognize this thing at some point.

You would think so.  Between this thing and the Pigg Nutz, one could go crazy.

They are both evil.  EVIL I tell you.

Daryl

I would think that we would have some kind of patent attorney/agent or enigineer that knew what the hell this thing is.

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

Har de har har.........T'was me a while back that did CPR on this rotting corpse.....

                                                Now I can tell ye that........ "IT'S ALIVE"

Oh, I still haven't had any luck. Nobody I contacted has even dared to take a guess as to what it is. Now we can get back to the original only unanswered mystery in the universe.........Woman!


                                              DANGLANGLEY

Hey kids! 

Sorry about this post... nobody hates thing thing more than I do... 

I'm only posting because I found this picture of an "Industrial Timer Corporation 15 second series TDAF time delay timer" for use with the photography field (darkroom equipment). 

      

       

I did not read all 5 pages, so this might have been suggested already. Maybe it is some sort of live stock herding counter: placed on the hip of a "cow boy" and as the cattle is led into a holding or loading place it is cycled by hand. Once it's stops at 15 the "cow boy" then seperates or forms a new line of cattle and then resetting the counter. Just a guess though???

Join the Club, DeepSeaB, your guess is as good as my owwwnn threeee orrrr foourr, aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 

So, it's too late Mate, you're Hooked.

I will remind other potential "succeeders to the Crown of ID'ing the Counterthingy"
of my promise of a fine bottle of New Zealand wine.

Cool idea from Montana Jim too.

Happy Independence everyone

i notice by the arrow shaped pointer there are some indentations. This could be where a wire spring lay to push the disc up slightly, so that the bump om the disk would cause it to stop. yet you could rotate it as needed. i like that idea of it being temp gauge on a fridge, or boiler.

I think i figured it out! Its a counter, and then it gets to 15, It means that your 15 minutes of fame is up! hey yoooooo!

I think i figured it out! Its a counter, and then it gets to 15, It means that your 15 minutes of fame is up! hey yoooooo!

Yes.  15 minutes of fame as long as your post sinks quietly to the murky depths of Tnet--AND STAYS THERE! 

I think i figured it out! Its a counter, and then it gets to 15, It means that your 15 minutes of fame is up! hey yoooooo!

Yes.  15 minutes of fame as long as your post sinks quietly to the murky depths of Tnet--AND STAYS THERE! 

This is my fav ancient artefact

I think i figured it out! Its a counter, and then it gets to 15, It means that your 15 minutes of fame is up! hey yoooooo!

Yes.  15 minutes of fame as long as your post sinks quietly to the murky depths of Tnet--AND STAYS THERE! 

This is my fav ancient artefact

It's obviously a Colonial Trade Axe.

_{I haven't been shot,that's me after reading this thread for the umpteenth time and just jumping from the highest spot i could find} 

It reminds me of a ladies ring sizer. You know, like the kind you can print out to measure your fingers to see what size ring you'd wear. I'm sure I'm wrong but that's what came to mind.

Somebody already got it but: 

This is the temperature adjustment dial from a refrigerator.  It is identical to the one on my grandparents' OLD refrigerator that was out on the porch when I was growing up in the late 1960s/early 1970s.  I am guessing that it probably was from the 1940s because that is when they built the house and they might have bought it at that time.  (The refrigerator they had inside was probably from the late 1950s).  I don't remember what brand it was. 

The freezer compartment was an aluminum box with curved corners inside the refrigerator compartment, which had only one door on the outside--the freezer was INSIDE the refrigerator.  It had matching ice cube trays made of aluminum, too.  I am 99% sure that the temperature dial was actually for the freezer compartment only and not the refrigerator part.  I remember thinking it was really neat and playing with it on more than one occasion. It was set so that you could only move the dial a little, maybe one or two numbers, without putting your finger in another slot.

Send the pic to one of the online vintage appliance sites or show it to an OLD appliance repairman to confirm this.  You can see that the dial is made to turn with a finger--those are not mechanical gears.  The part is actually pretty flimsy, not made for heavy use.  If you think about it, it would also make sense being the simplest explanation for what machinery or appliance would be commonly found at a homestead.  However, I cannot tell you how it actually changed the temp or interfaced with other parts.

At first I thought it could not be a freezer control, but now.  If you look at the first second picture the enclosed end with the spike barely visible could have been mechanically couple to a flap that simply let more cooling out of the freezer.

Ed D.

easy its a pigg nut counter -- once it hits 15 the world ends .

[ ERROR: SPECIFIED ATTACHMENT MISSING ]

_{I haven't been shot,that's me after reading this thread for the umpteenth time and just jumping from the highest spot i could find} 

LMFAO!

Somebody already got it but: 

This is the temperature adjustment dial from a refrigerator.  It is identical to the one on my grandparents' OLD refrigerator that was out on the porch when I was growing up in the late 1960s/early 1970s.  I am guessing that it probably was from the 1940s because that is when they built the house and they might have bought it at that time.  (The refrigerator they had inside was probably from the late 1950s).  I don't remember what brand it was. 

The freezer compartment was an aluminum box with curved corners inside the refrigerator compartment, which had only one door on the outside--the freezer was INSIDE the refrigerator.  It had matching ice cube trays made of aluminum, too.  I am 99% sure that the temperature dial was actually for the freezer compartment only and not the refrigerator part.  I remember thinking it was really neat and playing with it on more than one occasion. It was set so that you could only move the dial a little, maybe one or two numbers, without putting your finger in another slot.

Send the pic to one of the online vintage appliance sites or show it to an OLD appliance repairman to confirm this.  You can see that the dial is made to turn with a finger--those are not mechanical gears.  The part is actually pretty flimsy, not made for heavy use.  If you think about it, it would also make sense being the simplest explanation for what machinery or appliance would be commonly found at a homestead.  However, I cannot tell you how it actually changed the temp or interfaced with other parts.

We have a WINNER!

 

Somebody already got it but: 

This is the temperature adjustment dial from a refrigerator.  It is identical to the one on my grandparents' OLD refrigerator that was out on the porch when I was growing up in the late 1960s/early 1970s.  I am guessing that it probably was from the 1940s because that is when they built the house and they might have bought it at that time.  (The refrigerator they had inside was probably from the late 1950s).  I don't remember what brand it was. 

The freezer compartment was an aluminum box with curved corners inside the refrigerator compartment, which had only one door on the outside--the freezer was INSIDE the refrigerator.  It had matching ice cube trays made of aluminum, too.  I am 99% sure that the temperature dial was actually for the freezer compartment only and not the refrigerator part.  I remember thinking it was really neat and playing with it on more than one occasion. It was set so that you could only move the dial a little, maybe one or two numbers, without putting your finger in another slot.

Send the pic to one of the online vintage appliance sites or show it to an OLD appliance repairman to confirm this.  You can see that the dial is made to turn with a finger--those are not mechanical gears.  The part is actually pretty flimsy, not made for heavy use.  If you think about it, it would also make sense being the simplest explanation for what machinery or appliance would be commonly found at a homestead.  However, I cannot tell you how it actually changed the temp or interfaced with other parts.

Welcome to Treasurenet Burger. I think you got it. I worked on some old fridges but didnt think of it because they usually dont number 1-15..  All we need is a pic or link to confirm and this one may be closed.

I think whomever suggested it mounts on a cage and is a hand operated
counter for whatever,  quarantine days, vaccination, gestation  on something
is right.  It appears to hang on a wire from the two V prongs and the two
tabs on the bottom are bent upward around the wire to secure it.  Looks like
it was used a little by the wear under the outside edge of the teeth but the tabs
to secure it were never bent up or were bent back so that you can't see they
were once bent up.

 If the distance between the two wires I photoshopped into the pic below
is close to two inches, seems like it would mount on standard cage wire
or dog fence material. 

It is almost certainly a hand operated device.  I bet the wheel had more friction when it was new.  I'm guessing it counted weeks, not hours or days. 

I found interesting info on a web site:

"Food: I start my chicks on a medicated 20% protein chick starter food for eight weeks. Then I switch to a nonmedicated chick starter or an 18% protein grower food for another 8 weeks. I don't give the chicks any scratch only their chick food. Scratch only has about 8% protein and the chicks need more than that to grow to their best potential. The percentages stand for the protein content in the food."

Notice the 16 week period in the above instructions.  If you were raising multiple sets of chicks hatched at different times, you would need to keep them in separate coops, and would want to keep track of the hatch dates of each group. 

The web site I got this from is:  http://www.cyndilou6.com/care.html

Somebody already got it but: 

This is the temperature adjustment dial from a refrigerator.  It is identical to the one on my grandparents' OLD refrigerator that was out on the porch when I was growing up in the late 1960s/early 1970s.  I am guessing that it probably was from the 1940s because that is when they built the house and they might have bought it at that time.  (The refrigerator they had inside was probably from the late 1950s).  I don't remember what brand it was. 

The freezer compartment was an aluminum box with curved corners inside the refrigerator compartment, which had only one door on the outside--the freezer was INSIDE the refrigerator.  It had matching ice cube trays made of aluminum, too.  I am 99% sure that the temperature dial was actually for the freezer compartment only and not the refrigerator part.  I remember thinking it was really neat and playing with it on more than one occasion. It was set so that you could only move the dial a little, maybe one or two numbers, without putting your finger in another slot.

Send the pic to one of the online vintage appliance sites or show it to an OLD appliance repairman to confirm this.  You can see that the dial is made to turn with a finger--those are not mechanical gears.  The part is actually pretty flimsy, not made for heavy use.  If you think about it, it would also make sense being the simplest explanation for what machinery or appliance would be commonly found at a homestead.  However, I cannot tell you how it actually changed the temp or interfaced with other parts.

Im not so sure now. You sounded so sure of yourself Burger. I looked at the backside and could see nowhere this could attach to an electronic control or air vent. 

welcome back    welcome back  welcome back 

BigCy', I agree with your latest.
From what I have seen, all the while along this journey we are taking  there's no way you would want electricity anywhere near that if you turned the dial by hand and I can't see how that dial could have physically connected otherwise to anything else, which would have to in turn, be connected to electrics to have anything to do with refrigeration controls.
Mike

welcome back    welcome back  welcome back 

BigCy', I agree with your latest.
From what I have seen, all the while along this journey we are taking  there's no way you would want electricity anywhere near that if you turned the dial by hand and I can't see how that dial could have physically connected otherwise to anything else, which would have to in turn, be connected to electrics to have anything to do with refrigeration controls.
Mike

The overall (freezer) control is always electric.

The fresh food part control usually would adjust the airflow and need no connection to electric but I cant see how this could adjust the airflow either.  I can't see how that dial could have physically connected to anything else 

Has anyone ever thought about an odometer or pedometer?  It counts yer steps or mileage on an automobile.......NGE (T)

Musclecar, if youre still with us, find a section of chcken wire fence and see if that attaches to it with the fold over tabs on the back.

Ok, yes I have read all of the pages..... and you folks are truly disturbed.
I agree on a temperature control device but you are confusing the sprockets.
It isn't electric but mechanical. The sprockets move another gear. The adjustment part is the "stop tab".
Like someone showed earlier there would have been a face plate but the tab would penetrate through as well. There would have been enough friction to keep it from free spinning but loose enough to use the tab.
Your fingers would use the tab to adjust the setting and the sprockets (hidden from view) would adjust another gear below. I know I have adjusted something similar and hurt my finger on the tab when the dial would get tighter. I had to use a coin to move it. If I get a moment I will photoshop my thought.

Now what the heck is a pigg nut and where do I find that thread?
JG

I too have read through all of the posts, and like many of you I am now haunted by this thing.  I sent the post over to my buddy David Pescovitz, one of the editors at a website called BoingBoing that is a blog about all things curious, and he posted it there.  Great - now I've infected thousands of others with this madness!!!!!!!

Here is the link to David's post... 

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/11/06/metal-detectorists-m.html

He just put up the post yesterday at 3pm, and already has 150 replies - guesses about as good (and funny) as ours have been.

BoingBoing gets millions of page views each month - who knows, maybe one of David's readers will know what the heck this thing is and end all of our misery.

Jim

BELIEVE ME JG, you DON'T want to go there.... .........NGE (T)

Some kind of counter for a game maybe? What games go to 15? Badminton? Do they play badminton in Alaska?

Its a counter for buried Philippino treasure. Any donations?

Argh! Why is everyone failing to notice two key features?!

1. The tab stops the wheel from turning past position 7 (or so).
2. The "fingers" have bulges on them of increasing thickness.

I think it's a spark plug gauge, or something very similar.

Argh! Why is everyone failing to notice two key features?!

1. The tab stops the wheel from turning past position 7 (or so).
2. The "fingers" have bulges on them of increasing thickness.

I think it's a spark plug gauge, or something very similar.

The tab stops it at 14 if you are going by the pointer.  Its on 7 or so now in the pic..

The fingers look the same to me. Maybe a bit of an illusion, only musclecar can answer that.

btw welcome to TN.

Now what the heck is a pigg nut and where do I find that thread?
JG

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,91892.0.html

wonder if you cross bred the pigg nuts and the counter thingy  -- what would happen?  

hey he asked for it -- he wants pigg nuts --ok let em have em.

Now what the heck is a pigg nut and where do I find that thread?
JG

wonder if you cross bred the pigg nuts and the counter thingy  -- what would happen?  

hey he asked for it -- he wants pigg nuts --ok let em have em.

Imo the piggnuts are solved but we have no confirmation.

like a sniper's score or a pilots  --the kill was not verified --(so most likely but not "for sure" ) 

I agree on a temperature control device but you are confusing the sprockets.
It isn't electric but mechanical. The sprockets move another gear. The adjustment part is the "stop tab".
Like someone showed earlier there would have been a face plate but the tab would penetrate through as well. There would have been enough friction to keep it from free spinning but loose enough to use the tab.
Your fingers would use the tab to adjust the setting and the sprockets (hidden from view) would adjust another gear below. I know I have adjusted something similar and hurt my finger on the tab when the dial would get tighter. I had to use a coin to move it. If I get a moment I will photoshop my thought.

I used to repair fridges and I think I see what you mean. Its seems awful thin metal for a sprocket gear but I think its possible that the arms on the sprocket could match with another wheel that resembles a miniature paddlewheel. This mechanical device may adjust the airflow to the bottom fresh food area. Is this what you mean?

Big Cy, I see your reference to the pignuts, but I am not even going to touch it with a 10 foot pole....NGE (T)

I agree on a temperature control device but you are confusing the sprockets.
It isn't electric but mechanical. The sprockets move another gear. The adjustment part is the "stop tab".
Like someone showed earlier there would have been a face plate but the tab would penetrate through as well. There would have been enough friction to keep it from free spinning but loose enough to use the tab.
Your fingers would use the tab to adjust the setting and the sprockets (hidden from view) would adjust another gear below. I know I have adjusted something similar and hurt my finger on the tab when the dial would get tighter. I had to use a coin to move it. If I get a moment I will photoshop my thought.

I used to repair fridges and I think I see what you mean. Its seems awful thin metal for a sprocket gear but I think its possible that the arms on the sprocket could match with another wheel that resembles a miniature paddlewheel. This mechanical device may adjust the airflow to the bottom fresh food area. Is this what you mean?

Yes something along those lines. Not heavy duty at all.
My wife thinks I am crazy, but I keep all of the parts from old appliances. Motors, fans, switches and such.
I have 2 boxes of parts just in case I need to build a robot. I love to tear (mechanical) things apart once they are dead to see how they worked. I emphasize once they are dead, cause when I try and put them back together I always have parts left over....

I do remember seeing the pigg nuts now. But I didn't get wrapped up in that one.

it's part of a timeclock for lights. the clock adjusted itself every 15 days (1/2 month)to compensate for time change of rising and setting sun.

It fits inside a game and controls the spins.     

I know because I had to check one every day for 28 years

I think I know what it is. But gosh, after all this time and mystery - do you REALLY want to know?

I think I know what it is. But gosh, after all this time and mystery - do you REALLY want to know?

You wasted your first post on this

I know because I had to check one every day for 28 years

Photo?

I know because I had to check one every day for 28 years

Photo?

He said check one, not keep one in his back pocket

Can we add another link under 'Nominate For Banner' that reads 'Nominate For Removal'?  The fact this post keeps finding its way back to the top keeps me up at night.

NJ

My wife thinks I am crazy, but I keep all of the parts from old appliances. Motors, fans, switches and such.
I have 2 boxes of parts just in case I need to build a robot. I love to tear (mechanical) things apart once they are dead to see how they worked. I emphasize once they are dead, cause when I try and put them back together I always have parts left over....

I do remember seeing the pigg nuts now. But I didn't get wrapped up in that one.

I had a garage full of parts I saved and now I have to rent a warehouse to keep them all LOL. I dont have too many parts anymore for 40s-50s Frigidaires.  If anyone wants to search Frigidaire and General Motors were most popular I recall.

it's part of a timeclock for lights. the clock adjusted itself every 15 days (1/2 month)to compensate for time change of rising and setting sun.

I know because I had to check one every day for 28 years

There is no way to connect this dial to electric.

I think I know what it is. But gosh, after all this time and mystery - do you REALLY want to know?

yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. 

Its a long shot but who knows?  ...do tell.

It's back! And I still can't figure out what it is! Good luck!

Aren't billiard balls numbered 1 thru 15?  Is the space between the wheel points sized for the tip of a pool cue?

MARK 4 , BUBBLE SEXTANT FILTER WHEEL

HEY, I WAS THE 500 TH REPLY TO THIS PUZZLE, DO I WIN A TRIP 

  I believe it is a 15 minute counter to a key wound clock that chimes once ever 15 minutes. It strikes on the hour and half hour. I got this idea after finding a piece of a clock at a local college. In which I can't seem to find now or I would post. Now whats my prize.

Hello evb,

I've seen this long ago in a TV documentary. It's part of the device used by old chariot drivers to charge customers. It's like an ancient vending machine if you will - the slots are equal and they are calibrated to the size of the coins used back then.
This whole device was put in a box having one slot for the coins. The "customer" would put the coin in the slot of the box and then the driver would manually operate the disc to rotate the wheel in order to free up more slots for other coins. All the coins would fall through the back of the "wheel" into the box.

Hope it helps ;)

Quote from jollyca - and Welcome 
"Hope it helps ;)"
Not unless you can provide a photo of your own, or picture in a publication.

HEY, I WAS THE 500 TH REPLY TO THIS PUZZLE, DO I WIN A TRIP 

Hardy, I have long promised a bottle of fine New Zealand wine to the proven 'winner'. That still stands. Someone else promised a $100 of produce, from memory - meat from Chicago (you'll have to research the thread to find them )

and please

I think I know what it is. But gosh, after all this time and mystery - do you REALLY want to know?

Do tell 

Mike

It is a part of an old camera, it is the exposure counter from a camera LIKE the old kodak pocket camera.
The cameras of the time used to use 120 film which was good for 12 exposures. however sometimes you would get 11 or 13 exposures from the film roll depending on how much space there was between each exposure you had used.
As you can see from the picture the number 15 is not used but is rather a stop.
So why 14 ? well when you put a film in those old cameras you had to manually set (wind) the exposure number to (1) but you could have upto 13 exposures on the 120 film roll and so if you add 13 to the (1) that you set at the beginning you would finish your roll on 14.
Also those cameras were generaly made of aluminum covered with leather. I have dismantled one of those cameras when I was a kid and recognise the part, but I've tried in vain to remeber exactly which model camera it was. One of the more investigative members may be able to hunt it down. But that is what it is.

It is a part of an old camera, it is the exposure counter from a camera LIKE the old kodak pocket camera.
The cameras of the time used to use 120 film which was good for 12 exposures. however sometimes you would get 11 or 13 exposures from the film roll depending on how much space there was between each exposure you had used.
As you can see from the picture the number 15 is not used but is rather a stop.
So why 14 ? well when you put a film in those old cameras you had to manually set (wind) the exposure number to (1) but you could have upto 13 exposures on the 120 film roll and so if you add 13 to the (1) that you set at the beginning you would finish your roll on 14.
Also those cameras were generaly made of aluminum covered with leather. I have dismantled one of those cameras when I was a kid and recognise the part, but I've tried in vain to remeber exactly which model camera it was. One of the more investigative members may be able to hunt it down. But that is what it is.

We Have A Winner!

My drawing is not the best but the first picture is the film with the holes in the top which pass over the points at the second picture numbered (1)

(2) is the display which shows the exposure number in a little window.