What is it? Set 309

[Rob H.]

I need some help with the second item this week:

[Alexander Thesoso]

1768 Orrery From the date given, the outer ring can't be Neptune, so it is probably some constellation or nebula.

[Alexander Thesoso]

1768 How is this used??? An Astrologer takes money from a sucker, turns the crank, mumbles, points at the aligned marks, and scientifically predicts the future.

[Michael Kenefick]

1765 a pizza dough prep tool.

1768 seismograph

1769 > I need some help with the second item this week:

[Andrew Erickson]

(maybe in block printing).

1766 - Perhaps this was used to suspend a ladder or pole from scaffolding or the top of a building--the side bar of the ladder fitting in the loop, and the pointed hook part slipping over the scaffolding or whatever. Downward pressure on the ladder would lock it in place, upwards pressure would allow it to be repositioned vertically. 1767 - Bootleg liquor bottles, shaped to fit into special corners of the bootlegger's vehicle or house or whatever. 1768 - Machine to show the relative position of the planets changing over time. The side hand crank would rotate the planet disks at varying speeds. It looks like maybe one turn of the crank equals a week, but that's just a guess. 1769 - Bicycle pump cleverly disguised as a bowling pin? Frankly, I have no idea. 1770 - Looks rather like a mason's hammer to me, but the hole is curious indeed and presumably indicates a rather more specialized use.

Now to read other guesses...

[Roy Smith]

My guess is 1766 is something used in logging. It looks like you would hammer the spike into a log and it provides a loop around which you can tie a rope (or shackle a chain) for dragging said log.

[Paul K. Dickman]

I believe #1769 is an adjustable Indian club (a type of weight used in exercising) patented by Albert Courtney.

K. Dickman

[Matthew Russotto]

1766: Looks kind of like like an over-the-door hanger, though the pointy end argues against that. 1767: Since the middle one appears to have a cap which doubles as a cup, I'd guess they're for potent potables of some sort. Seems too large for medicines. 1768: The "how" is easy enough; you turned the crank. Not sure about the why, though. 1769: Ye Old Paint Edger 1770: Looks like a geologist's hammer. Doesn't explain the hole in the head, at least to me.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 11/5/2009 3:06 AM Alexander Thesoso spake thus:

Could be. Keep in mind how this works: the crank turns a geared shaft which meshes with all the geared rings, so the the innermost ones turn faster. I guess this makes this device obey the laws of planetary physics (i.e., the innermost planets have faster orbits).

[Artemus]

#1770 is a linesman's hammer used by both power and phone linesman. It is used to install and remove the steps that used to be installed in the sides of the poles. The hammer pounds it in to get it started and the hole is placed ove the upturned end and provides the leverage to screw it the rest of the way in, or out.

#1767 A guess. Barbershop bottles for hair tonic?

Art

[Rob H.]

Good answer, this is correct.

No one has guessed correctly on the bottles yet.

Rob

[Jesse]

# 1767 The bottles stored motor oil.

[Rob H.]

That's it! These are the first bottles of this type that I've seen, looks like they would fall over very easily so I guess a lot them didn't survive.

Rob

[dpb]

I'd never seen those, either. Interesting. I'd have to say the "barber treatment" guess otta' been close-enough... :)

As for the hook, I dunno...I can't come up w/ a specific application but there's no telling what somebody may have manufactured for a specific purpose. No signs of any manufacturing IDs or other clues, I suppose?

What are the dimensions of the hook end itself? It doesn't seem likely for logging because of that shape. Same for hay, etc., it just don't ken function for the specific shape.

--

[Nova]

I'd bet if you looked at the top of 1770 it says "Bell System".

[Rob H.]

According to the owner, the dimensions are: "11 in. long and 6 in. across the L-shape. The loop is 5in. across and 3 in. deep. The loop is attached

5 in from a flat end." I'd say it was probably blacksmith made for a particular purpose, not mass produced, which makes solving it very difficult, I'll be surprised if we get an answer for it.

Rob

[Steve W.]

It looks similar to the hooks one of the local Amish use. They place the hooks on a beam when doing a barn raising to pull other sections up. Not sure if that is what this one is or not.

[DoN. Nichols]

1765) This looks to me to be a meat tenderizer -- for fairly large steaks and such. Not sure about the choice of metal as it appears to be a copper-based alloy, probably bronze, and with certain fluids it might make a mildly toxic result. 1766) At a pure guess, it looks to me like something designed to be pounded into the top of a fence post or a tall stump, with the flat piece tucked under a loop to keep it from pulling away, and is used for hitching a horse for short periods. 1767) Hmm ... perhaps for flavorings used in a soda fountain? or perhaps some form of whiskey bottle. A bit tall for a soft drink. The two outer ones appear to use crimped-on caps, while it is difficult to tell about the center one. 1768) Interesting thing. The first guess was a disk-keyed music box but all the holes appear to be present in all the rows.

However -- it does look as though there are multiple concentric rings with gear teeth which engage the long gear from the crank, and the presence of what looks like planetary symbols suggest that it may be an early form of planetarium (projects star and planet information on the ceiling or wall.)

Since the pitch of the gears appears the same for each concentric ring, the inner ones will turn faster than the outer ones, perhaps matching orbital times.

Some of the rings appear to have multiple holes, thus projecting constellations like the big dipper and such.

1769) Hmm a piston igniter? Air is compressed heavily in the bottom thus heating greatly and igniting some tinder in the bottom. What I don't see is a way to get the lit tinder out of the container to the potential fire quickly enough. Do the upper and lower parts of the container separate along perhaps the middle of the three grooves? 1770) Hmm ... perhaps a blacksmith's or a farrier's hammer? Not quite sure what function the hole serves -- unless it contains a bottle of horseshoe nails?

Now to see what others have suggested.

Enjoy, DoN.

[Steve R.]

1768 an orrerry for a planetarium, or magic lantern. ??????????

[Robert]

1776 butter churn?

Robert