What is it? Set 319

[Rob H.]

Three of the items are unidentified this week, although I think I know the answer to one of them:

[Lloyd E. Sponenburgh]

"Rob H." fired this volley in news: [e-mail]:

Physics Laboratory (the time-standard folks). It's not concerned with anything between the stops, what with that over-center spring, so it might be for measuring the substended angle of a distant object. What's strange is it measures to minutes (or at least tenths of a degree), but doesn't seem to attach to any kind of viewing device.

1829 looks like an ultrasonic fogger (or humidifier).

[Doug Miller]

[Roy Smith]

1826 is clearly some kind of device for measuring angles to high precision. I'm assuming the N.P.L. referenced in the lower-right is the National Physics Laboratory Perhaps a jig for calibrating sextants? Or bombsights? Odd that it only goes to +/- 40 degrees.

[Dave__67]

1826- a bit of googling suggests it's a precision angle reference/ setter for apparatus on an optical bench- but as Lloyd mentioned, how does it connect to anything?

for a spectrometer or interferometer, but could obviously only be used near those 2 angles. Maybe even for aligning holographic film?

Dave

[allen476]

1827 - given the length, I would say an music conductors wand 1828 - number off of a fire truck

[Bill McKee]

1828 looks like a hang tag for workers. When you arrived you moved the tag from the out to the in hangers. When you left, the opposite. Easy to see who was on time or if a mine, etc. That everyone had gotten out.

[Rob H.]

Thanks! Looks like this is correct.

Rob

[Cydrome Leader]

Anybody ever touch one that's running?

they really hurt, and it's a really weird type of pain.

[Andy Dingley]

#1825: A cranequin, a geared rack for pulling back the prod of a crossbow.

#1829: Ultrasonic water mister. Put it under water (powered up dry kills them) so it's about 1/2" beneath and watch the fog roll off. Or else install in a model boat as a "steam" effect (actually harder than it sounds to make convincing)

[Rob H.]

I've never touched a fogger that was running, but this review of one describes how hot it can get (the descriptions starts at around 1:25 of the video):

[Rob H.]

No correct guesses yet for this one, I removed a five letter word at the bottom, it seemed like it would be too easy if I left it there, the slot at the top is another clue.

Rob

[DoN. Nichols]

1825) It looks as though it is intended to draw through cutting something on both sides. Not sure what the something is, but there appears to be quite a bit of leverage.

The force is against the bundle of what appears to be rawhide strips bundled together with a wrapping of more rawhide.

I'm not sure why the shaft appears to be split -- other views might help.

And -- I would like to know what the arrowhead points to, which would need a view from the other side.

1826) Yet another thing which could benefit from additional views. The close-up hows that each division on the main scale is a half a degree, and the dial subdivides that into minutes (0-30 on the dial or a half a degree).

It looks as though it is hinged at the bottom edge of the white semi-circle, so you could put something under it to be marked to precise angles.

But -- it does not look as though the leadscrews on the fine adjusts extend far enough to handle angles near zero.

If the maker were in the USA, I would suggest that the color suggests naval use -- but is also the color of many machine tools.

I would like to see the reverse side of this, hoping that it might give other clues.

1827) Hmm ... a rod for tamping down powder and bullet in a muzzle loading pistol? (Too short for a rifle). Hmm --- perhaps for a howdah pistol -- very large caliber used for dispatching a tiger who attacks the riders in the howdah on the elephant? 1828) I think that this is one of the symbols which showed that a house had paid it's fee to the fire fighters in the region. The large number probably shows which fire house, it is good for one year, so the year present, the 391 for keeping track of which account it is. 1829) At a guess -- this is some form of submersible heater, given that the power supply can produce 30 Watts of output.

It appears to be oil filled -- to conduct the heat to the outside. The raised black thing might be a thermostat to switch it on and of to maintain the desired temperature.

1830) No real guess as to this one. Perhaps the two sockets could hold flagstaffs?

Hmm ... pull down on the inner end of the short links and the flag sockets can fold inwards -- perhaps to clear a low overhead passage?

Now off to see what others have suggested.

Enjoy, DoN.

[DoN. Nichols]

And that it cannot be set to the same degree of precision inside perhaps +/- 25 or 30 degrees. The leadscrews are not long enough, and they can't be relocated.

Enjoy, DoN.

[DoN. Nichols]

I would say to minutes. The degrees are divided to half degrees on the main scale, and looking at the size of the divisions on the stop dials, I think that they read 0-30 (seconds in a half degree). It would help if it were rotated in the closeup so we could see the wrap-around point to be sure.

Unless there is something on the bottom -- but given the pivot mounting, I think that it does not couple below the plate.

However -- it looks as though it hinges up along the bottom edge of the main scale half circle, so perhaps a piece of paper -- or a flat metal workpiece -- can be put under it for scribing lines at precise angles.

I can believe that -- and wonder whether the black inverted U is a water level sensor -- perhaps a resistor with a known current through it, and measure the voltage across it to detect when it is no longer submerged in (and thus cooled by) water. This could cause it to shut off before the water level got too low and damaged the device.

Enjoy, DoN.

[Robert Bonomi]

"Would you believe", a carrying handle? I don't think it's a submersible -- a mere 30 watts just isn't enough do do anything to a large quantity of H2O.

The liquid reservoir is the 'hole' one sees in the top.

[Cydrome Leader]

they don't actually get hot.

[Royston Vasey]

It's my "entry". The rotary dials are scaled 0-30, which ties in with minutes - the degree marks are to 0.5 degree.

As far as I can see and tell there is no means for anything to mount to or off the rotating arm. I cannot see a way it could be used as a "sight" against something behind the gauge. It doesn't seem to have any optical / mirror surfaces and it seems complete, nothing missing.

There does not appear to be any way the frame / base could attach to anything either. The only clue I can see is the top and bottom rails are unpainted - I assume to sit against a reference surface.

No hinges its all fixed solid. The two dark coloured knobs on the front are just that, they are knobs/handles to pick up or position the unit. There is no obvious place where a scribe or similar could be used.

My guess is it may be a training aid of some sort - but for what?????

[......]

[Andy Dingley]

That's because they're water cooled in use. If you try to run one in air (even with water on the diaphram) the case gets hot enough to kill the electronics.

[Royston Vasey]

and without a load (the water) the piezo element can be damaged. Same for ultrasonic cleaners - some used to have warnings not to run empty.