Thread: What The...? Mystery Tool

Hi BG,
I assume the rubber pad mechanism turns (one way) and the scalloped inner face means that the pads move in and out as it does so.

No idea otherwise.

Ok, one idea:
Perhaps a brake for a rotating shaft? Clamp to bench, put a lever in the socket provided, rotating shaft between rubber pads. Use lever to force rubber pads onto shaft to stop it rotating?

Regards,
Chris.

Yes, it looks like it is non-adjustable for various sizes unless it had interchangeable jaws. So I'm guessing you pull the handle to cam the jaws onto the workpiece and the cam followers hold at the end of travel.


Geoff.

For holding something while you carve or spoke shave it????

Regards

I took a hunch looking at the two leaver sockets where ext handles might go into and from that the action required did a search me thinks its a an Pipe Threading tool similar to this one.

The rubber buffs act as a clamping device.

Vintage NOS Beaver 77 Pipe Threader Tool | eBay

Stubby twist top bottle opener.

Wheelin and Cliff,

Thanks for your interest but I don't think either of you get a guernsey. The reason for this is that you can't extend any thing through it more than a couple of inches and if you tried to open a stubby in it, the stubby would be on its side and some of the beer would spill. But I think a Duke is on the right track, with a work holder.
One chap I showed the photos thought it might be for holding rope while you splice the end. Not wire rope I wouldn't think.

regards,
Geoff.

Wire rope winder pic is a possibility if the rope is looped around the arms Rope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have done a fair bit of rope and wire splicing but never seen one of those. Rope does not need anything vice like to hold it for splicing. Larger wire rope can be held in a vice and some times stilson wrenches can be used to twist it open.
That thing is obviously to hold and twist something but it is not for splicing rope or wire. The rubber jaws suggest whatever is held has to be protected from marking. The stubby opener while not the answer (twist tops were not invented back then) is giving a good indication of the kind of action. So does it twist and or crimp things on or twist things off.
Regards
John

Certainly does remind of an old pipe threader but a closer look makes me think it is some sort of pipe crimper. i.e. the four jaws are driven in by rotation through 90 degrees. such that a round end of a copper pipe would be formed into a square. For why ? who knows ? must be someone who has seen this thing before.

That is a fascinating piece.
It looks to be a portable bench mounted item with the clamp underneath.
The scroll looks like a counterweight to balance the weight of the lever when fitted.
It could be a brake as suggested but then it would be pretty strange to have it bench mounted.
I think it could be an old rigging device but for holding wire rope when covering as mentioned here.
http://www.thesquarerigger.com/worm_parcel-and_serve.html

A serving mallet or sometimes a wedge is used to serve wire rope. This thing has nothing to do with rope that I know of. Below are some images of serving mallets and how they are used.
Regards
John
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=s...&bih=525&dpr=1

I still reckon cast iron pipe threader or maybe the end cap threader for the pipe depth of thread on those old pipes wasn't much 1"/ 1 1/2" maybe the action of it would be good to know?

The tool is at a museum in southern WA, I had the photos sent to me by a friend so I've never seen it in the flesh either. Orraloon tells us it's not for rope splicing so that's that idea out, I like Hirollers idea of the scroll being to offset the weight of the handle. Looking at photo1 if it's clamped to the bench the counterweight holds it in the open position, you insert the work piece into the machine and then put the handle in the socket and pull down to your right thus tightening the jaws on whatever the work piece is.
Len reckons to crimp a piece of pipe. What about to crimp the aluminium (lead) foil around the end of a wine bottle? How long have they been doing that? The mounting doesn't look substantial enough to carry a lot of weight but if you were sitting there shoving bottles in with one hand a pulling the handle with the other............?

Geoff.

Geoff,
You may be on to something. More I look at it I think crimping. The device only allows a couple of inches depth. I was thinking perhaps ammunition of some kind but the depth looks close to the lead foil caps on wine bottles. The style of the casting also points to something a bit up market. Think of crimped items about 100 years ago.
Regards
John