✅ SOLVED A Civil War era "Whatzit" .. Patent date of July, 1866

creskol · Jan 3, 2014

The mechanism part is about 8 inches tall .. including the handle it is a tad over 12 inches.
It is 5 inches wide or so, and the threaded part seems to be taper from 1 5/8 inches at the bottom to 2 1/8 inches at the top.
Patent date on handle is July 10, 1866.
Says Improved on the body along with Enterprise Mfg. Co. .. Philadelphia PA
I have found where Enterprise was a manufacturer of coffee mills and grinders, but I don't think this is either one.

Indian Steve · Jan 3, 2014

Barrel Pump?

CoilyGirl · Jan 3, 2014

Hmmmm... I dunno but I like the patina on it.

NHBandit · Jan 3, 2014

Something is missing. Whatever the gear under the handle is supposed to engage with. But I like it alot. Guys here are good with finding things by the patent date. I'm just not one of them. Interested to see what it is. If it's a pump it's an odd one since any pump has to have at the least an inlet AND an outlet and I'm not seeing that.

NHBandit · Jan 3, 2014

Looking again I think it is a pump. Made to screw into a barrel that's laying on it's side. If you turn the "lever" that has the slotted screw going through the center of it does it expose a hole ?

creskol · Jan 3, 2014

NHBandit said:
Looking again I think it is a pump. Made to screw into a barrel that's laying on it's side. If you turn the "lever" that has the slotted screw going through the center of it does it expose a hole ?

Hmm .. I will have to work on that a bit. There is a set screw above that one that seems to be frozen in place keeping the lever from moving at all. Hadn't really noticed that until you said something, but it would appear by the shape of the housing, that there probably should be a port of some sort there. I wonder if it is a pump, what it was used for??

surf · Jan 3, 2014

Patent US 68546 A

NHBandit · Jan 3, 2014

And there you have it. This place is amazing.

creskol · Jan 3, 2014

surf said:
View attachment 924052 Patent US 68546 A

A rotatory measuring-faucet for syrup .. I never would have guessed that! I searched for the patent by the date on the handle, but to no success. Thanks Surf .. Looks like you solved the mystery! Well done!