Dug hasp with mechanized compartment?

[ToastedWheatie]

Dug this hasp somewhere, and was pretty gunked up. I used it to test new electrolysis set up and was surprised by what it cleaned up to be.
It's a hasp, that I found had a compartment on the front.


When I opened the attachment, I found these pieces inside:



As I look at them now, I see one piece was too long to fit completely inside, and must have stuck out on the hasp side.
So appears to have been some kind of mechanism.





Any thoughts??

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Possibly a diary clasp?

 

[ToastedWheatie]

Possibly a diary clasp?

Too large, but you got me thinking...
I cleaned it up a bit more and found a slot in the front. Obviously this was used to slide the latch into the hasp.
Now to find another online..

 

[ToastedWheatie]

I found this description of a 17th century one found st Jamestown colony:

'This iron strap has a hinged lock hasp and would have been mounted over the top and front of an item of furniture such as a chest, coffer, or casket. The furniture could be locked by using a key to slide a bolt through the hasp on the back of the strap, which would have fitted into a slot in the lockplate.

 

[DCMatt]

Steamer trunk latch?