✅ SOLVED Iron whatsit

[robertk]

I found this at a late 1800's home site. The only thing that comes to mind is the top of a battery clamp, but it's too small and too old for that. Does anyone know what it is?

Front, back, and side views:

 

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[Blackfoot58]

I’m guessing a hold down of some sort. Like you see to keep a tractor battery in place. Yours is fairly small, so probably not a for battery, but similar. Good luck 🍀

 

[Tony in SC]

Reminds me of a rocker arm for an early engine?

 

[robertk]

A year and a half later, the mystery is accidentally solved...

I was inspired by a mystery item that I dug (see here) that turned out to be part of a coffee grinder, and I bought an antique grinder that matched that part (see here). I've ground coffee with it a couple of times mostly just to see that it works, but it doesn't taste right so I decided to see if it would come apart so I could clean it. Lo and behold, it disassembles quite easily, and answers what the item in this thread really is.

Here it is disassembled, with a closer view of the item in the upper left. Click to enlarge.



That part is a match to the item in this thread, so now we know the answer. It's the bottom bearing for a coffee grinder. Here's a diagram I found (the mechanism is a bit different), and the part is labeled "Burr Mounting Strap with Lower Bearing":