✅ SOLVED Matching pair

[ncsuwolf]

Dug these this morning. Came from a house built in mid 1800s, lived in until ~1980. Assuming plumbing, but don’t know. Both are brass.

 

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[xr7ator]

Feet off of table legs?

 

[Almy]

I think they are oil cups used to lubricate babbit bearings on an old piece of equipment like a sawmill. They would be screwed into a threaded hole on top of the bearing retainer. There would be a channel down from the hole into and through the bearing to the shaft which turned in the bearing. The cup is filled with oil which then runs down the hole and lubricates the bearing. They would have to be refilled periodically.

 

[Bucket Lister]

I think they are oil cups used to lubricate babbit bearings on an old piece of equipment like a sawmill. They would be screwed into a threaded hole on top of the bearing retainer. There would be a channel down from the hole into and through the bearing to the shaft which turned in the bearing. The cup is filled with oil which then runs down the hole and lubricates the bearing. They would have to be refilled periodically.

I think that's a really good guess. Most oil cups I've seen (and googled) are open on top for refilling; these appear to be solid.

I was thinking some kind of gas fittings (brass) except for the same issue with their being solid.

 

[cudamark]

Oil, or just as likely, a grease pot. I've found a couple of those too, and once cleaned up a bit, the upper shell (the opposite end from the threads) would turn and squeeze grease out the hole in the threaded end. Mine were found close to a railroad, so, I think mine at least were railroad related. I would imagine that many pieces of machinery back then would use them.

 

[ncsuwolf]

I think that's a really good guess. Most oil cups I've seen (and googled) are open on top for refilling; these appear to be solid.

I was thinking some kind of gas fittings (brass) except for the same issue with their being solid.

I don’t think they’re solid…if you looked at the top of each they are knurled, which likely means the tops screw off….therefore I agree with some sort of lubricant cup/device

 

[bowwinkles]

here are some pictures just pick ones out and enjoy: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=vintage+farm+equipment+gresae+cup&iax=images&ia=images

 

[ncsuwolf]

here are some pictures just pick ones out and enjoy: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=vintage+farm+equipment+gresae+cup&iax=images&ia=images

Yep…think that settles it

 

[Bucket Lister]

I don’t think they’re solid…if you looked at the top of each they are knurled, which likely means the tops screw off….therefore I agree with some sort of lubricant cup/device

I wondered about that, but couldn't see well enough. Maybe after they're cleaned up a bit.

 

[dozer dan]

I think they are oil cups used to lubricate babbit bearings on an old piece of equipment like a sawmill. They would be screwed into a threaded hole on top of the bearing retainer. There would be a channel down from the hole into and through the bearing to the shaft which turned in the bearing. The cup is filled with oil which then runs down the hole and lubricates the bearing. They would have to be refilled periodically.

You are right, they’re actually for grease. The cap at the opposite end of the threads unscrews and you fill it with grease a put the cap back on. Every once in a while you give the cap a half turn and it forces a little grease into what ever it’s mounted to.