Terra cotta gears/cogs?

[frostygorillaz]

We're having some excavation done at work and we've found probably a hundred of these. They seem like some sort of machine part? They're made of clay or terra cotta, and have ridges along the outside and 3 spiral canals running through the middle, almost like a fan. Anyone have any ideas?

Nick

 

[pa plateau hiker]

In years past, was there ever explosive, dynamite, chemical plants at that location?

 

[Reanm8er]

Was there a lot of gravel in the fill layer?

 

[creskol]

I thing a trip to your local museum(s) might be worth a try.

 

[frostygorillaz]

I guess that building was previously a petroleum pipe/parts manufacturer, and prior to that it was a railcar company back in the 1900s. Not sure when the fill layer was added, but it mostly consisted of bricks, pieces of concrete and dirt. These were all great ideas, thank you all for the input!

 

[Clay Diggins]

It looks like asbestos cement. You might want to leave them where you found them. Now days you might end up with a hazmat team in your house.

 

[Mine Shaft]

what about a sales men sample of what ever it is.

 

[Nitric]

It looks like asbestos cement. You might want to leave them where you found them. Now days you might end up with a hazmat team in your house.

Probably why they were buried. Just a guess.



May not want to dig around there too much.

 

[Nitric]

The spiral design would be harder to crush than a straight design. A French drain is designed to handle a trickle rather that a storm.

I see...Something like my dad's basement that has a spring somewhere around it. It's a late 1800's house and originally it ran through a stone or concrete type of tub that sat on the floor then out a drain that runs under the floor the length of the house. I can lift the covers where there are added floor drains and water is running through all year round and as cold as can be. It's all tile or clay under there and out through the yard. Each piece is only a foot or so long and just butts together with no real seal. I've had to dig it up and clean it out because of tree roots.

Thanks! The spirals were really bothering me, since I couldn't understand why?

Added...Not that it matters,,,,But I was wrong above. Right after I posted I was talking to my Dad on the phone...The spring wasn't in the basement, they have those tiles coming from it somewhere in the hill at the other end too. from a spring, to the basement,then back out of the basement to where gardens use to be. because back then that's how they got some of their water. He just never changed it other than removing the tub and routing it straight to the drain. Either way...not that it makes a difference for the thread...just wanted to correct that.