What is this big rusty iron thing?

[Andy0820]

It looks like a rope or barbed wire might have went through it.

 

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[4x4x4]

Howdy . Interesting .... any other angles of pics ?
Very early ore bucket , wire rope (tramway) attachment ?




OR..... In your state a low tech way of driving multiple shallow oil or water pumps from a single power source (early water wheels) in the 17-1800s a Stangenkunst or jerker line system was in place using reciprocating beams , rods and cables to drive pumps. This could have attached to a beam driven back and forth to a cable.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatrod_system

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/02/the-mechanical-transmission-of-power-jerker-line-systems.html

 

[Limitool]

No idea Andy but interesting....?

Early 1st attempt for a drone?

 

[Anduril]

No idea Andy but interesting....?

Early 1st attempt for a drone?

I was going to say a part off an old rusty Dalek, but "Iron Age Drone" is a much better fit.

 

[Andy0820]

 

[Andy0820]

Do you see the groove in the big round piece, it's only on one side and it appears a rope or cord would pass though and around the round demeans then through the other side. So my best guess is it's a holder for wire maybe barbed or electricity. I posted it because my father had been saving it under the assumption that it was an early watering sprinkler but I quickly noticed there's no holes in it or connection for water.

 

[4x4x4]

Got to love Dads and Grand Dads .

 

[4x4x4]

Do you see the groove in the big round piece, it's only on one side and it appears a rope or cord would pass though and around the round demeans then through the other side. So my best guess is it's a holder for wire maybe barbed or electricity. I posted it because my father had been saving it under the assumption that it was an early watering sprinkler but I quickly noticed there's no holes in it or connection for water.

THIS is a different version to haul a ski lift chair on wire rope.

this is called a GRIP.

As you are holding yours .... rotate it 90 degrees CCW . Now you can see how it would "sit" on a cable . The bracket system would hold the ore bucket below , pendulating from the offset to clear any pulleys (sheaves) . The large bulbous part also contains a bearing of some sort so the rest of the assembly gently rock back and forth in line with the cable as to not damage the cable when stopped suddenly. This is most likely an ore bucket , wire rope GRIP . This is for an early "single rope" system.

 

[diverrick]

Can you tell us more about where it was found? Like, was it found on an old ranch, or at a mine, or an old industrial area. That might help. Most certainly has me occupied trying to figure out what it is. The lower " clamp"/ paddle parts look like they must have been riveted to something else that was thin like wood or sheet steel. Are those rivets I see, and do those paddles rotate?

 

[bradyboy]

thinking its marine related
rope guide for a sail boat?
Brady

 

[Andy0820]

All I know is it was found in the woods in Auburn, MA and my dad almost broke his ankle on it so he brought it home. There also is some writing on it so maybe I can get closer pics of the words. It's a partial word 'STING' and 'HO'

 

[4x4x4]

.....sure would like to see other pic angles....

 

[DCMatt]

partial word 'STING' and 'HO'

As in "WESTINGHOUSE"?

 

[diverrick]

I have turned my world inside out as well as a few others I know of, and we still are at a loss. I suspect electrical in some way. Clearly the top went on a cable, wire or rope. The lower "blades are different. One looks to have been attached to something thin, and the other one looks to be Bronze or brass due to the green patina. And it looks like the blade is totally different from the other side. Maybe a power termination for a power wire and the blade was part of a blade switch of some sort. Certainly very odd. The fact that it was found in the woods also leads credence to something from a power pole. Such as a guy wire to stabilize the pole or wire or a breaker switch on the pole that could be opened from below. That's my guess

 

[Anduril]

I am beginning to think that indeed this IS a water sprinkler attachment (commercial farm irrigation).
Andy, do you think the top would spin (or partially rotate) if it were lubricated?

How about a photo of the spot where the "ball thing on top" attaches to the lower bracket?
That might yield some more ideas.

 

[DCMatt]

Mostly because it is all metal, I don't think it is electric related.


Found in the woods, I'm thinking mining or logging. Plenty of mining in that area over the last couple hundred years...


It does seem pretty clear that it hung on a cable or rope.


Note that one 'clip' on the end of the blade is angled so the rope can be easily slipped in after clipping in the other end and wrapping around the hub.


So, in my mind, that means the cable could be removed to release whatever was hanging from it, not permanently fixed in place on the cable.


Does the 'blade' move?


Good mystery...

 

[DCMatt]

I think "Friction Grip" is the term I was looking for...

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

A puzzler. I think the cable clamp is likely.

If the partial lettering is WESTINGHOUSE it could be any number of things - in addition to electric motors they made train brakes and signals, switching components, overhead trolley and train "pick-up" connectors, and probably cable cars.

 

[Bruce R]

It's the opposite of an insulator, it's a grounding lug to channel lightning strikes to ground.

 

[Anduril]

It's the opposite of an insulator, it's a grounding lug to channel lightning strikes to ground.

I like the thinking, but a lightning ground system component wouldn't have so many parts - and typically, it would be mechanically bonded (i.e., compression fittings) as opposed to a wire laying in a track type arrangement. The bolt setup at the bottom also doesn't seem approrpriate for lightning arrestor use. It would (or at least, should) be a continuous, unbroken conductor to earth - not a bolted (swivel?) assembly.

That said, since I have no idea what this is (yet!), I guess we can't rule it out.
But (as an electrical engineer), I can tell you would make a pretty horrible lightning conductor.

Maybe it's a cable guide to an early fall-arrest system?
(That idea just popped in my head as I typed this.) ?