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Probably the most unusual mystery tool from 1700s! What is it for?

Romak

Aluminum
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Location
Surrey, BC
Dear engineers, tools, and machinery enthusiasts.

This is probably the most unusual mystery tool of the year. It was made somewhere in the 1700s and nobody knows so far what it was used for. Any ideas accepted! I took some photographs. The knobs rotate and move L-shaped brackets with slots on the ends. The horizontal lever secures the shafts with knobs. I can move it up and by lifting the knobs, I can move the brackets on any steps. One step is one notch on a shaft. I can move the brackets sideways also and one shaft has a different stopper on a side. So, all this contraption is about positioning those L-shaped brackets with slots. What goes inside those slots? By finding that, I believe it will be possible to figure out what this tool is for. The slots have interesting shapes. It is not a heavy tool. What a puzzle!

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My very quick guess is it's for adjusting a weaving machine's pattern or "weight" of weave. Such machines were the CNCs of the day, or at least we owe a debt to them.

Or perhaps an adjuster for tone or other qualities of a pipe organ? It could pull wires to manipulate valve stops or similar.

Just guesses, as usual...
 
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Maybe just asking again, has anyone got any new ideas? I’ll look at the new photos when I get to my big screen to see if there are any new hints.
 
Maybe just asking again, has anyone got any new ideas? I’ll look at the new photos when I get to my big screen to see if there are any new hints.

That's correct. I am asking again providing with the new photographs. Glad that somebody realized that :) It is a very interesting tool. Any ideas are welcome! Thank you.
 
That's correct. I am asking again providing with the new photographs. Glad that somebody realized that :) It is a very interesting tool. Any ideas are welcome! Thank you.

Maybe if you would have just added to your first thread, as a reply, with new pix.....
 
My very quick guess is it's for adjusting a weaving machine's pattern or "weight" of weave. Such machines were the CNCs of the day, or at least we owe a dept to them.

Or perhaps an adjuster for tone or other qualities of a pipe organ? It could pull wires to manipulate valve stops or similar.

Just guesses, as usual...

Thank you! This is a superb guess!!! So, the thread could be going through those slots, right? But how this tool would be positioned on the machine? It does not have clamps and the screws with a round head will not make a tight fit into any place. But, if there is a bar that prevents the rods from further moving, then this tool could be moving somehow also. Otherwise what is the point to make such a bar that lefts up and secures the rods when it is pressed down with a clamp.
 
Interesting thought! Thank you!

But why position L-shaped brackets with slots in such different positions? I think in the 1700s they probably already had straightening machines with rollers. another thing is that the tool is not heavy and it does not have clamps. Wires might just pull it from the table.
 
The last person had it for over 60 years and he told me that dad passed him this tool saying it is from the 1700s. But even then, nobody what that tool was. Also, there are certain features that point that this tool is from the 1700s or even earlier. Even the way how the metal is forged and certain decorative elements presented in this tool.
 
Ok, so it has a central fixed grabber, anf two adjustable ones either side .

The side grabbers can be moved both laterally and axially .

The grabbers seem to be the important parts. Whatever they clamped was the "output" and that had to be flexible enough to comply with the grabbers.

Guesses.

1 spline curve drawing tool - a metal spring fitted to the grabbers could be used to trace a complex curve.

2, wood trim shaping for somekind of instrument

3, What if the grabbers held objects in a flow of water , could it be for modelling river , canal flow?

4 light and mirrors ¿

Torture for future nurds...
 








 
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