991. oilers, industrial machines, mabee steam locomotives. 992. coin slot mechanism. 993. for making decorative wood moulding
5/24/2007 6:42 AM
Anonymous said...
989 Water shut off keys? Maybe for fire department access? They're large enough that they're obviously used to directly operate a valve of some kind, not just a lock.
991. I'd guess that they were inspection/sampling devices. You open the valve and can get a sample of the oil/water/gasoline or whatever is in some machine.
993. I'm stymied by the fact that they don't look sharp enough to cut wood or metal. I'd guess that they were for pattern makers and were used to cut the shapes into clay or wax before casting: possibly in the making of warded keys. --Jim A.
5/24/2007 7:36 AM
Anonymous said...
990. Handcuffs
5/24/2007 7:46 AM
Anonymous said...
991 - First photo shows drip oilers used on steam or gas engines. Second photo shows mostly grease cups, oil cups and priming cups.
>993. I'm stymied by the fact that they don't look sharp enough to cut wood or metal.
They're supposed to be for wood, but you're right about them not looking sharp enough for that.
Check out the answer page for more details on this week's set.
5/25/2007 3:48 PM
Anonymous said...
989b. I own one of these. The water meter reader left it beside my in-ground meter when I lived in Austin. It does a perfect job of unlatching and lifting the concrete lid over the meter.
- Edward
5/26/2007 1:34 PM
989a. 6" long: [Image]
Both of these large keys were marked as being for the same purpose.
989b. 5-1/4" long [Image]
[Image]
990. 6-5/8" long: [Image]
991. Approximately 4"-8" tall: [Image] Larger image
These devices are slightly related to the ones in the previous photo: [Image] Larger image
992. Submitted by a visitor: [Image]
993a. 11" long: [Image]
[Image]
993b. This is a similar tool that performs the same function, 9-1/2" long: [Image]
Patented in 1885 [Image] From Jim Brown's collection.
"Set 171"
6 Comments -
991. oilers, industrial machines, mabee steam locomotives.
992. coin slot mechanism.
993. for making decorative wood moulding
5/24/2007 6:42 AM
989 Water shut off keys? Maybe for fire department access? They're large enough that they're obviously used to directly operate a valve of some kind, not just a lock.
991. I'd guess that they were inspection/sampling devices. You open the valve and can get a sample of the oil/water/gasoline or whatever is in some machine.
993. I'm stymied by the fact that they don't look sharp enough to cut wood or metal. I'd guess that they were for pattern makers and were used to cut the shapes into clay or wax before casting: possibly in the making of warded keys.
--Jim A.
5/24/2007 7:36 AM
990. Handcuffs
5/24/2007 7:46 AM
991 - First photo shows drip oilers used on steam or gas engines. Second photo shows mostly grease cups, oil cups and priming cups.
5/24/2007 9:28 AM
>993. I'm stymied by the fact that they don't look sharp enough to cut wood or metal.
They're supposed to be for wood, but you're right about them not looking sharp enough for that.
Check out the answer page for more details on this week's set.
5/25/2007 3:48 PM
989b. I own one of these. The water meter reader left it beside my in-ground meter when I lived in Austin. It does a perfect job of unlatching and lifting the concrete lid over the meter.
- Edward
5/26/2007 1:34 PM