More Whatzits--Can we make this the official Whatzit thread?

[Shitbox]

Bonus points for posting a saw-set!

Looks like you got it. Thanks!

 

[Ohio Andy]

Got a no idea wtf this is myself:








No markings I can find I’m guessing something for crimping or maybe rivets? Anyone recognize this thing?

Looks like saw set ... I own about five.

 

[MisterEd]

Where's that @Old Man Roger when you need him?

Probably out back looking for his Saw Sets.

 

[Outlawmws]

No saw set here..

3 oddballs:

obviously a 4 pin spanner, and with a straight blade driver/ adjuster (or vise-versa), but for what? that number didn't help me:






Top one is marked ZIM Vim Mfg Co, and Pat applied for, and nothing else. The sliding rod does expand the "jaws" so possibly for a piston ring expanded? ZIM made a lot of different versions.


The bottom one seems home/shop made. the knurling almost certainly done before the forging on the ends. and those a re relatively thick - like end wrench thick. the larger end is 7/16 and the jaw was either silver soldered or hammer forged in place, I suspect the former, as there is a half circle line. then other end give s spoke wrench vibe, but its big. bigger that Honda 90 spokes. maybe larger than bigger MC spokes so maybe for a car spoked wheel?

 

[RTM]

Got a no idea wtf this is myself:








No markings I can find I’m guessing something for crimping or maybe rivets? Anyone recognize this thing?

To be a little more specific, a Morrill type saw set. See many of his patents here.

Patents for Charles Morrill

 

[Mintgrun]

To be a little more specific

Unfortunately, it's missing the thumb screw and sliding blade support ( for lack of the proper name ).

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Top one is marked Vim Mfg Co, and Pat applied for, and nothing else. The sliding rod does expand the "jaws" so possibly for a piston ring expanded? Vim made a lot of different versions.

Is it Vim or Zim? Looks like Zim to me. They had all kinds of patents for valve service tools (lifters, inserters, keepers, lapping etc). Herbert Berkman alone had several, spanning the 20s to 40's. If you want to try to identify it that way I would search Google Books on his name and "patent".

 

[Outlawmws]

Is it Vim or Zim? Looks like Zim to me. They had all kinds of patents for valve service tools (lifters, inserters, keepers, lapping etc). Herbert Berkman alone had several, spanning the 20s to 40's. If you want to try to identify it that way I would search Google Books on his name and "patent".

Correct Zim not Vim and fixed the typo... (Interesting my searches had auto corrected for that..)

 

[Old Man Roger]

Damn

 

[senlow]

Damn

You snooze, you lose.

 

[Outlawmws]

You snooze, you lose.

Stole my line. word for word!

 

[senlow]

Great minds. . .

 

[four.cycle]

I have no doubt that opportunity will be knocking on @Old Man Roger's door again soon.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I have no doubt that opportunity will be knocking on @Old Man Roger's door again soon.

Pretty sure I nailed it in the Help Translate This Chinese thread.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/help-translate-this-chinese.555658/

 

[SkyPuncher]

Got a "What is it"! I appreciate any ideas! Looks like the date is 1905

 

[Old Man Roger]

SAW SET SAW SET SAW SET? No? Damn!

 

[Beerhippie]

Got a "What is it"! I appreciate any ideas! Looks like the date is 1905

Well, you got me!

 

[Old Man Roger]

What the hell does it say next to Chicago? Fredelxedeckle?

 

[Mintgrun]

Searching based on the hard-to-read patent date might be fruitful, although, I wasn't successful.

 

[Outlawmws]

Well its pictured upside down and I'll say legs for one end of - something...

 

[Old Man Roger]

It says safety on one side, I was thinking it was safety shield for a pulley or a blade?

 

[RTM]

DATAMP has 56 patents in Feb 1905

USPTO has 72 patent with Chicago in that month

I see Fred (24) something Meckel or Eckel (0) and Safety (73) on various pieces. Adding all those to the USPTO search gets 0 hits

Can anybody thin things down? I can’t see this piece on any of the images.

Did not find Fred Eckel or Meckel in Chicago around that era.

Wondering if he was the maker, not the patent holder.

 

[SkyPuncher]

Does not have a pat. number on it. It is Fred L. Meckel Chicago on the one side. Looks to have had a wooden handle or something in the one end. I did find this paper weight on worthpoint and even more interesting is what I just found on Find a Grave. The obituary states the same address as the paperweight. My guess would be some kind of linemen's tool??

 

[SkyPuncher]

Name: Frederick Louis Meckel
Birth Date: 24 Sep 1868
Birth Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Death Date: 23 Sep 1945
Death Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Burial Date: 26 Sep 1945
Burial Place: Worth Township, Cook, Illinois
Cemetery Name: Mt. Hope
Death Age: 76
Occupation: Executive
Race: White
Marital Status: M
Gender: Male
Residence: Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Father Name: Louis Meckel
Father Birth Place: Germany
Mother Birth Place: Germany
Spouse Name: Grace

 

[Private Lugnutz]

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ I haven't read the patent to try to ascertain if it was related to your piece, but according to the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents for 1905 in the Smithsonian Library, that's the only patent (785,368, 31 March 1905) granted in 1905 to Fred Meckel. The "FEB 1905" on your piece could be mistaken (we have seen mfgrs seemingly mistakenly use the date that they were informed by the USPTO that an award was imminent several times before) or it may indeed have been patented in February 1905, granted to someone else, but manufactured by Meckel. If the latter, it was not assigned to Meckel when granted, because that would also show up in the same reference, which would mean Meckel may have been paying licensing fees. If you want to use the same reference to try to identify your piece, you could search on terms that might describe the invention, or search on February and review every item patented that month (7, 14, 21 and 28 February). I have done that, only as a last resort, and it is a slow, painstaking process that will make your eye cross.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...the paperweight.

I love the phrase "Wagons of Every Description"! Like many carriage makers from horse-drawn days, they moved into the automobile industry later and their way with words continued. I love the phrase, "builders of bodies since before Lincoln's Administration"!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My guess would be some kind of linemen's tool??

Your intuition was good!

I found it - in Google Books, of course. My search string was "Fred L. Meckle Safety".

Telephone Magazine

www.google.com

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Looks to me like it reads, "PAT. FEB 7-05" on the rendering of the piece in the ad, which would help cut down your search for the actual patent using the link I provided a couple posts up.

 

[SkyPuncher]

Great detective work Private Lugnutz! I have had that thing laying around for years not know what in the world it was for. Dad always thought it was part of an old bell. Thanks again guys!

 

[Old Man Roger]

Odd that a line tool would be metal.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ I haven't looked for the patent, but my interpretation of the ad is that it was for cradling and raising a wooden telephone/telegraph pole.

 

[Old Man Roger]

^ I haven't looked for the patent, but my interpretation of the ad is that it was for cradling and raising a wooden telephone/telegraph pole.

Ahh Ok! That makes more sense, I thought it was for holding up wires.

 

[RTM]

My guess would be some kind of linemen's tool??

Funny you should say that. I was thinking last night that it might have been a tool for holding up wires for a linesman. Mounted to a wooden stick, and it is safe for the holder. Seems like I’ve seen that tool before.

^ I haven't looked for the patent, but my interpretation of the ad is that it was for cradling and raising a wooden telephone/telegraph pole.

Well duh, after trying safety, wire, cable on Feb 07, 1905, changing to pole found it at USPTO

US781973A - Raising-fork for telegraph-poles. - Google Patents

 

[Shitbox]

Damn

Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll give you another opportunity to get me soon enough.

 

[SkyPuncher]

Great info RTM!

 

[d42jeep]

Found these today:



Two of them in an old tool box. Not sure if the ends of the spring thingies are supposed to come together like that, or bypass.

I get a brake vibe....

Seems like we need to just have one thread for the Whatzits, since a new one gets started every week. Checked Lugz's index, but nope.

maybe right with the brakes vibe?

Brake Cylinder Clamps, used to hold brake pistons in place while working on the brake lines, or replacing brake shoes etc $25 per pair.

Ref: BrakeCylClamps
Price; $25 per pair

I have some of those wheel cyl clamps.
-Don

I have some ! Probably next to my drum brake spring pliers, drum brake hold down pin removal tool and wheel cylinder hone.

... where ever they are !

Found another pair at a recent estate sale. Not sure I’ll ever use them again but why not?
-Don