Posted 10 years ago
jfdiow
(2 items)
Hi, This was found in one of my father's many workshop drawers- made of brass, very adjustable- everything seems to be moveable. Size is 5 1/2 inches by 3 inches, not more than 1 inch high on visible side- back plate has block 1 1/2 by 1/2 by 3/8 inch for holding in vice? No makers mark or name.
Mum thinks it may be for winding wire coils - possible date 40's/50's.
Any ideas?
I think its a whichamacallit...smiling no idea but I like it
No Roy. Thatsarollickingrodforawhatchamacallitthatthatmakesthedoflochygo up&downonthewingwangwasher. Knew what it was as soon as I saw it!
Another sleepless nite trying to figure it out!
This may be a tough one.
Hi, If it helps...the long handled screw part ends in a very small adjustable chuck or holder- the screw opposite has a very small dent in the end as if something is held between them. Thanks for your help!-
Ah, I'm only guessing but maybe a tool to wind fishing lure wire????
whats the distance between the 2 large screw points
Uh ouh, Jacko is on it. We should know soon.
lol blunderbuss iv been looking at this since it was put up has me stumped
Me too. I don't think the screw goes in at the end where the "chuck" is but just moves the arm with the slot in it. That's about as far as I have gotten. We still have the old fallback: Left by aliens to confuse us.
the mecacanism looks like some kind of lock device
So, if we need another guess.....I think it may be a thread cutting lathe. Perhaps a watchers lathe.
Actually, I meant a watch maker's lathe.
Hi, Thanks for trying guys! The distance between the two screw points ( the screw and the tiny chuck) is about 1" to 1 1/2 ". I'll measure it tomorrow and try to take a few close-ups. It does look as if there should be a 'bobbin' or armor? between those points and the square holes line something up which would then be wound around the bobbin. (a mainspring perhaps?) If it's a lathe wouldn't one have to wind very fast? again, thanks for getting the little grey cells working on this.
IMA, I've been even thinking in that direction & it may prove true yet. That (vertical) arm attached to the screw part is attached to the horiz. via a screw(?). At almost a 90 degrees, to the vertical arm, that horiz. arm isn't going going to move up without at least a spring to assist.
Yes, the swing arm has be puzzled. The Olay thing I can think of is that limits the travel in some way.
What led me to a lathe of of kind is the two square holes that hold the cutting stock. But, I am still puzzled as to what it may have been used for. If you search for screw lathes you will find some old ones that were hand powered, but none are like this one. The size leads me to think it was a watch makers tool.
jfdiow did your father work at any paticular trade might help us with search for info
Good question! Right now, - me not know man!
Hi, my father was an engineer- fork lift truck design for a job, home model engineer- trains, stationary engines etc, and he made his own parts. My mother's father (this may have come from him) was also an engineer and a ham radio person... worked for the war office during WW2 but mum wasn't sure what he did.
Mum used to work for a jeweller/watch-mender but is fairly adamant this didn't come from him.
I think IMASapp may be right- I've tried it with a pin between the screw & chuck (can't loosen the tiny screws on the chuck yet) and moved the square broken bit to up to the other square guide (the one with the three screws)- the handle then turns the pin, the arm swings and moves the baseplate in a very controlled manner. Photos when I get to the right camera-I think it would cut a very small accurate thread if one had the correct tools and material- so jeweller or watchmaker lathe. Went over it with a magnifying glass There is some very faint marking on the back in elaborate script Fran N17 ? - hand-scratched rather than stamped. Would be glad to know if anyone still makes tiny lathe tools with square stock.
i have seen pics of clock and watch mainspring winders on the net some look similar but not the same design as your
Clockmaker's Fusée Engine.
T A
looks like tubeamp got it welldone
Good job Tubeamp.
I see now that the whole table slides as the crank is turned. Still not sure how the tail stock would work though if it's slotted.
A little long winded but explains how the swing arm works:
The clock-barrel engine could also be used for cutting the groove in fusees for bracket clocks, except that the cutter would follow the conical profile of a fusee instead of the straight cylinder of a barrel. Because variation was often needed in the pitch of fusee or barrel grooves, a more elaborate form of engine was devised in which the pitch of the groove could be altered. In general terms it follows the same principle as the earlier engine, but in this case the cutter carrier, which is a flat rectangular bed free to travel axially, is moved by a lever from the guiding block on the driving arbor thread, this lever having a pivot which engages a slot in the carrier. By adjusting this pivot the amount of travel of the carrier can be varied; when the piot is nearer the front of the machine the tool carrier will travel less for a given number of turns of the work than when it is at the rear. By this means, and by having differently threaded driving arbors and blocks, considerable variety of pitch of fusee or barrel groove could be cut. Many modern Swiss fusee cutting tools use the same principle.
That's brilliant guys, thank you all so much- I'll mark this as a solved mystery
I'm impressed TA & IMA! "You 2 dun good". Sure had me & a friend stumped. Still don't really understand how it works though & please don't try to explain it further!