Posted 2 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
I've had this little gizmo for *years* from a source I don't even recall, probably in with some or other little group of electrical sorts of parts and things but I truly haven't a clue. LIKEWISE I haven't ever had a clue about what it really *WAS* -- mostly thinking that maybe it was part of an old headphone or something but never fiddling with it (much less hitting it with some source of electricity?!) to find out. Until I came across it again recently, and took a sec to see what the googlies had to say about it, that is...? ;-)
And now I guess it is a little 'buzzer' sound producing thing, probably once part of some kind of electricity/electronics educational toy or kit. :-)
Shown with a pencil for size, it is 2" across the base. Made of dark bakelite, the word "MERIT" is the center of its logo with "J & L R LTD" and "MADE IN ENGLAND" surrounding. Two small and nicely made thumbscrew nuts allow for wires to be connected to it, those screwheads and a couple more appear on its underside along with a slender copper wire emerging from a tiny hole and connecting to one of them.
Wikipedia allows that MERIT was a toy manufacturer affiliated with J & L RANDALL LTD, an active firm in the 1950's-60's that included various scientifically minded sorts of products in their lineup, so I am guessing this particular thing was part of another set or otherwise larger thing meant to help amuse as well as teach about electricity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_%26_L_Randall
And with this new-to-me info, I did in fact experiment with it myself just a bit -- applying a 1.5v battery to it did nothing, but a little 5v power cube indeed made it "BUZZ", rather gently, and more importantly didn't let any of the magic smoke leak out of it...??
;-) ;-) ;-)
part of a morse code kit
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/merit-toys-randall-vintage-boxed-1779060191
TallCakes wins the prize again -- that's *EXACTLY* what this thing is!!
THANKS, once more!!! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)