Posted 13 years ago
waynedlo
(3 items)
Found this hand crank machine in an old barn. I've shown it to a lot of old timers and collectors, so far no one can tell me what is was for. It has two rubber rollers like an old wringer washing machine. The only marks on it are the letters U H. The lid was designed to flip up to change rollers.
Fire hose wringer?
Thanks Triker. I guess that could be a possibilty.
I don't know where you are but it could be a cane (Sugar Cane) crusher...... I can't see how one would get the ends of a Fire Hose through..
Pop_abides, I am from Louisiana so that's another possibilty. Thanks
If the top opens, a firehose could be put in behind the end fittings. It was just a thought anyway. Sugar cane crusher sounds makes more sense.
Thanks Triker, What your saying might work. As far as it being a cane crusher, I don't believe a stalk of cane would pass through as there is very little clearance between the rollers. Thanks for all the comments.
Did they ever grow tobacco around the area or on the farm where you found it?
What are the rollers made out of, are they geared together?
Spoke with a dealer here at the show in Fredericksburg and he said that he didn't think that sugar cane could be squeezed with rubber rollers; that it would take metal rollers. He's an old-timer who seems to know his tools real well.
Thanks for all the comments. I'm 67 and lived here all my life and can never remember any tobacco being grown around here. The rollers are made of a hard black rubber ( now with a lot of age cracks ) and the bottom roller is directly driven by the crank and the top one is floating. The way the feed and discharge chutes are designed it does appear they were made to drain juice or liquid into a bucket ot trough. Packrat-place, What kind of show are you at. Thanks everybody.
waynedlo,
We have a booth at Fredericksburg Trade Days, here is the link.
http://www.fredericksburgtradedays.com/
Glad we could help you a little.
We still have your photographs saved to our laptop and will keep asking around.
Thanks Packrat, appreciate the effort. I'll check out your link.