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Does anyone have a clue what the thing pictured below is?
My dad and his mates meet in the pub every Wednesday evening for a civilised pint or three. One of the crowd, who dabbles in antiques, will occasionally bring in an unusual object and they try to work out what it is. Usually they figure it out (and confirm via google), but this thing has them stumped.
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/778/33124108450_787c1f7872.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/778/33124108450_787c1f7872.jp g"/> [/img]
[/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/St4Hq7 ]IMG-20170317-WA0007[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/willhyde/ ]W Hyde[/url], on Flickr
It has a plunger which is a solid square rod with the brass disc on the end.
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2834/33124104780_048ed3b208.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2834/33124104780_048ed3b208.jp g"/> [/img]
[/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/St4GjQ ]IMG-20170317-WA0003[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/willhyde/ ]W Hyde[/url], on Flickr
The pointy end is four spring steel 'leaves' for want of a better word. They come together at a very sharp point. One of the sides is hinged, thus (plus a bloke's fingers, for scale):
[img][url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3943/33124103280_7a10721792.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3943/33124103280_7a10721792.jp g"/> [/img]
[/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/St4FSY ]IMG-20170317-WA0002[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/willhyde/ ]W Hyde[/url], on Flickr[/img]
In this shot you see the plunger fully depressed, the square rod in the centre has spread the four points.
[img][url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3792/33466583456_a4789cc13c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3792/33466583456_a4789cc13c.jp g"/> [/img]
[/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/SZjZiA ]IMG-20170317-WA0001[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/willhyde/ ]W Hyde[/url], on Flickr[/img]
In that last shot the hinged side is pulled back, but apparently 'in use' it clicks into place and the point gets forced aside like the three fixed ones.
When the plunger is pulled back there seems to be room in the cavity to insert something, so it looks like it's for inserting something into something else. Also, the bras 'L' piece seems to be a stop, i.e. so the pointy bits are inserted to a set depth. But what does it insert, and into what?
A compass/dividers?
Urethal Suppository insertion tool.
Thrunge gasket. Metric, by the looks of it.
Thrunge gasket. Metric, by the looks of it.
FFS I actually googled that 😳
Used by Aliens bottom probe humans..
They will be back for that soon.... hold onto it so they know where to come looking..
Could it be for sampling from within e.g. a sack of grain/ coffee/ whatever? I'm assuming that the end plate could be for pushing in by the ball of one's hand. If so, could/ would the device then close up, trapping stuff when withdrawn?
Or alternatively, for inserting substance into something semi-solid.
So a coke tasterer?
😆 Thanks, knew I could rely on this place to get it within seconds!
wysiwyg - don't think so, as there's be no need for the plunger bit.
CFH - no, I've got one of those in the shed and this thing looks nothing like it.
for inserting pebbles into horses' hooves
Ambrose - we think one of those is the likely option, but we need specifics...
I actually googled that
My work here is done.
A kerfulgerator
[quote=oliverracing ]Thrunge gasket. Metric, by the looks of it.
FFS I actually googled that
I expected better from you Oli!
Don't worry, this has been remembered.
Mooring post for Bernard Manning
CFH - last time my thrunge needed inspecting, I used the ceramic version with imperial measurements.
It didn't change the diagnosis.
Don't know how I'll live with the consequences.
I reckon the Antiques Roadshow is your friend on this.
Not here, what with peoples inventerated words of widzom.
Canine rectal polyp snipper?
Baboon vaginal fungus sampler?
Fruitbat stool seed sample retriever?
Did you share a bag nuts at the pub?
Vintage tick extractor?
Of you Google thrunge gaskit it comes up with images of the above... So that it must be.
Google is always a right.
A compass/dividers?
Only for drawing squares, or dividing squares...
I can't believe no-one has mentioned that table yet. 😯
What sort of pub are you in, I'm guessing flat roof?
Vintage watchmakers/jeweller setting tool, for placing hands or small jewels in place,
similar to the below in use(if not in appearance)
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Sbob - good point, but in my defence I wasn't there on that particular evening so I couldn't say. There are no flat-roofed pubs within walking distance of my folks though, although there are some proper dives with pitched roofs...
Anyway, back on topic, I reckon unovolo's got it, or is at least the best bet yet. The plunger could be just a mechanism to spread the points, without pushing something forward.
[Edited to remove an auto-correct insult to sbob]
Does the L pivot or fixed? And is the plunger sprung?
The plunger is not sprung, it's fully manual insert and retract. Not sure if the L pivots, I'll ask my dad (I haven't actually laid eyes on it, my dad was talking about it as it's the only unsolved item they've had)
A jabber stick ?
A jabber stick ?
For a Wockey Jabber, or a Wocky Jabbers mate ?
It's a mock up for the Bond film, real life one being too expenzive
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