Billings Life-Time M-2022 wrench

This appears to be a tappet wrench, 1/2" on one end, 5/16" on the other. made by Billings and Spencer probably in the 1930s. No information turns up when I do a Google search. According to Alloy Artifacts, the Triangle B logo was registered in 1905, The Life-Time brand name 1928.

 

Monday Mystery, a powered sieve? (Repost)

We posted this 6 years ago, the owner of this model has still not found any info.  We'll repost, hopefully we've accumulated some new readers with different knowledge and experience.

 Here's an interesting device. The images are of a very nicely made model about a foot long. By the quality and detail it could be a patent model or possibly a salesman's model? 

 But what is it a model of? By the pulleys, it looks like it is powered by flat belts and the troughs (tubs) with perforated bottoms point to a production sieving device of some sort? Or a washing machine? Any ideas welcomed!

Update; More images. 

This time with the inner tubs in the raised position. It appears the belts power the rotating mechanisms which also have hand cranks on the offside. The owner tells me the model is actually a foot and a half long, solid brass, beautifully built.  He also mentions that he had suggestions 30 years ago that it might be a model of part of a metal-plating process machine but do the plated bits just get dumped out onto a tray each time? And also would the tubs, being metal,  not get plated themselves? 

F N Motorcycles 1925

   "Only the shadow knows...+, said the passenger, applying her lipstick. Strange poster by Italian designer and artist Marcello Nizzoli
 Leon Houard was apparently the motrocycle dealer.

Sidecar Sunday

This could be a "we used to make things here..." Hannigan started in Oakville Ontario but  moved to Kentucky some decades ago..

I never did understand the concept of fringe...

 

Not for legal trade...

No manufacturers name, unfortunately.

Copper firebox

Copper through the ages, Copper Development Association, 13th printing, 1956

 This locomotive, the William Shakespeare, was featured in a book published by the (British) Copper Development Association as an example of modern use of copper in transport. The firebox, 10ft long, 7 ft 1 inch wide and 7 ft high was made of 5/8 inch copper sheet, with the crown sheet 1" thick. Presumably calculations determined that the crown sheet would withstand the boiler pressure of 250 lbs per inch, but...

 

1936 Velocette KSS

 

Fashion Friday, More puttees

 

Gas or electricity?

  The idea of a pipeline supplying gas to houses for heat, cooking and light was revolutionary in the late 19th century but by the turn of the century, electricity was becoming practical enough to threaten the gases dominance. This somewhat awkward cartoon tries to illustrate that point.

 I've rented apartments that still had the capped-off gas pipe that used to be the light for the room. They generally still had the 80 plus year old flowery wallpaper. Oh, they also generally had one outlet in the room because who could need more than an electric clock or bedside light in a bedroom?

Mototri Contal

This thing dates to about 1905. Just the thing to take your mother-in-law for a ride. 

Someone decided one of these tricycles would make a good machine to take part in the 1907 Paris to Peking motor race. The machine made it into the Gobi Desert before it was abandoned.