Here is 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?
8 comments:
my bet is on a washer of some kind.
maybe it's related with grease removal before plating or something of that sort. Two tanks, batch operation, first with a acid, second with a base for neutralization. Well, it's a theory...
With no evidence to support my guess, I'm going to throw out "powered double tomato strainer." Is it something you think is local to your area, because I think parts of Ontario were big into ketchup production in the early 20th century?
I vote for a gold sluice box and shaker. Hell it is even gold in color!
It's the fabled extractor of quintessence !
I never thought I would live to see it.
thought of gold also, but it doesn't have enough box size to retain the fines or even a duct below from which those could be recollected. It would be full in no time. The power is used to tip (til?) the grates up and down in a slow motion, but the mechanism can be hand or powered operated, with a lever to switch a movable clutch between going up or going down motions. The middle table is a dripping pan, with a pipe connecting to the first box. All together, it's not a shaker (lacks up and down + forward motion), not a washer (things just stay there), not a gold cradling box (no ripples)... It's a batch operation.
Maybe a bath of some sort (like for pickling metal parts).
I can't argue with any of the suggestions, each involve the dumping of some material into a tub and then moved along the line. I received more images of the machine, with the tubs in a raised position, please take a look! Thanks! I wish I actually had an answer to the puzzle!
Maybe someone with the right skills can find it using Google Patents?
I'm the owner from this model and have spent many hours searching but there are way too many options, at least for me...
Thanks for your help!
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