MTFCA Forum

....my friend in the picture found this in his treasure metal pile and we can’t figure out it’s use. The short vertical piece swivels on the curved cast piece. That solid forged heavy section to the right of the picture has that visible ‘nipple’ on one end and its flat on the other. New Millenium mystery of America’s early Industrial Age.

Probly something to do with farming is my wild guess!

It's a bell clapper, I believe.

That very well could be a handle for an old hand operated forge blower. We have my Grandfathers old forge equipment and the pump handle to the upright blower looks very similar. It had a flat belt on the lower portion of the contraption.

I think you’re either correct or very close Jerry because my friend obtained a cast iron bell with an unusually long resonance at the same time. And we considered that large hole in the curved piece on the left of the pic might’ve been for a rope,

Like this...

Windmill weight.

‘Winner, winner. Chicken dinner !!’ You done good Jerry ! My friend, Luther - in the picture - will be glad to know that. and I believe the combined brain trust on this Forum can figure out anything !!

It's for hammering around corners.

I think it's a bell clapper. A windmill weight would probably be heavier. If you need a dinner bell, you're halfway there. Many old brake drums will make a nice sound if struck with a hammer. Rear truck drums work well, especially very old ones. When I was in elementary school, the fire alarm bell was a big old truck brake drum mounted with one bolt through one of the center bolt holes and hung up on the wall on a board by the door to the principal's office. It had a hammer device similar to the one in the picture above with a pull rope. That thing would make you jump out of your seat.You could hear it all through the 3 story building and anywhere on the extensive playground.

Now don’t you wish you still had the windmill!