Brass tool? --You have to see it, I cant explain it.

[Pointman]

Brass tool? --You have to see it, I can't explain it.

I found this last week. It weighs close to a pound and appears to be made of brass. It is over 6 inches long and almost 2-3/4 inches wide at the widest point. I am totally unsure on how to describe it further. About the only guess that I have is that it is some sort of latch.

Can someone weigh in?

 

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[Breezie]

Are the 2 ends finished or do they look like they were broken or cut off?

Depending on the answer, it could be part of an antique barber's chair, theater seat or school desk. I'm leaning more toward a barber's chair since the metal parts on some were made of brass. BUT, your find look to be steel/iron and painted, but I'm not looking at it in person. Does it attract a magnet?

Interesting
Breezie

 

[Tony in SC]

I think Breezie is on to something. Could be a footpedal to control somethong. The little square tab looks like a place for a return spring?? The shaft on the left looks like it has splines?? Tony

 

[nhbenz]

-keeping the size in mind -- 2-3/4 inches at the widest point, I think it's used to connect a rope to a pole, with the rope going through the loop portion and a pole going over one of the ends.
Dang, I feel sure these have shown up here before, but I can't recall their exact use.

 

[Breezie]

-keeping the size in mind -- 2-3/4 inches at the widest point, I think it's used to connect a rope to a pole, with the rope going through the loop portion and a pole going over one of the ends.
Dang, I feel sure these have shown up here before, but I can't recall their exact use.

Howdy Benz
That's exactly why I asked the OP if the ends had been cut/broken. On barber chairs, theater seats, and the likes, there were various crooks, turns, and do-dads; some were fancy, others plain. I don't know if we'll be able to determine the id of this piece because it could have easily been used on mechanical/movement chair/desk as a connection for rope to pole. Although it would be nice to know the metal.


Breezie

 

[vhs07]

Ask a plumber.
I get quite a bit of these at the scrap yard. Always come in with plumbers brass. I believe it has something to do with locking either a water meter or locking the cast iron lid to access the meter.

 

[pkb]

Ask a plumber.
I get quite a bit of these at the scrap yard. Always come in with plumbers brass. I believe it has something to do with locking either a water meter or locking the cast iron lid to access the meter.

yup.

 

[DCMatt]

Ask a plumber.
I get quite a bit of these at the scrap yard. Always come in with plumbers brass. I believe it has something to do with locking either a water meter or locking the cast iron lid to access the meter.

Agree. Somebody posted one a year or two ago. Several people ID'd it as a water meter cover latch/lock. I searched and searched but could not find a picture of one.

DCMatt

 

[Breezie]

Agree. Somebody posted one a year or two ago. Several people ID'd it as a water meter cover latch/lock. I searched and searched but could not find a picture of one.

DCMatt

Matt, I looked too and couldn't find a photo like the OP's item, but I did find this site that has several diagrams of a water meter cover latch.

WATER METER PIT COVER LATCH - Patent application


Breezie

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Oh weird, I have actually found one of those before, I had no idea what it was and it got tossed

 

[yaxthri]

Matt, I looked too and couldn't find a photo like the OP's item, but I did find this site that has several diagrams of a water meter cover latch.

WATER METER PIT COVER LATCH - Patent application


Breezie

Oh yes I remember that thread, too. Only led to more questions as I recall... No idea what this is