🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Cast iron crescent shaped whatsit

robertk

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May 16, 2023
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I found this at a home site dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s. It appears to be cast iron, fairly heavy. I don't recognize it as part of a cast iron stove (though I have found plenty of stove parts here). Maybe a part of a car, or part of a piece of farm equipment? Does anyone recognize it? Here are photos from all angles, plus size references. Click to enlarge any of them.

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I found this at a home site dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s. It appears to be cast iron, fairly heavy. I don't recognize it as part of a cast iron stove (though I have found plenty of stove parts here). Maybe a part of a car, or part of a piece of farm equipment? Does anyone recognize it? Here are photos from all angles, plus size references. Click to enlarge any of them.

View attachment 2167048 View attachment 2167047

View attachment 2167052 View attachment 2167051 View attachment 2167049 View attachment 2167050
#5-possible foot pedal, tractor.
 

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#5-possible foot pedal, tractor.
Apologies, that particular photo is misleading. I balanced it against the spike piece to take a photo of that angle and it’s not obvious. Here is that same angle without the spike piece holding it up. I will edit the original post as well.

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Maybe from a crank (wind) out window.
 

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No idea, but it sure is an interesting (relatively complex) casting! 😀
 

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Some type of dog/pawl to engage a crank or ratchet. Possibly for a large chainfall.
I think this line of thought — that it’s a dog or ratchet or latch type thing — makes a lot of sense.
 

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No idea, but it sure is an interesting (relatively complex) casting! 😀
I don't know what it is.
Nobody knew what this was either....
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I thought this might be some kind of latch (or slide bolt?) too.
Do you think they might fit/go together? 🤣
 

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Not an exact match, but it looks similar to the ratchet arm on this old jack (found online):

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I wonder if the little "tooth" on the end of my find is really a separate piece that has just been fused by rust, and maybe was able to move back in the day? Maybe I should dump it in Evaporust...
 

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Another clue is the hole pointing towards 8 o'clock in the first pic is beveled for a countersunk screw.
 

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Another clue is the hole pointing towards 8 o'clock in the first pic is beveled for a countersunk screw.
It's hard to tell. The holes were both full of dirt and rust when I dug it up, and I used the tip of one of the dug nails to clean them out. I can't say for sure if it's countersunk, or that's just how the rust makes it look. :dontknow:
 

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It's hard to tell. The holes were both full of dirt and rust when I dug it up, and I used the tip of one of the dug nails to clean them out. I can't say for sure if it's countersunk, or that's just how the rust makes it look. :dontknow:
It looks countersunk to me too, but I'm wrong a lot. 😏
It's still (likely) a screw hole--just a question of flat head vs. round/pan head.
 

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