Museum owner cannot identify

[MrsFury]

Hi all. I visited a museum today and the owner has an item he cannot identify. I told him I'd post here in the hopes that y'all could help. Here are three pics I took of this item. It was found in an area between two lakes where the towns were wiped out in a hurricane in 1915. Thank you in advance for any replies.

 

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[nhbenz]

I'm going with the cover of a hot water heater.

 

[thcst8]

a very small hot water heater?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Those are two valves that open and close to dispense whatever is inside. I dont think its a hot water dispenser, and I dont understand why two valves? I wish we had the rest of it. The valves look like hoses could attach to them but not under much pressure.

ADDED: I just noticed your post dex while I was typing. Why two valves?

Its part of a hot water heater that was attached to a woodstove, had one in my camp in Maine.

 

[MrsFury]

Thanks for the input. I will call the dude tomorrow sometime and give him all your replies.

 

[savant365]

One valve would be to let the cold water in and one to let the hot water out. Maybe

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

One valve would be to let the cold water in and one to let the hot water out. Maybe

yea maybe. There seems to be much missing from it, and it looks like it would only hold a gallon or two of hot water. What kind of cover was on it and how was the water heated? Can you tell us more Dex?

 

[Angelo]

Seems to be a hot water dispenser of some sort. The shine on the interior appears to be like a thermos, unless it was the flash that created the look. I think that a hose would blow off of the type of valve nozzle with minimum steam pressure.

Maybe it was hung with the valves down to dispense hot water via gravity.

Just guessing of course

Tony

UPDATE: Perhaps while it hung with the valves down a heater coil was in the interior to keep hot water going, like for a place that served a lot of Tea. Filling tea pots for the tables.

Picture PBK with one of those. He could be filling one cup with hot water while drinking the other. Back and forth all day long...None stop.

 

[littleneckhalfshell]

what is the container made of, the view of the bottom looks like glass, is it? also what are those two things in the bottom, are they holes? A little bit more information might be helpful. I know that some early hot water heaters were not exactly constructed with safety in mind, I can imagine that if it is a hot water heater, it could easily be a bomb with both valves closed off. But just on a off hand guess, could it be a soda fountain carbonator? I know they had to have something in the old soda fountains to 'make' the carbonated water, never seen an old one, but, that is the kind of impression I got looking at the tapered valve connections.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Its part of a hot water heater that was attached to a woodstove, had one in my camp in Maine.

Help us out here Dex. How was the water heated and how was it dispensed?

 

[MrsFury]

what is the container made of, the view of the bottom looks like glass, is it? also what are those two things in the bottom, are they holes? A little bit more information might be helpful. I know that some early hot water heaters were not exactly constructed with safety in mind, I can imagine that if it is a hot water heater, it could easily be a bomb with both valves closed off. But just on a off hand guess, could it be a soda fountain carbonator? I know they had to have something in the old soda fountains to 'make' the carbonated water, never seen an old one, but, that is the kind of impression I got looking at the tapered valve connections.

I'd love to give you more info but it's not mine, I just saw it today. I'll do my best. Yes they are holes, it could be glass but I was thinking it was ceramic. I can ask the guy tomorrow when I call to tell him what you all have come up with. Thanks!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

UPDATE: Perhaps while it hung with the valves down a heater coil was in the interior to keep hot water going, like for a place that served a lot of Tea. Filling tea pots for the tables.

Im going with Angelo. Restaurant equipment of some kind. (unless Dex can explain better)

 

[tulecanyon]

i was thinking it was a beer cooler. pack that ceramic in ice, inside a wood keg? they look like saloon spigots to me.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It almost looks like the old glass type thermos.

 

[trikikiwi]

I suggest it is part of a vacuum system. Possibly a filter pot.
The two valves and the tapered hose-tails fit that picture better than a pressure system. The second valve is for release of the vacuum. Under vacuum, both the hose connections would be 'self tightening'
If it is ceramic, or glass, or enamelled, it could suggest a hygiene requirement, so maybe from food or drink processing. Or less likely due to the brass fittings - a requirement for chemical resistance.

Interesting

Mike

 

[texan connection]

A hot water tank would have a line inside to put the cold water in the bottom while the heated water came out the top,Or visa vesa if its upside down. The valves seem large as if something thick was dispersed. The crock would indicate something needing to be clean (food, Milk, cream). Wouldent be Much pressure, being a crock so certainly below boiling temp if its water.
Id be more inclined to be somthing kept cool rather than hot.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

A hot water tank would have a line inside to put the cold water in the bottom while the heated water came out the top,Or visa vesa if its upside down.

This is true as can be seen in the hot water heater diagram. I also doubt it could be a hot water heater or dispenser but dex378 said that he had one at his camp and i am anxiously awaiting his reply to my questions.

I see no corrosion inside that you would normally see with a HWH. I think the top is open so it can be filled and/or cleaned.

 

[trikikiwi]

If vacuum related...... maybe from a milking machine

 

[Blacksheep]

Looks like salt glaze crockery, it looks rather small to be a wood-fired water heater.

Maybe some type of insert for a "cooler" of sorts, could it have had coiled copper tubing
inside at some point for some type of distillery?

Searched about 200 hundred pages and found nothing even close.

 

[nhbenz]

I now doubt my original guess (cover to a hot water heater). Although my grandmother had a very small HWH (gas heated) in her home, which took 30 minutes to work before you could do the dishes, I no longer believe this is related. Grammy's had no cover to it, and I have a nice scar to prove it. :P BigC and others have brought up points that show this to be the wrong direction to focus. It certainly is an odd-ball item.