The ware for October 2007 is below. Click on the image for a much larger version.
This ware is a 100% mechanical piece that I think is particularly neat — it was given as a gift to me by one of Chumby’s vendors in China. I’ll tell you more about it when I name the winner next month!
It’s a time machine.
Looks like a bicycle bell.
It looks a lot like a dial depth/thickness gauge. I’ve got one that looks very similar to this, but it was made in England in the 50’s to measure the thickness of leather as a quality control process.
BTW, I don’t *really* think it’s a time machine – was just a dumb joke about the “October” Name that Ware being posted in November… :-)
Thickness gage:
http://longislandindicator.com/p12.html#Teclock
Looks like a 1″ travel, 0.001″ indicating dial indicator.
This seems to have been figured out, but I think my initial idea of an auto-relocking deadbolt mechanism is way cooler.
I think there would be a market for that — a deadbolt lock for which the unlocking process winds a timer. When the timer runs out, the bolt is extended again. Like a modern card-key lock, but all mechanical.
It would also be useful to let you lock the door on your way out without requiring you to pull out your keys.
Yeah a set of calipers was my first impression too vance.
The hair spring and high gear ratios suggest it is a dial indicator, as others have said. What is not-so-normal is the handle that seems to be there to lift the probe clear of the surface being measured, and the extra metal to the lower left.
Starrett has produced dial indicators with lift handles, but their solution was not as elegant.
The taper pin holding the free end of hair spring is an interesting solution.
It’s a lift-handle metric dial indicator with handle and built-in anvil – these are used in the paper, sheet metal/plastic, and wire industries depending on anvil shape. Travel looks like it’s about 1 to 2 cm. I’ve got something very similar from Tumico with a round anvil that is used for tube wall thickness, and a B&S with interchangeable anvils. With this one and source I would guess it’s either metric or gauge pocket model for use in line QC.
The spring mechanism on the inside, and the single lever extending to the outside, makes me think that this is the insides of a bicycle bell. I’m not sure what the pin sticking out the top might be, or where the actual bells are – but that’s my theory.. :)
Yes, it’s a Dial Indicator (see http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Indicators ). In french, it’s a “comparateur” (a comparator). Easy! (but late)
Looks to me like it’s the inside of a lock/watch? Whats it used For? For further information on Locks
http://www.tradehandles.co.uk