Mystery tool - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

mdshunk · 04-10-2008, 04:28 PM

Anybody know what this tool is? It was found in the workshop of an old farm, recently purchased by the new owner. It has scissors-like handles, bent at a right angle. It has 4 wires with bent hooks coming out of it, and they splay open when you open the scissors-like handles. It has a patent date of April 14, '08 (I assume 1908). Seems like the wires that come out are too flimsy for this to be any sort of animal birth tool and they seem too flimsy to be a castration band applicator (if they even had those back then). Anybody seen one before or know what this is?

**genecarp** · 04-10-2008, 04:30 PM

gynecological, definately

mdshunk · 04-10-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genecarp

gynecological, definately

I really do doubt it. Farm gyno tools are very "heavy duty" and this thing has pretty lightweight wires. The wires all come toward the center (gather up) as you squeeze the scissors-like handles, so I suspect it is made for more of a gathering action rather than a spreading or opening action. I guessed maybe a vial lifter to get semen vials out of stored liquid nitrogen, but I don't think they did that in 1908.

**Teetorbilt** · 04-10-2008, 05:36 PM

I love old tools and don't have a clue. Looks like it might be handy in getting something lightweight out of a hot pot like dyeing, laundry, tanning small hides, spagetti.
Kidding on the last one. Lifting butter from the churn?

mdshunk · 04-10-2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teetorbilt

I love old tools and don't have a clue. Looks like it might be handy in getting something lightweight out of a hot pot like dyeing, laundry, tanning small hides, spagetti.
Kidding on the last one. Lifting butter from the churn?

Thanks Steve!

That's what I needed. A couple more search terms. Found it! It's for taking hot plates out of an oven or steamer, the patent says.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=YB1..._pages&cad=0_1

MALCO.New.York · 04-10-2008, 05:48 PM

Regardless of what it is........It is a Beautiful specimen of a tool. 1908?

mike backman · 04-11-2008, 08:15 PM

its for spinning wire or or something?

silvertree · 04-11-2008, 08:18 PM

Plumbers crack scratcher?

Magnettica · 04-13-2008, 05:44 PM

Tool for cooking bacon?

tgeb · 04-13-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by from patent document

What I claim is:
one of said disk elements being rotative with
respect to the companion disk element to
open and close the arms.
1. A pair of separated disk elements, and gripping arms carried by one of the disk elements and guided by the other disk elements, ! the latter provided with a reduced portion terminating in a squared end, a rotatable disk moxmted on the reduced portion, handle members connected with the rotatable disk and with the squared end of the stem, and 30 yieldable members flexibly connected to the rotatable disk and in slidable engagement with the remaining disk, said members having bent terminals forming hooks.
nected with and spaced a distance from each
other, handle members rigidly associated
with each of the disks and extending laterally
therefrom, a plurality of arms flexibly
connected to one of the disks and slidably

With this kind of syntax, it is a wonder anything has been invented since. I can't imagine the gobbledy gook involved in today's patents.

That is a neat piece of History, thanks for sharing MD.

2ndGen · 04-13-2008, 09:59 PM

That's a "Bidet Hole Centering" tool.

Seriously though, looks like some scissor type action?

If you use it like a pair of scissors, do the rods do anything?

Maybe it's some type of manual mixer?

mdshunk · 04-13-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgeb

With this kind of syntax, it is a wonder anything has been invented since. I can't imagine the gobbledy gook involved in today's patents.

That is a neat piece of History, thanks for sharing MD.

Actually, that's pretty much how all patents are written. They have a certain style and sentence structure all their own. You catch onto it after you read more than a few. Google has a patent search function that's pretty easy to use.

Blackhammer · 04-14-2008, 09:22 AM

I would be careful Bill Mayes may get pissed because you found the first incarnation of the Grab-it.

mickeyco · 04-14-2008, 01:14 PM

Without looking at any of the other posts, I believe that is a tool/utensil for taking hot plates out of an oven or steamer.

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