Patent date of 1911 in Goshen, Indiana. It is marked superior positive automatic lock. the arm pivots up to the T point. The arm has a counter weight on the bottom. I will try a get a couple more pictures posted


Here's another tool I'm not sure of its purpose. I know it is a number stamp. The dies are made of tiny sharp metal pins in the form of numbers. The only numbers that was with it are 0,1,2,3. They are removable and can be place in any order. What was this designed to mark. Something soft? Could it be made for marking livestock with. Maybe inking up the dies and stamping a ear??????

The cast piece is part of some machine, but doesn't ring any bells.   The other is a tattoo device for marking hogs ears.   Usually on sows, to keep track of animals.   Ink was smeared on the needles, handles squeezed, CRUNCH, tattooed ear. 

I thought maybe that's what the number stamp was. Thanks for confirming it. I have been buying, selling, and collecting old tools for many years and I have several more I'm not sure what they were used for. I really enjoy reading the old post in this section of the forum. I have learned a lot already.

The first one resembles the safety lock on an extension ladder.

 It would be helpful to see the whole object in top one. Agree with Lew it looks like safety hook for ladder. Scanned thru datamp patents for 1911 with no success.

I think you guys are right on the extension ladder lock off an old wooden ladder. I looked a little closer at this today and can see where something else was one it. It has been broken off and I think it was the piece that fastened it to the ladder.

Quote from: Lewill2 on July 23, 2014, 10:16:05 AM
The first one resembles the safety lock on an extension ladder.

Pretty sure that's what it is.  I have a couple of them.

The Superior Ladder Co was in Goshen around the 1920's....

It looks like the cam section would grip a wire - first thoughts were that it's some type of fencing wire straining tool...

Do extendable ladders in the US have rope or wire action?? I do not like the idea of a cast iron safety lock - if it's broken now, it could easily have broken in use - not ideal for a safety lock....

If it's forged steel, it's unlikely that the 'missing' bit would have broken off....

I agree with it being cast iron and not ideal for a safety lock. Even with two of them on the ladder which if it is a safety lock it would have one on each side.