Tool with wooden handle and metal lever with spring

[Kanns87]

Tool has a patent date of Dec.23 1919. What is it and what was it used for?

Thanks!

[EVILDR235]

looks like a device for throwing clay pigeons ? Pancake flipper ?

EvilDr235

[wvtools]

It looks marine related to me.  Some kind of stop or control mechanism?

[turnnut]

   does patent number 1,325,507 resemble yours ???

[bill300d]

Ha would have never guessed that.

[Twertsy]

   does patent number 1,325,507 resemble yours ???

There is certainly a resemblance, no doubt about that.  The "handle" and head are oriented differently than the drawing in the patent though.  Doesn't mean the design didn't change once patented though. 

[turnnut]

 Twertsy, yes, I had to stare at it for a while,  it would make it easier if we had the object in our hands.

 through the years, I have learned that a patent was issued for a certain function, not the design, take a wrench and
 compare it to a patent, there will not always be the same. most of the time, the patentee will not be the maker of
 the tool.  I used to keep searching for the patent because it did not completely match my wrench.
 the key part is to read the write up presented, to understand what the person is trying to patent. that may be why a
 lot of patents were written up by a patent lawyer.

 on this case, I will wait for any comment from Kanns87, if need be, I will continue searching, when time allows.

 p.s.  I always read your comments on this site, keep them coming.

[Chillylulu]

The patent confirmed my initial thought.  It is a fire sprinkler stopper.  It's for stopping up a flowing sprinkler head.

The only reason I was confused is that I couldn't see the business side.

I have a different type that I will get a picture of with it in a sprinkler head.

Chilly

[pritch]

In my occupation of Construction Superintendent, I've managed to set off a few fire sprinklers over the years, and I don't think ever once the thought occurred to me that "Gee, I wish I had a tool that I could climb up there and stop the flow of that nasty, oily, stinking water right there instead of turning a valve in a nice, dry fire riser room!"
But that's just me...
 

Truth is, the very first thought I have to have is making calls to ensure it's not a full response from the fire department. They'll usually come once for free, but after that there's generally a false-alarm fee involved.

[Chillylulu]

" that nasty, oily, stinking water right there"

?........ smells like my paycheck.

By the time you get up there, the smelly water has cleared out. It only takes a few seconds.  You are used to fitters doing tenant finish work, with no water flowing. Believe it or not,  that stinky stuff is potable and not really very oily. 

Chilly

[pritch]

Actually, they passed a law here (Utah) a few years ago that every system has to be completely drained and the lines opened up and inspected every 5 years. Mains mainly, not really every branch. I'm sure some legislator had an inspection business that needed work. And it does keep the lines cleaner. But I wonder: do they do that other places?   

[Chillylulu]

That won't make the smell better - most likely it will make it worse.

We did a tenant finish project on a high rise where an adjacent tenant was the EPA this was I  the lare 80's. Someone there called me at the office and asked what was in the water.  I told them nothing it is just stagnant.  They asked if we could give them a sample for testing, which we did. Months later I got a call, the tests had come back. The tests confirmed that it was just stinky water. Nothing else.

I've seen the sediment where it collected in a drop come out like mud, or play doh.

The black water is just water with no free oxygen and  some iron or rust in it. It is actually potable, but, like I said - it's what my paycheck smells like.  Uee it for perfume if you want to impress a sprinklerfitter.


About a decade ago the EPA lowered the amount of chlorine that  water  departments put in the water.  The consequence was a lot more microbiologicaly induced corrosion (MIC) The effect has been pipe leaking after  these little things eat the pipe.

The corrosion happens at the air / water interface and continues until the oxygen is used up. Frequent draining and refilling adds to the problem.  So do trapped pockets of air.  Some companies used to test by flowing water as much as weekly, now an annual test is considered sufficent.

 Inspecting mains probably won't help, the end of mains isn't where we see problems.

In my opinion, the only hard rule about inspecting maibs should be where a dry main enters a freezer. Water condensates at that point and freezes.

Chilly

[JohnD]

One look at the business end and I knew this one! Dad dug up a brass plier type tool (expanded rather than clamped) in the garden when I was a kid. Cleaned it up and kept it in the house the rest of his life and asked every old timer who visited if they knew what it was. Sort of the house "Whatsit". I inherited it and after another 35 years of not knowing what it was I listed it as a "Whatsit" on eBay. Someone told me within hours what it was and after searching the right words I found a couple similar ones either on eBay or google pics.