Mystery Object - What is it?

[Grassi21]

i think its a bong.

lol

 

[Grassi21]

paging marc...

 

[Trekchick]

check valve for a wooden water main?

It does look like a check valve of some sort. I'm wondering how it would have been used though???

What inspired me to say that was...
We dug up and replace the last section of wooden water main in a village a few years ago, and it looked a lot like the wood that is in the picture.

The thing that is amazing is that the section of wooden water main we replaced was in perfect condition and still function as it was meant to.

 

[noski]

http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com The Dad is stumped, but did find this site where maybe you could post the image for input...

 

[mondeo]

I also noticed the beveled edges, which I would be an odd touch for something the was purely functional in nature (like a check valve), I also thought the base looked fancier than it would need to be. The area around the U-slot looks worn and uneven, which makes me think it's doubtful that anything was attached to that area.

The beveled edges would make it easier to secure with a strap-type system (straps not liking 90 degree bends,) and the two bolt holes at the "base" wouldn't be enough to really secure it to anything all that well.

How smooth is the ball, and where it meets the circular channel, is the channel concave? If it's a check valve, there would be at least some work to make the ball fit into the channel decently tight.

 

[bigbog]

Didn't read initial post for size...scratch the croquet ball holder theory;-)

 

[billski]

http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com The Dad is stumped, but did find this site where maybe you could post the image for input...

good idea.

 

[billski]

The beveled edges would make it easier to secure with a strap-type system (straps not liking 90 degree bends,) and the two bolt holes at the "base" wouldn't be enough to really secure it to anything all that well.

How smooth is the ball, and where it meets the circular channel, is the channel concave? If it's a check valve, there would be at least some work to make the ball fit into the channel decently tight.

The ball is quite smooth. However, it has sufficient play in the chamber, such that water under any pressure could easily seep its way through.

I'm told by a mill restoration specialists that it could be anything, including just some sort of curiosity. Apparently mill-builders were itinerant and designed on-the-fly (cool!), so they may have winged it and designed something custom. He also went on to say that you can't assume the design was successful - it may have been an abject failure!