Farm Collector – March 2019

JANUARY

ANSWERS TO

MYSTERY TOOLS

E. Wood strain insulator used on trolley and transmission high

voltage lines. Identified by Vernon Milner, Niles, Michigan; Gary

Studebaker; Jim Glasock, Cedar Grove, Indiana; and Elwood E. Geiger, Belle Fourche, South Dakota. Photo submitted by David

Meisinger, Bellevue, Nebraska. See patent no. 1,654,286.

A. Tenoning machine used to make tenons on
spokes for wood wheels. This machine forms
round tenons that fit into round openings in the felloe. Identified by Irvin Shirk, Thorp,
Wisconsin; Tim Nelson, Douglas, Oklahoma; Dick
Kates, Oakland, Iowa; and John S. Rauth, Ridgely, Maryland. “The tool is slipped over the outer
end of the exposed spoke with no felloe, or rim,” Irvin says. “The cutter part is on the spring-loaded
shaft (visible) with a crank at the end. The tool is
adjustable for various sizes of tenons and also for the length of the tenon. Note adjustable stop for the cutting depth that would
determine the length of the tenon. The outer wooden rim or felloe
has corresponding holes for the spokes. A steel tire is then shrink-fitted to the wheel, binding the wheel together.” Photo submitted by
Gary Studebaker, Larwill, Indiana. See patent no. 1,005,974.

B.Hughson, California, and Unidentified. Ray Dias,
Robert Trunk, Princeton,
Minnesota, believe this to be an early dentist’s chair.
Photo submitted by Carol
Baker, Elm Mott, Texas.

C. Tire tool used in installing

and removing tires from rims. Photo submitted by Earl Allen,

Manhattan, Kansas. See patent no. 1,305,337.

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F.by Art Reichert, Isabel, Coal auger. Identified

South Dakota; Larry

Harpster; John S. Rauth; Dick Kates; and Ray

Bloom, Clearfield,

Pennsylvania. “Miners made squibs (black powder rolled in a scrap of paper with a fuse) and tamped them in the hole that

was bored with coal behind it and lit it with their carbide lamp,” Ray says. “This was a dangerous way to mine coal underground,

but it sure saved a lot of digging. These augers had what was

called a ‘breastplate.’ Breastplates were usually made of wood with padding. Then the miner could lean into the auger and

turn the bit to drill the hole. Breastplates are a little bit harder

to find than the augers.” Ohio. Photo submitted by Tim Putt, Greenwich,

Patent no. 1,305,337:

Tire tool. Patent awarded to Julius Bjornlie, Watertown,

S.D., assignor of one-half to

Thorwald Bjornlie, Madison, Minn., June 3, 1919.

D.by Robert Palmersheim, Lawler, Iowa; Corn shock squeezer. Identified

Larry Harpster, Pennsylvania Furnace,

Pennsylvania; Glenn Lofdahl, Strong City, Kansas; William E. Reynolds,

Fairdealing, Missouri; Gary Studebaker;

Vern Notestine, Frankenmuth, Michigan; Lance Glisan, Union Bridge, Maryland;

Erwin Fullerton, S. Woodstock, Vermont;

and Patrick Craver, Milford, Ohio. “This was used to tie corn shocks,” Harold

Stahl, New Oxford, Pennsylvania explains: “Use a woven cotton rope

about 8 feet long. Hemp rope is a little

too hard to work right. Tie a knot in the rope where the tape is. Toss the pulley

end around the shock. Place the rope and pulley about three-quarters of the way up

on the shock. Place the loose rope under

the pulley. As you start to pull, the knot will cause the arm to go up to where it

pinches the rope at the pulley. Tie the

shock. The lower arm unlocks the rope at the pulley.

“I carried the twine to tie the shocks

before I was tall enough to keep from stepping on the ends of the twine or

keeping it from getting tangled on the corn stubble,” he adds. “Complaining

about the twine scratching the back of

my neck didn’t get me out of the job, either.”

Photo submitted by Frank Kuehl, Neenah, Wisconsin. See patent no. 2,371,403 for a

similar device.

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Patent no. 2,371,403:material squeezer. Patent Bulk

awarded to Lewis Miller,

Marion, Ohio, March 13, 1945.

Patent no. 1,654,286: Wood strain insulator. Patent

awarded to Leslie E. Frost, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., Dec. 27, 1927.

Patent no. 1,005,974: Tenoning machine. Patent awarded

to Samuel N. House, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 17, 1911.