another mystery machine

Spotted this small machine at the Anson Engine Museum yesterday. Any idea's on what it was used for?

Ian

A wild guess ... It looks rather like a spring-making machine.

MichaelG.

The Omnibombulator

This unusual instrument is operated by selecting one of the four switch positions A, B, C, D and turning the power on. The effects are:

Position A: The pratching valve glows and the queech obulates
Position B: The queech obulates and the urfer curls up, but the rumption does not get hot
Position C: The sneeveling rod turns clockwise, the pratching valve glows and the queech fails to obulate
Position D: The troglodyser gives off hydrogen but the urfer does not curl up.

Whenever the pratching valve glows, the rumption gets hot. Unless the sneeveling rod turns clockwise, the queech cannot obulate, but if the sneeveling rod is turning clockwise the troglodyser will not emit hydrogen. If the urfer does not curl up, you may be sure that the rumption is not getting hot.

In order to get milk chocolate from the machine, you must ensure (a) that the sneeveling rod is turning clockwise AND (b) that if the troglodyser is not emitting hydrogen, the queech is not obulating. Which switch position would you select?

If, tiring of chocolate, you wish to receive the Third Programme, you must take care (a) that the rumption does not get hot AND (b) either that the urfer doesn't curl and the queech doesn't obulate or that the pratching valve glows and the troglodyser fails to emit hydrogen. Which switch position?

Great place to visit.

When I went last year the volunteers seemed very knowledgable, did they not know what it is?

My Urfer curled once Neil and it's not something I wish to repeat, which is why I now keep my Rumption in the fridge!

IanT

That's what I thought. Need to see a few revolutions of it to be sure though.

Now I know why spring was late this year.

Oh come on Neil, everyone knows that it's a machine used in the manufacture of semi-automatic self oscillating flange pins.

Mark P.

Hey Neil

Have you been at the Blue Nun again? !

Norman

It's actually a throbblewangle that is used to squeeze the remaining biformucating juice from the remnants of the clockwork onion that is used to refill the jungle juice powered time display in the village square which always runs two drips slow...

George

No, it's definatly an, 'Ockle Cockle maker' You pull the lever and it goes, 'Ockle Cockle, Ockle Cockle'

Clive

I wonder is it could be a small chain making machine?

Just looking at the cams and levers.

It'll never work properly until the laughing shaft is connected to the giggling pin.

Looking like a spring maker or something similar that bends and forms. There are quite a few cam operated levers and no sign of any actual cutting (swarf), so doesn't look like a cam operated machine tool. This is the sharp end of a (helical) spring making machine - not a state of the art CNC type but still electrically programmed to some degree (a couple more in my album).

In the above photo, you can see the wire coming in from the left and being bent by the 2 fingers that are at 45 degrees. There is only 1/2 a turn at this point, as the previous spring has just been cut off (you can't see the blade which is outside the picture). Setting all the angles and distances takes a fair bit of trial and error, so hardly in the "one minute exchange of dies" territory.

The mystery gadget doesn't look easily reprogrammable, so probably intended for making large numbers of identical parts in the same way that a cam lathe's operation is "programmed" by the metal cams. It's probably for making something like the spring used in clothes pegs! The action seems to be happening in the area at the very bottom of the middle of the photo, whatever it is.

Murray

Edited By Muzzer on 03/08/2015 22:54:59

I think Lionel may be on the right track A chain maker? or maybe curtain hooks?

The small crudely attached afterthought idler pulley wire guide suggests a wire forming machine.

To the right of the persons fingers is what might be considered the jaws of a pair of pliers or pincers, they are mounted on a shaft that is able to rotating suggesting a twisting motion. at the top of the photo is a crank (part of the main shaft with its attached flywheel) that is connected to a bar that bears against the pincer shaft.
The pincer shaft appears to be moved for and aft by a cam driven lever on the opposite end.

A few closer and at an angle photos would help work it out.

Regards
John

I think the main bits are missing 🐸🐛🐜🐜🐌😜