MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Wendyf]

A carronade, shorter and lighter than a canon, used on ships?

If it's a "carronade" does that take us to a place in Scotland visited by Fred Dibnah in one of last week's programmes?

[Big Kev]

A carronade, shorter and lighter than a canon, used on ships?

If it's a "carronade" does that take us to a place in Scotland visited by Fred Dibnah in one of last week's programmes?

Don't know, I didn't see that one. I have a model of one that Stanley made a couple of years ago

[Stanley]

Yes, that's right it's a carronade and yes Wendy I think this was found at Carron.
An interesting and little known fact is that the term 'smasher' originates with this gun. That was its nickname and it was held to be far better for close quarter work. So anything that was excellent became a smasher. (see shed matters this morning.....)
Next one?

[Tizer]

An alternative to the name `smasher' would be `Trumpbuster'!

[Stanley]

Wendy, here's the description that went with the image. "An old carronade, part of a now neglected display in the archway of the old clocktower of the Carron Works".



What is it?

[Big Kev]

An old clock mechanism?

[Stanley]

Close Kev but no cigar!

[chinatyke]

For winding-up (lifting) the pendulum weights for a clock mechanism?

[Tizer]

The gear wheels turn the 4 arms at the top. The brass knobs on the end of the arms bong a bell as they turn.

[Marilyn]

A representation of how a woman makes a decision? No...can’t be that...there would be dozens more cogs!

[Stanley]

Sorry nobody has got it. The 4 arms with brass balls are by way of being a governor to regulate the speed.

[chinatyke]

Could it be a pulley device to slow something descending by gravity on a rope? For example, I could imagine it being used by a steeplejack to lower a basket of debris to the ground.

[Stanley]

Ingenious China but not that.....

[Marilyn]

I saw a similar thing to an old wringer here, though with a more narrow roller, and somehow needing pressure.
( I thought of gentlemen’s starched collars).
I know, I know...I need to get out more...

[Big Kev]

An old meat rotisserie?

[Stanley]

Ah, Kev has got there but in those days we called them spit jacks and yes that's what it is. It was driven by a weight.
Next for shaving?

[Stanley]

What exactly is it?

[Gloria]

I think something similar was on tv earlier this week........a prototype Russian tank?

[Marilyn]

Really? Looks more like a huge Oast house roof!

[Big Kev]

Looks like it's on a dock, is it a crane?

[Stanley]

He's in there again, tell me what's different about it?

[Marilyn]

Derrrr...dem big wheels me reckons!

[Tizer]

If those wheels had vanes put on them and the whole thing was lowered into the water it could be powered by the river or tide.

[Big Kev]

Are the big wheels treadmills? Were they powered by horses?

[Stanley]

Once more he as done it. Treadmills for men.
Here's what Low Tech website says about it.
"The most powerful treadwheel harbour cranes were built in the London docklands in the 1850s, having two treadwheels of up to 3 metres wide, each walked by 3 to 4 men (source). These are not to be confused with the even wider treadwheels used in 19th century prisons, where the men walked on the outside of the wheel. The two images above show medieval harbour cranes from Bruges. The crane in the large picture is a late model, built in 1765 and demolished in 1886 (source). The small picture shows a similar crane from the 1500s (source)."