OneGuyFromBarlick

Yes there is a spring but nothing to do with babies although that was what I thought it was when my wife opened the box.

That spring section looks like a spring balance for weighing whatever is in the sling. Looks more like the sort of therapeutic support for physio that you see used in water especially for any treatment where you are supporting while increasing mobility and capacity for exercise.
Alternatively is it a way of hanging a sleeping child in a cooling draught in hot weather....

Stanley wrote:That spring section looks like a spring balance for weighing whatever is in the sling. Looks more like the sort of therapeutic support for physio that you see used in water especially for any treatment where you are supporting while increasing mobility and capacity for exercise.
Alternatively is it a way of hanging a sleeping child in a cooling draught in hot weather....

I think you are near enough, Stanley. Well done. It has a spring balance scale of some sort. Here it is in use:



My wife doesn't usually look like this, this is one of her better days!
She was having trouble with neck and shoulder pains and this contraption is designed to stretch the vertebrae like applying traction to limbs.

Next for shaving.

Tell her there is a bus coming! Give her my commiserations, I have a similar problem and spend a lot of time massaging my neck area as I sit watching TV. Funny how one small strain in that area can affect your neck and all of your arm.

High voltage armoured power cable or if purely mechanical, suspension bridge cable.

The ferrule that clamps the end of a steel wire shown in cross section.

OMG...your poor wife, China!
Does it give her any relief?

It gave me a lot when I kicked her legs from under her.

She tries things briefly and expects an immediate cure. Same with new medicine. So far it hasn't done any good. So this week she will go back to her home city 160 miles away where she is covered by medical insurance and have free scans on her neck. I think it is just her age and nothing to worry about. The doctor in Nanning said it was peripheral arthritis but she seems reluctant to believe that diagnosis.

China, there is a lot of mobility in that area with muscles, ligaments and nerves criss crossing. I think mine started as a trapped nerve and the best relief I get is doing a lot of rubbing to encourage the knot to relax and snap back into place.
As for the MO, sorry, none of you are anywhere near. It's a very clever little device........ and quite rare I think.

No idea what the mystery object is ( though...have we seen it before?)

China...hope Mrs China gets to the bottom of her neck pain, poor lass. Meanwhile I think you should lavish the sympathy and massage AND cheerfully carry all the shopping for her, as well as take over the heavier household chores. About a month should do it...

Cross section of a fibre optic cable?

It's a Universal Multi Fit Socket Bit!

(I could see what it did, but didn't have the words to describe it so had to ask the expert.)

Looks like one of those "games of skill" for deep thinkers - you sit hunched over for a week denying all bodily needs as if you are playing for sheep stations ( playing for sheep stations being an Aussie term...playing for all you own in other words).

Well done that Woman! That's exactly what it is. The pins are individually spring loaded and I have often had this urge to saw it in two to see how this is achieved because I can't figure it out. I have resisted so far. If I tell the truth I don't think I have used it more than once or twice, one of those things you buy that look fabulous but in practice aren't as useful as you thought. Not the fault of the artefact, it works perfectly, just a fact of life.....

Next for shaving?

You need to clarify WHICH woman, Stanley.

Sorry Maz, it was Wendy.....

Bu***r !!

Ha ha well done Wendy

I expect I will get one right any day now...

Try this one Maz.....

Boot cleaning box?

I can see why you went there but no, it's a bit more specialised than that. Custom made for one specific job by my old friend Les the tin-basher at REW. I think he charged me a tenner and it's a lovely job, good example of the tinsmith's craft.

I'm sure we have had this one before!

Thanks for the sympathy for my wife. I always carry the shopping and do the heavy work, that's the way us old folk were brought up. She says she is feeling a bit better.

Good lad, China.

Stanley...is it your tucker box from your driving days...or something to boil your Billy on?