What implement is this from?

MDL · Nov 25, 2005

I was out in the woods the other day and found two pieces from farm/tractor equipment. They're stuck in the ground in what used to be farm field land. One piece will need to be dug out but the other I was able to bring back with me to study.

So, put on your thinking caps and figure out what this piece of rusty metal is! I'm sure it's from something common and won't take long to identify but who knows?

Check out the attached picture

MDL · Nov 25, 2005

Here's a closeup of what I'd think would be the attachment point?

MDL · Nov 25, 2005

Some more info on this thing.

The rod appears to be on solid piece all the way through. One end of the rod has a flat end and the other end is rounded.

The metal casting with the spring in it has a cast in marking which might say "R & H" but I haven't taken the wire brush to it to make sure of that yet.

On second look it does seem to say "R & H", not "P &H" as I had previously thought.

HGM · Nov 25, 2005

It appears to be some sort of shift mechagnism, from what I get from the picture. Its hard to tell though. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

RonR · Nov 25, 2005

Can't really tell from the pics.

Is it a round shaft? What diameter? Are there keyways in the ends where sprockets or pulleys would have been? If it's round with holes in one/other end of the tube, it could be an adjusting rod.

First guess of mine its a drive shaft from some implement, but that's only a guess.

ron

beenthere · Nov 25, 2005

From this picture, it appears that the casting is broken just to the left of the spring.

MDL · Nov 25, 2005

(
Is it a round shaft? What diameter? Are there keyways in the ends where sprockets or pulleys would have been? If it's round with holes in one/other end of the tube, it could be an adjusting rod.

First guess of mine its a drive shaft from some implement, but that's only a guess.)

Ron - Excellent questions! The shaft is round and about 7/8" in diameter. It is solid metal with no keyways, splines, or holes passing through it at either end.

The casting appears to anchor this thing onto something else and because of one end is rounded and the other flat it looks like some sort of hay rake tine or cultivator point thing. Could the rounded end touch the ground with the casting portion allowing anchorage to the implement and the spring in the casting being a spring clutch device for depth/height adjustment? I don't know since I don't have any farm machinery experience.

MDL · Nov 25, 2005

( From this picture, it appears that the casting is broken just to the left of the spring.

)

Yes, you're correct. Looking closely at it I can also see a crack extending from the missing area back into the casting. I'd assume the part failed and the owner tossed it into the woods where its been sitting for many years.

RonR · Nov 25, 2005

Next best clue might be the casting. Any names, initials or insignia on it. Lot of the old castings had JD or IH or Case or their icons on them...................

I'm pretty clueless. Absent any keyways, think it must be like from something hand operated. The shaft size is pretty small to be ground engaging. Would wear out too quickly.

Having a casting on some hand operated device, like an apple cider grinder, etc, wasn't that uncommon.

Ron

beenthere · Nov 25, 2005

My first thought, except for the spring and missing casting part, was it belonged to a hand well pump. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Doesn't look heavy duty enough to be a digging tool, IMO. But a rod used in tension with the casting being an adjustable anchor point might fit a number of farm tools.