Anyone Know What This Thing Is?

[gmtinker]

I pulled a piece of scrap iron out of the trees here last summer. It's been there for at least 23 years, from before the previous owners from what I hear. It's about 4 ft wide, and weighs about 250 lb. I plan to modify it to have 3-pt hitch brackets, add scarifying teeth and make a driveway scraper/conditioner out of it sometime when I get a chance. However, before I start modifying it, out of curiosity, does anyone know what this thing was originally for? I'm suspecting some sort of oilfield-related whatnot, seeing as I live in Alberta, but I can't be certain.

Thanks guys - this forum rocks!

 

[smokinhart]

Ok, this could be fun for eveyone to guess. Of course if someone really knows.... Might let us know too.

Stump the OTT folk:
Let's see . . . How about a counter weight box for the back of an antique excavator. You mount the frame to the the rear of the excavator and add weights that slide into the slots to gain ballast for additional loads on the boom.

 

[traildust]

Something tells me it wa a lineman's tool box. You can even see the remains of a shoulder strap. Being that you guess it's weight at 250 lbs, the guy obviously had some really heavy duty tools. Had to, he was a rough neck working in petro.

The best thing about that tool box is the stout angle iron. This tells me he was even doing some minor fabrication out in the field.
Having the divider in the middle is a no brainer as it was to keep his tools from geeting all mixed up.

Scott

 

[Theekillerbee]

Probably something the Jolly Green Giant lost out in the woods!

 

[handyman]

How deep is it from angle to angle iron I know it 4 ft wide? think I know. handy

 

[Butch]

I was giong to guess a watch fob...

Whatever it is is it is plenty beefy....
Butch

 

[ptwyz]

My guess is...

A landing pad for an alien spacecraft, or a tool box for Paul Bunyan.

 

[skeets]

I might be wrong but it looks like part of a counter weight used on long over head convayor belts like from a mine of some place where they move large amounts of loose materal. The shafts for the big roller would go through the eyes onthe sides the center piece would have a pullie in it and a cable over the pullie to keep it lined up inthe frame,,,, But I could be wrong,, wouldnt be the first time,,lol

 

[Butch]

Bingo! Skeets is 100% correct as it was positively identified as a variable weight conveyor belt tensioning pully weight box.

I ran skeets idea past my brother who worked his way up in the industrial rubber/belting industry and he confirmed he had worked with many of these in the coal fields of KY, VA, WV, OH and PA. When he was younger he headed a crew that replaced or repaired these conveyor systems.

He said all that was missing was the long roller pulley and its shaft.

Butch

 

[traildust]

I might be wrong but it looks like part of a counter weight used on long over head convayor belts like from a mine of some place where they move large amounts of loose materal. The shafts for the big roller would go through the eyes onthe sides the center piece would have a pullie in it and a cable over the pullie to keep it lined up inthe frame,,,, But I could be wrong,, wouldnt be the first time,,lol

Damn Skeets, that was awesome
You even were able to describe how it functions. Congratulations, very impressive

And Butch. Were you holding out? Handy had suggested he knew but I suspected he was pulling our legs


Scott

 

[Butch]

Me... not a clue. But when skeets brought it up I knew my brother would know for sure if that was what it was...

Not holding out on this one.... I had Nooooo clue.

 

[traildust]

Me... not a clue. But when skeets brought it up I knew my brother would know for sure if that was what it was...

Not holding out on this one.... I had Nooooo clue.

Well just think about how close you were to the answer this entire time

Isn't that life in general

Scott

 

[gmtinker]

Thanks Fellas!

What you say makes a lot of sense, as there are a few open pit coal mines/power generation station complexes a few miles west of us on Wabamun Lake. Whether this old relic came from there or somewhere else who knows. All I know is that it's heavy and solid enough to be the starting point for my driveway surface conditioner.

I love old junk - it's so versatile!!

 

[ptwyz]

I still think it's an alien landing pad

 

[handyman]

Wasnt really trying to pull your leg some people appx 50 years ago would build something that looked like this to set down inside a disc behind a tractor or horse pulled to add weight so they wouldnt have to make so many passes. That is why I ask to width between angle. Sure is nice to know what it really is tho keep us posted.handy

 

[lptroll]

If you would like to see more of these..... find an oil field with the old derricks, and look up 86' to the top. Most of these were from the 20s and 30s. The center section that held the pully, to make the weight go up and down.
I have an old derrick that was rebuilt for a wind generater tower beside my house. We still have a lot of that old junk laying arround michigan from earlier oil booms.
If you drag it around it's gota level something. good luck!

 

[skeets]

Who Moi????

 

[aquaforce]

That thing could also function as a lifting single tree. We use devices like that thing at work for lifting many tons with a crane. The center section would attach to a clevis on a crane hook and the outter holes could clevis onto cables or slings on a heavy item.

Good luck with it. Looks like some nice iron for some kind of project.