This weeks' collaboration with What is it? Blog brings us this strange contraption - can you guess what it is for? For more clues, check out What is it? Blog.
Place your guess in the comment section - please post no URL, let others play. No prize this week, you're playing for bragging rights only. Have fun!
Update 10/19/07 - here's the answer:
Counter/odometer, patent number 72,033, from the patent page:
This invention relates to a new and improved machine or apparatus for registering numbers applicable to odometers or measurements of quantities of all kinds, such as the numbers of barrels of flour, bushels of grain, or any other commodity that requires a tally or record of the quantity packed, stored, weighed, or handled in any manner, and applicable also to machinery of all kinds to register the revolutions of wheels decimally.
Congratulations to Flemming Frandsen, who got it right at the very first guess!
Comments (21)
I would also hazard a guess that the metal flange/tab in the left was used as a interface/guide for the actuating mechanism, which would interface with the first/lowest gear, and the big spring on top probably served as a return spring for the actuating mechanism.
And now, having demonstrated a level of nerdiness beyond even my wildest dreams, I shall now proceed to take a lethal dose of Paracetemol. It's been a pleasure...
Most others that I found have you cook the sugar mixture to 250D or as high as 260D.
You don't need cream of tartar. It's purpose is to prevent the sugar from crystalizing which is what lemon juice or citric acid will do. Adding it to the cornstarch mixture does nothing.
You've got to be careful with the stirring. Too vigorous and the starches break down which prohibit gelling.
Need to read up some more but for now, I'm going with this: https://aegeandelight.com/authentic-turkish-delight-recipe-from-narnia/
Pretty sure it's that one - I've got a lot of open tabs here. . .