Unsure Of What this is.? 1901 - 1931 Bradney

[Drew87]

Putting this out to the Older Gents or Arbtalk but any help would be appreciated as always.

 

A few months ago I helped a local farmer pull his Tractor out of a Ditch with it ("It'll pull a house down I bet'ya youngen.,"). As a thank you gesture he gave me some old Vintage Farming bits and bobs including an old 4.5- 5ft Felling Saw (Which I'm keeping as decor piece) and this Huge Old Vintage Winch-Thing

I've tried the internet and as usual it's a bit on the poor side for information except giving a rough date of when it was made (1901 - 1931). For the little I know about it I can't find out much more without knowing exactly what it is. It still works but is just a Workshop Space Invader atm.

 

So Fellow Arbtalkers & Veterans .. Please help name my old piece

[Stubby]

Putting this out to the Older Gents or Arbtalk but any help would be appreciated as always.

 

A few months ago I helped a local farmer pull his Tractor out of a Ditch with it ("It'll pull a house down I bet'ya youngen.,"). As a thank you gesture he gave me some old Vintage Farming bits and bobs including an old 4.5- 5ft Felling Saw (Which I'm keeping as decor piece) and this Huge Old Vintage Winch-Thing

I've tried the internet and as usual it's a bit on the poor side for information except giving a rough date of when it was made (1901 - 1931). For the little I know about it I can't find out much more without knowing exactly what it is. It still works but is just a Workshop Space Invader atm.

 

So Fellow Arbtalkers & Veterans .. Please help name my old piece

 

Dont see a winch ?

[Drew87]

Hello Stubby.,

 

That's what the Farmer called it 'a Winch' .. I know it's not which is why I've posted for it's proper Name., Use etc.

Crank.? Block.? It's so old & rare I can't I.D it off the Web bud.

Ebay popped up and it isn't a help either as there isn't a single item that resembles this one. 'Scratchy head time' haha.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Drew87

[peatff]

I'll name it a ratchet winch. A friend of mine had a recovery wagon and had all kind of contraptions at his yard and some of it was like this.

[Drew87]

Pic of the Block head itself.

 

Can't find any other stamps on it. All I know is it can still winch up / pull tonne-age.

[derek robinson]

It is what we used to know as a Ringer and Chain. They were and still are used in the mines also by hedge-men and people who wanted a small portable winch. Also called a Sylvester and chain, I think that was the brand name of people who made them. A extremely efficient tool, but could be lethal if abused. Not supposed to be used for lifting, but guess what????

 

The sight of that bought back a lot of memories of some very hard work.

 

Derek

[Couldyajust]

Description of it's use here.

RRCPC Newsletter Vol.38 No.2 Article 1

[Drew87]

Brilliant stuff lads Thank you .. Arbtalkers Never fail to impress.!!

 

Wouldn't like to see it abused as could see it flying off and cause some damage. It pulled a fairly new JCB out of a 8ft overflow Ditch.., with EASE. The farmer had it off his Dad., his Son used it with me & months later I'm still shocked it can still pull as good as new.!!

The pictures doesn't give the real scale of how big it really is. The Arm is probably 1.5ft long roughly 80-100kg ... Long Hook & Chain about 8-10ft long & 100 - 150kg maybe more. All in all its fairly weighty

Don't know what to do with it as I don't have a use for it even as a decor piece (Haven't got the space) .. Any suggestions.?

[Drew87]

Thanks Couldyajust .. That article is tops mate.!!

 

[eldon]

Yes I would have said it was a "Sylvester".

A modern version on the same principle is the Hi Lift jacks, Jackall, etc.

 

As previously mentioned they can be lethal if abused. The real issue is if the peg doesn't get to the next notch then the actual load applies a force on the operating handle allowing it to cycle through the tension/lift range. If this operating force is lost i.e. person not strong enough so lets go of the handle, the load can bounce the handle and jack itself back down the notched frame.

I had a lucky incident with a hi lift jack at Robin Hoods Bay once; we were messing with landrovers on the beach rocks and I got hung up. Wet hands and this style of jack don't go together and when my hand slipped off the handle promptly bounced smacking me on my right temple. I do have a picture somewhere. A visit to A&E ensued with four stitches applied.

 

A good device but use with care.

Edited February 25, 2015 by eldon