Can anyone identify this tool?

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hawley

OK, I am thinking it's a torque multiplier of some sort. Perhaps with a 3:1 or 4:1 gear reduction. Put the winch handle in one side and get a slower, more powerful drive for a socket on the other side. However, this would require a large arm to hold the frame of the device to keep it from turning. In other words, you need to restrain the outside from turning.

Chuck

Beat me to it.

Thats my guess too. Looks a bit different to others Ive used but it looks close enough.

We use them to put Skycrane helicopter head nuts on.

Use the biggest square drive handle you have at hand. Its like using a pipe extension to increase your applied Torque but instead using a gear box.

The output drive will be muliples more Torque. But obviously the trade off is less turning angle.

The difficulty using them is the apposing Torque reaction in the opposite direction with the body of the Multiplier. Ususally you bolt, or otherwise clamp the body very securely.

My guess this for undoing stuborn Transmission drive flange nuts, prop nuts or maybe engine front balancers. Or even for screw threaded tools like prop or cutlass pullers. Assuming the threads are beefy enough.

It could also be used to Torque things up using a Torque wrench set to the multiplier reduction ratio. Ie if you needed a nut done up to 400ft lb, with a 4:1 multiplier you would set your Torque wrench to 100 ft lbs.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Q Xopa

Beat me to it.

Thats my guess too. Looks a bit different to others Ive used but it looks close enough.

We use them to put Skycrane helicopter head nuts on.

Use the biggest square drive handle you have at hand. Its like using a pipe extension to increase your applied Torque but instead using a gear box.

The output drive will be muliples more Torque. But obviously the trade off is less turning angle.

The difficulty using them is the apposing Torque reaction in the opposite direction with the body of the Multiplier. Ususally you bolt, or otherwise clamp the body very securely.

My guess this for undoing stuborn Transmission drive flange nuts, prop nuts or maybe engine front balancers. Or even for screw threaded tools like prop or cutlass pullers. Assuming the threads are beefy enough.

It could also be used to Torque things up using a Torque wrench set to the multiplier reduction ratio. Ie if you needed a nut done up to 400ft lb, with a 4:1 multiplier you would set your Torque wrench to 100 ft lbs.

Having another quick look at the pic. Im guessing the 3 holes probably line up with a driveshaft coupling bolt pattern to hold it.

[Capt. Ray]

Was that the famous keel that fell off in the Pacific?!

Originally Posted by Chuck Hawley

The only time I have used one, I used it to tighten the nuts on 1" and 1 1/8" keelbolts.

I should point out that this wasn't entirely successful in that the keel eventually fell off...

Chuck

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Nyaminyami

When I recently bought my boat I found this piece of kit amongst a miscellany.
It measures 180 x 170 x 45mm and has a square key on one side and a splined key on the other.
All steel construction. It weighs 5 kgs.
Could it be something to align/fit drive or propshaft to gearbox, or gearbox to engine?

I am loath to throw it away but also really don't like having redundant/useless kit aboard.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

I take it that the tool was on your Birchwood 33? Could it be anything to do with a back-up system e.g. emergency steering?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR9rkVJDWm0

[Lodesman]

It is curious that no-one has asked "does the socket move inside the housing?" If so, does it ratchet? Is the range of motion limited? From what I see is looks like there is a long bolt through the socket, and the two bolts going in from the side on opposite corners are meant to turn the socket with sufficient force to free a specific nut - probably one that is in such a confined space as to disallow the use of a breaker bar. It's either held stationary by aligning on pins or being bolted in place.

[Chuck Hawley]

Originally Posted by Capt. Ray

Was that the famous keel that fell off in the Pacific?!

Yes, in 1983. I was about 300nm north of Kauai, sailing in about 18 knots of wind, when the keel fell off of Charley, a Holland 67' sled. The keel weighed 10,400#.

Luckily the boat did not capsize and we were able to reach the Ala Wai Harbor about two days later.

Chuck

[artisanmach]

if you look at the pics closely there is pin running thru the socket holding the two square pins. the jack screws are opposite each other which means they push the two pins only one direction. there is approximately 30 to 40 deg of motion.

[jimbunyard]

"See posts 27, 31, 45, 48.

I'm sure there's some proverb or Twainanism about human nature lurking around this thread somewhere..."

It is perfectly clear what it is, but as par for the course, human nature impedes/prohibits comprehension. Corollarily see religion, economics, politics and sadly, and perhaps more importantly, science...

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

"See posts 27, 31, 45, 48.

I'm sure there's some proverb or Twainanism about human nature lurking around this thread somewhere..."

It is perfectly clear what it is, but as par for the course, human nature impedes/prohibits comprehension. Corollarily see religion, economics, politics and sadly, and perhaps more importantly, science...

Is "my way or the highway" a Twainism?

Consider reviewing epiphany vs apophany if you want to get scientific/philosophical. What's interesting to me in this thread is that someone showed a contraption of metal and people found various uses for it. If it CAN serve any of the functions that people have identified, then it's a tool for those functions (albeit not what the great designer with his/her torch intended).

A quote attributed to Einstein (that predates Einstein) is "condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance." The sentiment in the quote seems to circle about the idea there are possibilities for things that exists outside of that found in one's own head and that one should not be so dismissive of those other possibilities. YMMV.

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by Singularity

Is "my way or the highway" a Twainism?

Consider reviewing epiphany vs apophany if you want to get scientific/philosophical. What's interesting to me in this thread is that someone showed a contraption of metal and people found various uses for it. If it CAN serve any of the functions that people have identified, then it's a tool for those functions (albeit not what the great designer with his/her torch intended).

A quote attributed to Einstein (that predates Einstein) is "condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance." The sentiment in the quote seems to circle about the idea there are possibilities for things that exists outside of that found in one's own head and that one should not be so dismissive of those other possibilities. YMMV.

No.

The point is that the tool can fulfill only the functions that it can perform, which are adequately illustrated in the photographs that are supplied. The Twainanism is implied by the inability of those who are unable to recognize that function, and yet continue to either not recognize it, or, to offer opinions on uses that it cannot perform.

One of the definitions of 'humanness' is imagination, and very certainly Clemens made quite a living by demonstrating the myriad shortcomings of many that claim to belong to that august club...(haha)


Or, more personally, do you think there is any scientific debate on, in no particular order, the oblate sphericity of the Earth, evolution, climate change, moon landings, abiogenesis, Solutreans, biodiversic importance, etc. ad nauseam?

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by jimbunyard

...do you think there is any scientific debate on, in no particular order, the oblate sphericity of the Earth, evolution, climate change, moon landings, abiogenesis, Solutreans, biodiversic importance, etc. ad nauseam?

What might cause a person to carry all those ideas right below the surface such that they spill out in friendly banter on a completely unrelated subject I think is subject to inquiry as the fixation phenomenon is associated with a lot of human conflict/bad outcomes.

[Shrew]

Why discuss the OP's subject when we can hijack the thread with an unrelated battle of ego's?