What is this? Found at yard sale...

[Steve77]

It is the top most piece For an elevator sensor . installed in the Shaftway

Seriously?

[Steve77]

Between 1900 and 1950 hand operator elevators were in use. and had a human operator. sensors were on The cables. as the elevator rose or lowered . the sensor would hit the round shape dome and send a signal to the operator with a red Light to tell him he was approaching the next floor . a very simple system

i'm curious why it would be made of stainless steel instead of iron or brass?

[Steve77]

Looks like zirk fittings were once on the cross-bar, I see holes there.

Those are hex head set screws.

[Steve77]

So, I did a little more inspection on this thing.

On the top of the casting where the horizontal bar passes through, there are hex head set screws.

Also the shaft is keywayed into the casting. Also there is a through hole on the opposite end that goes through the casting and the bar.

Also there are hundreds of dents and dings near the end with the through hole. It would appear that it has been struck with a hammer a LOT!

[Wag]

That would make a great cigar ash tray!

--Wag--

[Steve77]

Alright, a fella on another forum seems to have solved the puzzle. It looks to be a repurposed part from a large ball valve!

[Winger Ed.]

That would explain it.
If not one from that company, maybe one of their competitors.

And the little loop on top of the 'handle' looks like it was welded on in some bodys garage or barn.
A factory weld would look much smoother, and not have the over penetration or slag left on it.

[rancher1913]

not part of a ball valve in any way. I would do a little research on what salpal said it was.

[Steve77]

not part of a ball valve in any way. I would do a little research on what salpal said it was.

I spent half an hour looking at cutaway drawings, pictures and renderings of large industrial segmented ball valves. I absolutely believe that is what this is. The segmented ball valve stopper isn't shaped like a traditional ball valve stopper.
Here is a link to google images that will show many different brands that are extremely similar:

https://www.google.com/search?q=segm...w=1366&bih=625

[RU shooter]

I think it's a shimdiddiwe.

I was gonna say a thingamabob

[Winger Ed.]

I was gonna say a thingamabob

I don't know,,,,,,,,,, upon further contemplation, it looks more like a hutus to me.

[Hannibal]

It's one of 'them there thangs'.

[tommag]

I was thinking it might be an Asperly Aimless trigger counter weight.

[fatelk]

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it looks like the ring around the bottom is a machined surface?

If so, that would lead me to believe that it was originally part of some kind of valve or plug, that and the keyway in the shaft.

[salpal48]

Otis elevator Sensor
please note where the Sensor scraps in the center to send the signal

[rancher1913]

look a little closer at the part that moves in your valve photo, it has no lip. your item has a lip that would inhibit making a seal. I have taken goobs of the type of valve in your link apart and although your item looks close, all of the ones that I have dissembled all have a smooth ball with no lip, when the valve opens and closes it has to have a smooth surface for the seal to work with. I could be out in left field but I dont think so.

[tomme boy]

I have installed 1000's of ball valves of every sort from 3/8 to 12" and this is NOT a part of one

[OldBearHair]

I'm with salpal48 unless something a whole lot better than a ball valve comes along. Anyway ball valves do not have the raised ridge above the rounded surface at the outer edge. IMO only.

[OldBearHair]

Also sort of liked Waksupi's word shimdiddiwe. Big LOL

[fatelk]

I'm with salpal48 unless something a whole lot better than a ball valve comes along. Anyway ball valves do not have the raised ridge above the rounded surface at the outer edge. IMO only.

I've seen and worked on a lot of different types of valves and actuators, from cryogenic ball valves to huge, stainless steel, high purity butterfly valves, and have never seen anything in any of them that looked like that either. BUT, there's also a lot of stuff I haven't seen. I just thought that the front ring looked like a machined sealing surface of some kind, which would indicate some sort of valve or plug application.

Whatever it was, I think it's an anchor now.