OT What is it?

[jhollander]

I work at an industrial plant and we found a bag of about 20 of these. Magnets slightly stick to them, heavy cast metal, and electrically conductive.

They seem pretty corrosion resistant. Our electrical guy thought they were for wire rope but we can figure out how they would be used and the twist doesn’t make sense.

I thought they were a water distributor nozzle but the top flange is not large enough.

Any ideas?

[Wolf]

Not a clue!?

Wolf

[make_some_noise]

The top of a chain link fence post ?

[tomzarbo]

Are they all broken off at the top of the twist like that one? Or is that just the end of the casting?

The problem I see is the flange seems almost too thin to support the weight of the rope/cable/wire that would fit in that size twist opening. Of course, it is pretty big...

I'm stumped.

[nicholas_23]

Something is fed through the hole then its guided around the spiral bit looking part. looks like a cable or wire support that would sit on a post.

[Wolf]

Nick, that would be my guess that it's how it's used. But have I seen it anywhere? Nope.
The thing I keep thinking is that the axis would not be reliable and unwind whatever follows the twist when tightening from both directions.

Wolf

[Psycoacoustics]

Maybe a drill bit to get a core sample? Just a guess. I've never seen anything like that before.

Mark

[biff]

Perhaps if you put it on top of a piece of conduit and pulled wire, rope, whatever through, it would keep from chafing or cutting the rope/wire as it cleared the lip. A one man job once it gets started. Could feed wires from multiple spools and pull and terminate at downstream end. At least, if I found one that's what I would use it for ;)

[Millstonemike]

The thing I keep thinking is that the axis would not be reliable and unwind whatever follows the twist when tightening from both directions.

Wolf

Wolf has a good point about the torque on axis. Perhaps it not meant to have a lot of tension. Likely a pot metal as its slightly magnetic and corrosion resistant - thus made for bulk, not strength?

[jhollander]

Tom the top part looks like the pour hole for the casting

[Paul Carmody]

Don't you hate that "brain hurty" feeling when you are staring right at something, you can even manipulate it in your own hands, and you have no idea what it is or what it's for?

(just me?)

[David Crewe]

How about a well bit. Pump water down through the center.
Just my guess. Is ther a prize?
David

[make_some_noise]

Don't you hate that "brain hurty" feeling when you are staring right at something, you can even manipulate it in your own hands, and you have no idea what it is or what it's for?

(just me?)

Only when I know what it is and cannot recall the name or where I saw it. Then it drives me insane. I have seen these things before but cannot recall where. I even went as far as trying to look up that part number...

It could be that the twisty part serves no purpose other than decoration/styling. Considering it is cast I am pretty sure it press fits on to the end if a pipe/pole. I still think they are a vintage fence post cap of some sort or for the tops of poles to run rope through.

[make_some_noise]

How about a well bit. Pump water down through the center.
Just my guess. Is ther a prize?
David

It's a cheap looking cast, I doubt it has that sort of strength. But I bet they would make for some interesting speaker cabinet feet.

[David Crewe]

Yea, a bit wouldn't have that flange either. I will have to recined (sp?) my previous guess and lean more towards the others who were thinking ornamental.
David