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Offline Billman49

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French machine
« on: November 20, 2012, 03:08:05 AM »
Hi
I've been off line for the past month, so just catching up on my what's-its. I drove across France to collect this one from Bordeaux, and had to spend 5 days there with a knackered clutch slave cylinder... Nice museums and a good flea market.... Back to the item: I now have a good idea what it it and how it works.... It's missing its drive cranck (that would fit on the end of the shaft opposite the flywheel)..... Over to you....
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Offline Lewill2

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Re: French machine
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2012, 07:21:22 AM »
Must be a nut cracker........
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Offline superzstuff

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Re: French machine
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2012, 07:54:38 AM »
Looks strong enough to emboss copper or brass for coins, tokens, or art work.
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Offline wvtools

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Re: French machine
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2012, 09:52:52 AM »
Is it a cork cutter or cork press?
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Offline Billman49

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Re: French machine
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2012, 12:02:49 PM »
wv tools you are pretty close.... but not for corks  - a cork cutter looks like this...
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Offline wvtools

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Re: French machine
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2012, 07:21:40 PM »
Is it a machine for making the screw on caps?  I did not think the French stooped that low with their wine.
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Offline Batz

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Re: French machine
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2012, 11:25:01 PM »
Cutting off frogs legs perhaps?
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Offline Billman49

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Re: French machine
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2012, 03:13:46 AM »
wv tools - I would guess the age of this machine as late 18th to mid 19th century - long before the invention of screw caps... think wooden barrels.... The blade is tilted to about 5 degrees from the vertical, and the ratchet rotates the wheel, and thus the work-piece, about 1/40 of a revolution each cut.....
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Offline mikeswrenches

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Re: French machine
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2012, 05:54:25 AM »
How about  a machine for making wooden bungs for the wine barrels.

Mike
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Offline Billman49

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Re: French machine
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2012, 11:57:57 AM »
Mike - you have it. An early example of a mechanised bung maker (a bung is as 'bonde' in French) - they fit into the side of a barrel, into a hole drilled into a wide stave - for filling and cleaning the barrel.

Never seen anything like it - it reminds me of the block making machinery designed by Mark Isambard Brunel for the Portsmouth dockyards during the Naploeonic Wars (c 1800)...
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Block_Mills  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Isambard_Brunel

At some time someone overtightened the screw that holds the workpiece, and broke the casting - so a forged iron support was fitted to hold it in place....
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