Mystery Clamps

[Robert Hornby]

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a problem!!!!!

An acquaintance of mine asked me if I knew what the clamps were for that she found in her late husband’s workshop. I originally thought at first glance that they would hold a shaft with a sort of point or ball at one end and a recess of hole at the other end, but on closer inspection at home the orientation of the ball on one clamp is 90 deg. out for this to be the simple solution.
Barry (the late husband of the lady) was a newspaper compositor when linotype was the method prior to PLC stuff, his hobby was leather craft making belts, wallets and handbags.
The clamps are cast bronze and will clamp onto a 35mm wide object, felt pads are on the clamping surfaces to prevent marking the object. The ball is 6mm dia. and the hole 4mm dia.

So what are they for???????????

Robert

[borriss]

Hi Robert,
Those clamps fit on a wooden spirit level. Then they can be used to level objects by siting through the "peep" at the post. Providing the level is level any thing in view will be at the same altitude, so to speak. I used to be a linotype operator and cannot envisage whether they were ever used in printing.

PS Imagine them as an old fashioned laser level.

[b.lindsey]

Interesting "whatzit" Robert.  Borriss may be on to something but I would think these would be more precision machined on the inside if designed to clamp onto a level. Hope others will have some thoughts too.

Borriss, I see you have recently joined...so welcome!!  I am assuming that the steam launch in your avatar is yours. Would love to see more pictures of it !  Maybe you can post an intro in the the welcome section and tell us more about yourself and it too.

Bill

[Robert Hornby]

I am thinking Bill is close to the mark in respect to the none machining of the clamp. I did think along the lines of Borriss’s suggestion but discarded it on the grounds of sighting through the hole and past the ball. I did a little experiment using a small washer in place of the ball and sighted through the now 2 holes with a much clearer vision of a distant object so I cannot see this reason as viable.
Robert

[tel]

Well, they do closely resemble a huge set of peep sights a'la rifle sights. Wonder if they have a military (artillery) application? Any markings on 'em - a broad arrow f'rinstance?

[Maryak]

Unless the felt pads have been added by somebody and are not part of the original design then I feel they are not for anything requiring precision. As to what they are for ???????

Best Regards
Bob

Edit,

One thought comes to mind is old time brickies string clamps.

[tel]

There appears to be a name cast in - or do my eyes deceive me? That could be of help.

[ths]

Is it REGHERD?

[Farmboy]

Looks a bit like REG. PEND. to me . . . Registration Pending, maybe? 

 . . . unless it's PAT PENDING's brother . . . 

[Mainer]

I agree with Borriss - they're sights to go on a level -- or a 2x4. In principle they're exactly like the iron peep sights I had on my Winchester 52C target rifle.
Lyman sells them: http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/sights/

[mklotz]

Boriss is correct.  You can even buy similar on Ebay....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STANLEY-NO-138-Level-Sights-Mint-in-the-Original-Box-/330922206103

Search Google with the string "antique level sights" and you'll find lots more.

[Robert Hornby]

Mystery solved Level sights they definitely are. The text on the clamp is PAT REGD so that was no help. Thank you gentlemen for all your input and I will convey the solution to my friend.