DJH
Member
- Messages
- 1,532
- Location
- Co Tipperary Ireland
OK, I've got you with this one then... 
It's a 'pump iron' which was used to service well pumps years ago. I've seen pictures of them in old books but it's the first one I've ever seen in real life. I would say that they are very rare. The dealer I bought it from thought, and had been told, that it was for thrusting in a hay rick to pull out a sample of hay to check on it's quality. I didn't tell him what it was until after I'd bought it in case the price went up. 8)
The iron was adjusted to it's length according to the height of the pump and then pushed down the barrel after removing the bucket valve and it's mechanism. The pointed end with a thread and hook on it was used to lift the valve flap up on the valve at the foot of the pump and inserted in it to pull it out. After whatever repairs were carried out, usually to renew the leather flap and the tallow and hemp seals around the wooden valve body, the whole valve was pushed back down the barrel of the pump using the rounded end of the iron.
I reckon that's the last of the Whatsits...
Doug
It's a 'pump iron' which was used to service well pumps years ago. I've seen pictures of them in old books but it's the first one I've ever seen in real life. I would say that they are very rare. The dealer I bought it from thought, and had been told, that it was for thrusting in a hay rick to pull out a sample of hay to check on it's quality. I didn't tell him what it was until after I'd bought it in case the price went up. 8)
The iron was adjusted to it's length according to the height of the pump and then pushed down the barrel after removing the bucket valve and it's mechanism. The pointed end with a thread and hook on it was used to lift the valve flap up on the valve at the foot of the pump and inserted in it to pull it out. After whatever repairs were carried out, usually to renew the leather flap and the tallow and hemp seals around the wooden valve body, the whole valve was pushed back down the barrel of the pump using the rounded end of the iron.
I reckon that's the last of the Whatsits...
Doug
