Replies

1. 
   PatchogPhil | Jul 08, 2006 07:44am | #1

   It's a cleat,  to secure a pole in the middle of the floor.  It has a threaded hole in the middle,  right?  Maybe for indoor badmitton net or a GoGo dancing pole?

    

1. 
   gbwood | Jul 08, 2006 07:45am | #4

   OK, I think I like the Go-Go dancing pole idea best...

    

1. 
   draftguy | Jul 09, 2006 12:23am | #14

   go-go dancers from back then

    

   
1. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 10, 2006 05:20am | #23

   Seems like flappers would have been more likely. Now I just have to find the bathtub gin stash. But I guess that explains the huge tub we have.

2. 
   gbwood | Jul 08, 2006 07:44am | #2

   what appears to be indentations in the surface would accept a spanner wrench, which may indicate it being a threaded plug. Maybe to accept one of those cool patio umbrellas? or a tetherball pole?

    

   dunno...

   gb 

3. 
   Luka | Jul 08, 2006 07:45am | #3

   Unscrew it and find out.

   You gotta use a pin wrench. Basically a metal bar with two pins through it in the right place to stick in two of those holes.

   It looks like an old screw on cover for a gas or steam valve.

   ---

   Politics: The blind insulting the blind.

1. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 08, 2006 06:31pm | #10

   I've got an adjustable pin wrench. Bicycle bottom brackets used to require them. Not sure now with the huge technology changes in bicycles.I've got to check for the threading. Calling for the help makes sense, but I was kinda hoping it was THE button. You know the one people talk about? "The president has his hand on the button" or "she knows how to push his buttons".

2. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 08, 2006 06:33pm | #11

   There was gas lighting here. I've kinda wondered about a gas candleabra thing for the table.Or a big lazy susan, like they have at chinese restaurants.

1. 
   Sphere | Jul 08, 2006 07:52pm | #12

   Ashtray foot.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   There is no cure for stupid. R. White.

4. 
   MVAgusta | Jul 08, 2006 12:41pm | #5

   It's what is left of a footswitch, usually hooked up to a ringer that alerts a maid or butler.

1. 
   Stuart | Jul 08, 2006 05:11pm | #9

   I think you're right, it's the remnants of an old footswitch used to call the maid or butler.  I have something similar in my house.

   BTW, do you own an MV Agusta bike as your screen name suggests?

1. 
   MVAgusta | Jul 09, 2006 01:34pm | #15

   Nope, I wish I did, the only bike I have now is a '77 R100RS that is sorta dead-in-the-water at the moment. I'm looking at my floor-switch right now and it looks like they didn't bother pulling the brass cover off before the last floor sanding. The antique store down the hill has one of the original bells from this house, it had a lableled ringer for each room. She wants $275 for it, I don't think I need it that much.

2. 
   BungalowJeff | Jul 10, 2006 06:22am | #25

   That's it. I have a brass one in the middle of my dining room floor....that's not a mistake, it's rustic

3. 
   txlandlord | Jul 10, 2006 05:15pm | #27

   It's what is left of a footswitch, usually hooked up to a ringer that alerts a maid or butler.

   Really? Interesting. Tell me more of what you know.

1. 
   MVAgusta | Jul 12, 2006 01:36am | #33

   That's about it, most of the houses around here pre-WWI had them, the town was more of a white-collar bedroom borough then. Other rooms had a wooden handle that hung from the ceiling or wall with a momentary pushbutton switch on the end. All of the wiring normally led down to a butler's pantry, to a box called an annunciator, which had latching relays inside.

1. 
   txlandlord | Jul 18, 2006 03:38am | #34

   Interesting. I have never ran into that type of thing.

2. 
   BillHartmann | Jul 19, 2006 12:39am | #38

   Most of them did not have latching relays, but probably some did.What they have is a "flag" that was lead in place with a latch. And one end of the latch was controlled by a solienod. When the solienod was powered it pulled alway one part of the latch allowing the flag to drop.Here are a couple of examples.http://mysite.verizon.net/dalderdi/phones/annunc.htmhttp://www.residentialarchitect.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=152&articleID=313411&artnum=2http://www.rrmtf.org/cantigny/annunciator_in_butlers_pantry.htmand here is a call button that was on a cord.

1. 
   MVAgusta | Jul 19, 2006 12:43pm | #44

   I haven't seen the guts of one in awhile, but I'm pretty sure that you are correct about the solenoid vs. relay thing. If the store down the street is open today after work I'll get a picture of the one they have.

5. 
   Sphere | Jul 08, 2006 02:14pm | #6

   Don't take it out. It is the schrader valve for the planet.

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   There is no cure for stupid. R. White.

1. 
   butch | Jul 08, 2006 04:23pm | #7

   lol!

2. 
   tmaxxx | Jul 10, 2006 08:10am | #26

   thats funny.  i cant stop gigglin.Tmaxxx

   Urban Workshop Ltd

   Vancouver B.C.

   cheers.  Ill buy.

6. 
   BobKovacs | Jul 08, 2006 05:03pm | #8

   It's the center of the tension ring that's holding your house together.  If you take it out, the whole floor system will fall into the basement.

   Bob

7. 
   wrudiger | Jul 08, 2006 08:16pm | #13

   It's the Primary USGS Survey Marker for Ohio - ya better not move it!

8. 
   Kicko | Jul 09, 2006 07:19pm | #16

   Unscrew it, take another picture, post it, and we'll all know. Personally, I think it's an outlet for a light on the diningroom table, or a gas valve for the same before they had electric.

1. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 10, 2006 05:23am | #24

   Well, I'm out of town for a week, but I'll see if anything unscrews when I get back. The bottom side is covered up by air ducts, so I can't see it there. I've never thought about it unscrewing though.

1. 
   calvin | Jul 18, 2006 07:36pm | #36

   alright Bryan, what is it?A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

    

1. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 18, 2006 10:41pm | #37

   I've been out of town, but I'll try and check tonight if I can unscrew it. But I think the underside is hidden behind ductwork, so if it doesn't unscrew, I'll still know only what you know.

2. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 19, 2006 04:56am | #39

   Well, I tried to un-screw it with my adjustable pin wrench, and I couldn't budge it. Plus the under side is hidden by duct work.FWIW, the two outer most plus the one hole next to one of the outer most are just depressions, making me think they might be for alignment. The other holes go down to something.I want to re-do my air returns (line the joist bays) at some point, so I might have the ducts down. Then at least I'll be able to see the bottom, unless it doesn't go through the sub-floor.As for the phone jack, the location seems wrong. The middle of the dining room? But some sort of switch to call the butler or cook, that I can buy.

1. 
   DanH | Jul 19, 2006 05:00am | #40

   I don't think it unscrews with a pin wrench. I think you just remove the wood screws holding it down.

   If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

2. 
   calvin | Jul 19, 2006 05:07am | #41

   Shoot man, the answer at dinner is whatever you wish to tell the guests.  We'll back you up.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

    

3. 
   BryanSayer | Jul 19, 2006 05:27am | #42

   Actually at dinner it is normally hidden and I don't even think about it. It's under the table then.Which gives me a new idea. Maybe in addition to the boarding house, the owner decided to pick up some extra $ doing seances. It was used for communicating with the dead.

4. 
   calvin | Jul 19, 2006 06:31am | #43

   Perhaps to turn on the smoke.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

    

5. 
   draftguy | Jul 19, 2006 05:21pm | #45

   "It was used for communicating with the dead."maybe you should talk to the dead about this . . . nobody here seems to know <g>is there an internet connection to the underworld?

6. 
   DanH | Jul 19, 2006 06:17pm | #46

   Yeah, 666-Base-T.
   If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

9. 
   Piffin | Jul 09, 2006 11:58pm | #17

   I'm thinking four pin plug in socket for telephone from another era.

   I honestly don't know, but I have a shadow of a memory bumping around in this head that I have held one in my hand, but I can't remember where or why.

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   andy_engel | Jul 18, 2006 05:01am | #35

    

   I'm thinking four pin plug in socket for telephone from another era.

   I honestly don't know, but I have a shadow of a memory bumping around in this head that I have held one in my hand, but I can't remember where or why.

    

   Probably Bell's prototype....Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   Piffin | Jul 20, 2006 01:20am | #47

   "Probably Bell's prototype...."Right - now I remember - it was just before he fired me for having better ideas than he did.;) 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

10. 
    Jer | Jul 10, 2006 02:44am | #18

    You unscrew that thing, I'm thinkin' you just might find Mr. Hoffa.

1. 
   Piffin | Jul 10, 2006 03:26am | #20

   Maybe Pandora's navel 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   Don | Jul 10, 2006 03:36am | #21

   Remnember the joke about the guy w/ the big strerling silver screw in his navel? Well, you take that thing out & you know what will fall off your house? Don't ask - the blue noses will censor it.DonDon Reinhard
   The Glass Masterworks
   "If it scratches, I etch it!"

11. 
    jeffwoodwork | Jul 10, 2006 03:13am | #19

    Miniature golf cup, unscrew it and play a game.

1. 
   gbwood | Jul 10, 2006 08:09pm | #29

   I still like the idea of a Go-Go dancers pole

    

   gb

1. 
   JeffBuck | Jul 10, 2006 09:53pm | #30

   "I still like the idea of a Go-Go dancers pole "

    

   that's just a good idea in general.

   all the time.

   anywhere ...

   Jeff    Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

1. 
   gbwood | Jul 10, 2006 11:57pm | #31

   I'm with ya, brother...

    

   gb

12. 
    holy hammer | Jul 10, 2006 05:19am | #22

    It looks the the detonator of a five hundred pound bomb. Hit it real hard with a two pound hammer and see if it goes off! :-)

    Constructing in metric...

    every inch of the way.

13. 
    DanH | Jul 10, 2006 06:08pm | #28

    It looks like I can see a bit of wood through the center hole, making it unlikely that this is any sort of cap over a valve or some such. More likely it's a base or cleat for something to be attached.

    My first thought was a pole base of some sort, but more likely something like the butler call switch that was suggested. These would be secured to the dining room floor, under the dining table, where they could be reached by the toe of the master/mistress of the house.

    If it is indeed the base of an old switch there will likely be some old bell wire (or at least a hole where the wire used to be) coming up through the floor under the plate.

    If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
14. 
    kate | Jul 11, 2006 12:28am | #32

    Bell for the maid.  Our apt (prewar West side Manhattan building) had one - so did my inlaws', in an even nicer building -