Does anyone know what THIS is?

Diver43

A friend found this in his Ladies house and nobody seems to know what it is.

Zee

Lantern?

Diver43

Zee said:

Lantern?

While we are sure it is used to make a flame, there is no place for a globe 

jbp-ohio

Who knows originally. The valve and everything above it is poorly cobbled on by someone who didn't know how to braze.......

Diver43

jbp-ohio said:

Who knows originally. The valve and everything above it is poorly cobbled on by someone who didn't know how to braze.......

Well, that sure helped figure out what it is.

jbp-ohio

Yes. Yes it did. It's modified. Most of the original parts are gone. Unless there are part numbers or something on it you're not going to find out what it was. Only the creator knows why he made it.

A lot of my JBP Engineering (tm) tools at work would not make sense to anyone but me. 

Wambli Ska

My guess would be a pressurized fuel tank for a burner/stove.

Diver43

Wambli Ska said:

My guess would be a pressurized fuel tank for a burner/stove.

I was thinking something similar, possible for heating "something"  or solder while working at a table 

Bigslug

Probably started life as a lantern.  Guessing the three holes in the top supported the original globe structure.  Maybe a Bunson burner?

Looks like it was cobbled together to spit out it's flame horizontally and clearly built to put that flame at a specific height.  Some kind of glass blowing/melting apparatus?

Diver43

We think the 3 holes are where a handle was riveted 

Wambli Ska

Diver43 said:

We think the 3 holes are where a handle was riveted 

They seem to line up with the coil so big slug is probably right and it was the vertical element that held the lantern/burner.

Diver43

We were hoping someone would recognize what it was/is that was either made for a purpose, or modified for something specific

orchidman

Its a late 18th century inflator. After the US Constitution was drafted most of the politicians of that period ( Who were down to earth, modest and humble people) went about their business. Towards the end of the 18th century, the new politicians that rose through the ranks ( who were not down to earth, modest and humble people) needed to increase their profile.

Thus was invented the Acme Politician Inflator and profile expander. The way it works is that the chamber is pumped up to just below its maximum pressure and the the pressure is released via the tap into a body orifice which had the effect of inflating politicians self importance and thus creating the Democrats.

You're welcome............

Bigslug

Well, OK. . .

The proportions of the tank are pretty much spot on with a number of vintage Coleman kerosene lanterns that I'm seeing online.  Some of those have "Coleman" stamped into the bottom.

Those, however, seem to have just the fill valve and the pump, but usually more off to the side and less on top than yours, and they don't have the third outlet with home-built plumbing rig coming out.

I'm thinking a factory started with a lantern blueprint, used those parts to make something else, and somebody downstream turned into into. . .whatever that is.

Diver43

No writing to be found on it

jbp-ohio

Bigslug said:

Well, OK. . .

The proportions of the tank are pretty much spot on with a number of vintage Coleman kerosene lanterns that I'm seeing online.  Some of those have "Coleman" stamped into the bottom.

Those, however, seem to have just the fill valve and the pump, but usually more off to the side and less on top than yours, and they don't have the third outlet with home-built plumbing rig coming out.

I'm thinking a factory started with a lantern blueprint, used those parts to make something else, and somebody downstream turned into into. . .whatever that is.

I think the third outlet was also added. Look how clean the original two are attached to the tank. It's braze on top of more braze.

Tanks like that are used for gas or kerosene lamps, stoves, or blow torches. 

My cousin collects old lanterns. Brass ones are $$$.