Hi Carol,
You might try to look up the patents at one of your nearby Cal State
libraries.  They will probably provide illustrations of the object in the
device of which it is a part.

When I was a student, I once used such a patent record surprise myself and
learn that a glass disk embossed "lightning" was actually part of a canning
jar lid rather than a lightning rod, which seemed very reasonable
explanation to me at the time.  My female peers were very amused by the
entire affair.  I keep a photocopy of the picture in my office as a reminder
of my own gender and class biases.

Let us know what your patent numbers reveal!

Cheers,
Tim

On 11/19/03 12:07 PM, "Trish" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carol A
> Nickolai
> Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 7:32 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Mystery Object
>
> I have a mystery object that someone thought important enough for three
> patent dates, so I hope someone here will recognize it.
>
> It's a black disk about 1" diameter of hard synthetic material. One side
> has a flat ring and then is convex with a small metal disk on the middle
> with a "15" engraved on it. The flat ring has four little holes making a
> square, but they don't go all the way through. It also has raised print
> reading "PAT'D/Aug 15, 1916/Feb 27, 1917/June 22, 1920/OTHERS PENDING"
>
> The other side has a matching ring and concave section. At the center of
> the depression is a small metal post. The flat ring has two small posts
> (that don't line up with the holes on the other side).
>
> I can send a scan of the side with writing to anyone who's interested.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Carol
> --
> Carol A. Nickolai
>
> Anthropology
> University of Pennsylvania
> email: [log in to unmask]
> voicemail: 215-751-8989, 0077#
>

*******************************************************************
Timothy James Scarlett
Assistant Professor of Archaeology
Program in Industrial History and Archaeology
Department of Social Sciences
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295 USA
Tel (906) 487-2359 Fax (906) 487-2468 Internet [log in to unmask]
MTU Website: http://www.industrialarchaeology.net
SHA Website: http://www.sha.org  SIA Website: http://www.sia-web.org
*******************************************************************
"Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer, sex raises
some pretty good questions."

     -Woody Allen, New Your Herald Tribune, 1975