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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Lizardtheinsane on February 26, 2013, 04:46:16 PM

Title: Can anyone identify what this strange piece of metal is?
Post by: Lizardtheinsane on February 26, 2013, 04:46:16 PM
A few friends and I found this on the grounds of our old demolished jr. high school. The lot has been vacant for 14 years
and nothing has been built on it. We found all kinds of little bits and pieces of the old place still around. Half burried in the
mud or lying in the grass. The School was built in 1940 / 1941 and remained until it's demolition in late 1998.

At first I thought this was a door chain but the hole where the chain head would go is flush with the lowest part. If you
tried to slip a chain head in there it wouldn't go. (If this were mounted on a wall as a chain lock would be...)

Does anyone have any ideas what this may be? We're stumped...
Title: Re: Can anyone identify what thise strange piece of metal is?
Post by: bigwull on February 26, 2013, 04:52:24 PM
I think it is a part of a door chain..this part would be mounted on the door,with the chain in situe...then the other end would be mounted on the post
Title: Re: Can anyone identify what thise strange piece of metal is?
Post by: Lizardtheinsane on February 26, 2013, 05:16:05 PM
Quote from: bigwull on February 26, 2013, 04:52:24 PM
I think it is a part of a door chain..this part would be mounted on the door,with the chain in situe...then the other end would be mounted on the post

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm trying to get a visual on this and just can't.  :-\
Title: Re: Can anyone identify what this strange piece of metal is?
Post by: bigwull on February 26, 2013, 05:24:09 PM
what to do is.get a pencil, draw a door, with this part situated with the "open end furthest from the door edge,then draw the chain with the flat round inserted in the slot..then on the post draw the keeper..into which will go the other end of the chain...now i have seen ones like this that have the chain in situe and the other end has a wedged blade,that is inserted into the keeper that is mounted on the post, and it can be locked from the outside...yes a lockable door chain from the outside...that allows you to give the impression that ..if an undesirable opens the door the chain runs,then stops..making them believe you are in
Title: Re: Can anyone identify what this strange piece of metal is?
Post by: bigwull on February 26, 2013, 05:32:20 PM
here, a lockable door chain...you,ll see what i,m on about...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRASS-LOCKABLE-SECURITY-FRONT-DOOR-DOOR-CHAIN-/140922329726?pt=UK_HaG_Lock_Safes_GL&hash=item20cfa01a7e
Title: Re: Can anyone identify what this strange piece of metal is?
Post by: mart on February 26, 2013, 07:44:29 PM
Thats what it is !!  We had the same latches back in the 50`s !!  This one is an upright latch !!~ Hole goes at top,,chain part goes in and slides down !! Of course it is screwed flush to wall first !!