Mystery object

[toolsntat]

Had this a while now and not sure exactly what it's for?
The best I can say is that it looks to operate by using a vacuum to raise the arm and by connection of live wire and mounting to earth the festoon bulb should light up at the same time?
For size comparison the bulb is a normal sized festoon.
So is it a form of trafficator?
Andy

 

[dickm]

Pretty sure the trafficator thought is right. Have seen one on some vehicle, but can't at the moment place what it was.

 

[graduate_owner]

If it is a trafficator then it is an early type. I remember my old 1961 A35 (hated the damn thing) had trafficators but solenoid operated.

K

 

[swb58]

I remember a 'thing' many (many) years ago which my father said was a vacuum operated screen wiper off their old van so the automobile connection looks more than likely. It's taken a while for me to see it, but the end of yours is an arrow shape with an H&S guard around it.

 

[Eric The Viking]

It is indeed a trafficator. I don't know from which company it came, but Google images may help there.

Also, I think it might have once been chromed, so mind your fingers!

E.

PS:which made me wonder:how long since driver hand signals were dropped from the driving test (and presumably the highway code)? Are they still legal?

 

[Corneel]

Yes, back when small electric motors were still rare and expensive, they loved to use the vacuum from the intake manifold to run stuff like this. Especially great for windscreen wipers. When you overtake a lorry in the rain, you floor the pedal, and the vacuum drops off instantly. That means you are overtaking through a shroud of water and your wipers quit working. :shock:

 

[AJB Temple]

Yes Eric. Hand signals are still legal and still featured at length in the highway code. Hand signals are still used in advanced driving tests, and especially by motorcyclists. Police etc directing traffic also use had signals and this is in the HC too.

 

[monkeybiter]

I still use hand signals, not the sort you see in the highway code though.

 

[Boringgeoff]

Some trucks had an arm that dropped down into your line of sight from above the windscreen to warn you when you'd run out of air for the brakes. The buzzer came on at the same time. When you were racing down a hill, out of control, looking death in the face these two factors really helped you concentrate on how to get out of it alive.

 

[dickm]

Pretty sure that I've seen something similar on WW2 military vehicle - have a vague image in my mind of US military truck with that sort of trafficator. Which might correspond with others' recollections of those diabolical vacuum-driven wipers on 1950s and earlier Fords. From what I remember, no UK-designed vehicles used them. Don't know if GM (Vauxhall) also fitted them.

 

[t8hants]

I agree it is more likely off a lorry than a car. The dear old Bedford QL had a wire operated arm that came out for left turns, nothing so sophisticated as vacuum operated.
I have just upgraded my vacuum wipers to electric on my 1951 Bedford K type, they will not be missed.

 

[toolsntat]

Thanks for the input folks, so most likely it is a trafficator, just need to pin it down to a vehicle?

Cheers
Andy

 

[bugbear]

Thanks for the input folks, so most likely it is a trafficator, just need to pin it down to a vehicle?

Cheers
Andy

I suspect you'd need a "pure" historic vehicle forum to do so.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Is there a voltage marking on the bulb?
Are all those bulbs 12v or could it be 6v or 24v?

I presume proper historic vehicle people might find that helpful.

 

[t8hants]

It is quite likely it was a 'bolt on' part so may not be attributable to a particular vehicle maker.