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What is this?
Found it near a local creek and dont have a clue what it is but it looks like its a land mine. It probably fell off some heavy machinery but i am not positive.
Found it near a local creek and dont have a clue what it is but it looks like its a land mine. It probably fell off some heavy machinery but i am not positive.
Discussions
Best Answer 8 years ago
I've seen them before, not precisely like that one but close enough to be sure that it is a fire hose dust cap. The hinged arms fit under lugs on the hose fitting, others screw on but they're intended to keep out dust, dirt, insects and small critters when the fire hose is in storage or being transported.
Answer 8 years ago
I wasn't sure if they still made that type, but apparently they do:
Answer 8 years ago
+1
That's a dry-line cover off a building stand-pipe. The sprinkers in many buildings are NOT pressurized, and just have lines run to the outside to hook up a fire truck to pump water INTO the building's existing fire suppression pipes. You can see how the arms being depressed keep the cap locked onto the end of the standpipe in the internal view of the OP's post. A one-use ziptie holds the arms down and keeps the cap in place
8 years ago
I saw one just like this on a septic tank pumper truck yesterday afternoon. It was in front of me at a red light, so I got a really good look.
Has someone been dumping sewage illegally into the creek?
Answer 8 years ago
I dont know. There was machinery at the creek to clean up form a storm though.
Answer 8 years ago
In that case, it may have been dropped by someone who was supposed to be there and acting appropriately.
These caps are found on all sorts of liquid pumpers (I saw some this morning on a fuel tanker truck) and could have even come off of a water tanker. Around here we have a lot of trucks that deliver fresh water to construction sites that don't have water lines installed yet.
8 years ago
Open it up. Bet it's a brass compass. At least that is what it looks like to me.
Qa
Answer 8 years ago
It has nothing under it. Its all open. I doubt it is a compass. Thanks for the guess tho!
Answer 8 years ago
Looking at the new photo and taking into account the size, I'm inclined to agree that it is a cap, not a land mine (though it may have held back the "natural" kind - eww!). The original photo looked smaller and it seemed to have a lid. Kinda looked like a compass. Looks like brass, so it is probably worth a couple of dollars just for the scrap value alone.
Qa
Answer 8 years ago
BTW,
Hello to a fellow Pennsylvanian. SE here. What quad are you?
QA
8 years ago
Do you mind sharing roughly where you are in the world?
(I have a reason for asking).
Answer 8 years ago
United States. Pennsylvania
Answer 8 years ago
Thanks. The reason I wanted to know your location is there's old mines and other things found on a regular basis around the world. (We had a beach closed on Vancouver Island this month after some WWII munitions were found, most likely used during training in the world war). I'm not sure what may have occurred in Pennsylvania, but there is a chance that it was used in training (if it is a mine device). It may be hard to say though, because each country used a different looking landmine, and changed their appearance over the years.
I read your reply to QA, So you say you opened it?
Answer 8 years ago
I just saw picture 2. I'm not sure what it is. It could be a training mine, as they would be more likely to use an empty device than a live one; but it's really hard to say. I doubt its a hose cap (as suggested), at least I can't see how it would function or connect to a septic or water truck (unless people are known for dumping raw sewage in your waterways). It could have been a case for something, but I'm at a loss. You might want to check with some people in your area (that are much older). They might be able to identify it.
8 years ago
how big is it?
what's the bottom side look like?
It looks very familar to me but I can't quite place it.
8 years ago
I used a similar thing to couple a 30 gallon drain pan on roller tracks to the storage vat pipe with a 3" rubber hose at valvoline.
Yeah its a hose cap.
8 years ago
redesign is correct. it is a locking cap for a truck that carries septic waste. The chain is attached so the cap does not get lost while truck is dumping its load.
8 years ago
I think it's a hose cap. The two levers are lugs that lock the cap on. I've seen them on trucks that empty septic tanks and such.
Answer 8 years ago
I think you are probably right. I dont know where it would come from because there is no place with in a half mile that would have a cap like that or a septic tank.
8 years ago
I'm with Re-design something to give us some scale would be useful as would a picture or two from other angles.
Have you tried opening it?
Answer 8 years ago
Check out the new bottom picture.