Anyone want to take a guess as to what this was used for or how it was used?

[Gee]

I found a couple of these at a local thrift store about 8 months ago. Only a 1.99 each and well I bought them cuz they were only a 1.99 each. It's been a while since I had them plugged in and tried testing the toggle switches, outlets, and dial. Any ideas on what someone might have built them for? Heck I don't even know if the outlets are on the top or the bottom of it. Which way is up?









It has a normal three prong ac plug on the end of the black cord attached to it. When it is plugged in the dial rotates like a timer.

[hoovhartid]

maybe for a steam room? timer for the heating element, lights, and .....disco ball?
lol

[JThiessen]

Have you tried plugging a light into the outlets and letting it run? Its some sort of a timer system, because it looks as though as the bar rotates, The cams trip those switches, and likely send a signal through the outlets. Maybe it was used in a christmas lighting display.

But I definitley like your philosophy - "I bought them 'cause they were 1.99"!!!!

[BrianG]

Kind of reminds me of how an automotive ignition switch works really. The switch shaft is actuall a cam that activates different circuits at different times (and some overlap).

So, I would say that the switches simply turn on/off the outlets in different combinations based on the rotary control. And the toggles are some sort of master on/off as an override.

It looks like an electric torturing apparatus

[Gee]

Found the other two of them and some new clues. Looks like I was close to testing them by plugging stuff in but never made it that far. Got one dismantled though it seems.







I did find which way is up and the second toggle only control power to one of five switches on the inside. The five switches are controlled by the "Synchron" which has five disk that rotate around with all but two of them have differnt amounts cut off the disc so the switch is on or off. A little confusing but some of the internal switches have power hooked up so they are on no matter if their switch is on or off, but the main toggle is on. The main disc (#1 I guess) has just a single v notch cut out the others have more like and inch or 1/2 removed. If you move the dial so the main disc switch is not in the v then the counter starts and the disco ball starts twirling and the disco music plays until it reaches the v again. Thus the torturing apparatus.

Looks like I can spin the individual discs to set when they are on off. Just need to figure out if I want to build a steam room w/ the disco ball or a torture chamber. Might come up with something else too.

BrianG these must be pretty old huh? There must have something smaller that can synchronize three outlets more efficeintly. This looks like a good puzzle to try and figure out when something turns on if the other is on or not on, but that depends on if this toggle is turned on and etc etc...

I couldn't find anything on the Jenkco Inc company.

i think it's a time machine of some sorts

[_paralyzed_]

I think you found remnants of somebodies model train display. You see, as the train came round the bend and out of the tunnel it would cross through the field and lights would come on. Then the train would stop and let the passengers out onto a motorized pad. The pad would move the people into the steam room at which time the disco ball was activated, entrancing the passengers so they wouldn't realize the sauna was just to "soften them up" before being strapped to the motorized table in the torture chamber. Man, you've really got to look out for model train enthusiasts these days.