by James Wright | Feb 16, 2026 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2026 What’s Its From the June 2026 Issue 203-1 This is a patent model from the Smithsonian website, for Harvey Fowler’s 1871 “Improvement in Propulsion of Canal Boats.” The patent describes a process wherein a pronged foot below...
by James Wright | Jan 27, 2025 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2025 What’s Its From the December 2025 Issue 201-1 This is a chicken beheader. There is a sharp blade concealed by the large part at the top right, a plunger is inserted in the small hole at the end of the barrel to set the spring which is...
by James Wright | Mar 29, 2024 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2024 From 2024 Issues What’s Its From the December 2024 Issue 197-1 This tool is a hops sampler, it was used for taking a parcel of hops out of the bale. First a deep square was cut with a knife, and then the sampler was inserted to pull out a...
by James Wright | Mar 29, 2024 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2023 From 2023 Issues What’s Its From the December 2023 Issue 193-1 This tool is a ring inserter for use with an Alfa Laval milking machine teat cup. It is part of this set of teat cup liner assembly tools. The fourth piece of this set was...
by James Wright | Mar 29, 2024 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2022 From 2022 Issues What’s Its From the December 2022 Issue 189-1 A tool for threading wood screws, and a hole threader 189-2 A dentist’s finger guard so he does not get bitten. 189-3 A hog scraper from Europe with a hook for removing the...
by James Wright | Mar 29, 2024 | Gristmill What's It
Gristmill What’s It 2021 From 2021 Issues What’s Its From the December 2021 Issue 183-1 A frame for supporting dead ducks as decoys, patent number 230,600 https://patents.google.com/patent/US230600 A similar patent for holding a dead duck in a flying position can be...
