Iron Bead

[saxonaxe]

The continuing hot dry weather is producing some interesting results locally. My daily routine is a wander down the lane that leads to home and in places the rough Tarmac has melted and shifted. Yesterday I spotted something protruding from the displaced gravel of the verge.


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It is heavy, about half a pound, there is no thread in the hole, so it didn't screw onto anything, rather I think it rotated on a bar/spindle. The sides are slightly flattened so I'm guessing it ran beside something else, possibly a similar metal ball.
Best guess is, it's from old Farm Machinery perhaps something like a Harrow or similar, towed over ploughland to make a seed bed?
The Lane leading to home runs past a long established farm, so the time period could be easily 100 years plus.

 

[Toddy]

Interesting find

My first thought wasn't agricultural but arms, and then I thought that I minded seeing something similar advertised not long since (was looking for cast iron clothes poles) and came across this site.
They don't say what they're for, apart from perhaps railings, but claim they have many uses.......

Wrought Iron Components | Pre-drilled Spheres - F H Brundle

Solid and hollow steel spheres and hemispheres and other wrought iron components suitable for railing, gates and fencing applications. Buy online or call today.

www.fhbrundle.co.uk

You might ask @Dave Budd, he might well have a good idea of what it is ?

M

 

[saxonaxe]

That's an interesting website, Toddy. My first thought was arms too, I only saw the rounded surface in the ground and thought Cannon Ball, Saker or swivel gun bore, but then I saw it was drilled right through. I live on what was once a great and ancient country estate, but most of it was in existence long before the Victorian 'Iron Age' so there are not many metal fences, ornamental gates etc: although there are a few, that's why I guessed farm machinery.
It's interesting to see there is still a market for steel balls of the type and I'm surprised how cheap they seem to be.

 

[Kadushu]

It certainly looks like a swivel from a 3 point linkage, in which case it should be a standard size.

 

[Wander]

A loom weight, perhaps?

 

[saxonaxe]

It certainly looks like a swivel from a 3 point linkage, in which case it should be a standard size.

I think you may have solved the puzzle Kadushu. I looked up 'Lower link ball' on various Agricultural websites and that seems to fit the object.

lowr link ball at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

The tractors that work the farm these days are monsters, but from photos I know that little Grey Fergies and similar were used in the Stately Home private vegetable gardens down the lane.

 

[Dave Budd]

I've only just seen this thread, but was going to say it's the ball off a 3pnt linkage or similar. They usually wear rather than fall out though!

 

[Mesquite]

I've only just seen this thread, but was going to say it's the ball off a 3pnt linkage or similar. They usually wear rather than fall out though!

Unless they hop out of a toolbox because they're using a different size in the linkages

Had that happen to me once when I went over a bump a bit too fast

 

[gra_farmer]

Unless they hop out of a toolbox because they're using a different size in the linkages

Had that happen to me once when I went over a bump a bit too fast

That's right, I have to change mine quite often as I change the equipment. They do fall off if the R /split pin comes out, but that doesn't happen often

 

[Dave Budd]

That's a good point. I only have one size kit, so hadn't thought about that. I have several sizes of pin and lengths of pto shaft, but tend to leave them attached to the implement in case i lise them!