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[Renee]

Does anyone have any idea what this is?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Unique-Smith-Imp-Metal-Spinning-Top-Mfg-Carthage-Illinois-Toy-Cast-Iron/332594553548?hash=item4d702e22cc:g:tasAAOSweDdasr9t




gif hoster

[ta0]

I bet it's one of these 6 options:

1- A torture device used by the Chicago mafia.
2- A tool for making holes for buttons in leather articles
3- A container for wick for use in explosives
4- A lawn mower blade balancing tool
5- A whip top
6- None of the above

 

[ta0]

After lots of thinking I'm discarding two of the options. 

[Jeremy McCreary]

When the base with upright spike rests on the table as shown in your 1st photo, and the heavy inverted cone spins on the spike (2nd photo), the cone functions as a "spindulum" -- my term for a top-like spintoy with its center of mass below the point of support (here inside the cone's apex). I don't consider a spindulum a proper top, as claimed in the eBay listing, because the part that spins doesn't fall over at rest.

If this thing was originally intended as a spindulum, as I suspect, the tip of the spike and the inside of cone's apex may show the tell-tale wear.

I've made some decent spindulums with LEGO. An example more like your eBay item comes in at 3:23...



But Iacopo's the master of this spintoy genre...

[Iacopo]

Yes, in my top Nr. 23, (and in many others of mine), the tip is recessed.  But, to be precise, these my tops are not "spindulums", because the center of mass is still slightly above the tip, and they topple down at the end of the spin.

Not sure what is the item on Ebay, it doesn't seem very much like a top..

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yes, in my top Nr. 23, (and in many others of mine), the tip is recessed.  But, to be precise, these my tops are not "spindulums", because the center of mass is still slightly above the tip, and they topple down at the end of the spin.

Not sure what is the item on Ebay, it doesn't seem very much like a top..

Oops! Thought you'd made some spindulums. If so, please give a number so I can  correct my post.

[ta0]

Mm, I think you might be into something Jeremy.
I'm sure I could spin the cone as a top, maybe even boomerang it, and keep it spinning with a whip.
I could perhaps spin the other part on its spike for a little bit.
But if there is enough clearance the thing could be a spindulum.

After more thinking, I had to discard the wick storage/dispenser option 

[ta0]

Oops, two options left. Is it a:

1- inverted top/spindulum, aka, lawn mower blade balancer

or a

2- spinning top of some kind ?

Mm . . . it could be thrown as a nested top . . .  It would make for an exciting boomerang video (or trip to the hospital)  

[Iacopo]

Oops! Thought you'd made some spindulums. If so, please give a number so I can  correct my post.

I made just one, as an experiment, (Nr. 12), and no others; I find spinning tops more interesting than spindulums.

At first the Nr. 14 too was a spindulum, unintentionally, in spite of its Cg being above the contact point. 
What happened ?  The reason was its ball tip.  That time I learned that, when a ball tip is used, it is not enough to place the Cg above the contact point of the tip, for the top being able to topple down;  with a ball tip, the Cg has to be placed above the center of the ball tip, or the top will behave like a spindulum, never toppling down.  I modified that top, which now has a spiked tip.

[ta0]

Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that it's not a top 

Patented in 1957:





It's still sold nowadays, under several brands, from $4 plastic to $140 with magnets, depending on how fanatic your are with your mowing 

I might get one from Lowe's one day, just to try the nested boomerang. And due to that, I might not move it to NSTR. 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that it's not a top

You called it! But I have an old push mower. So if I buy one of these gizmos, it'll be a spindulum.

[Renee]

ta0, you are the wizard of patents!  Thanks for solving the mystery.

[ta0]

I'm sure Jeremy knew what it was all along. 

Changed my mind and move it to NSTR, for the time being.