What Is It? Blog

What Is It?

What Is It? is a place for engineers to test their knowledge (and sense of humor). Each week (or month, or...) the CR4 team will post an unidentified picture of an object, tool, animal, something. We're looking for your best (or funniest) guesses at what it might be in the comments.

Yes, we take [appropriate] submissions. Send them to cr4admin@ieeeglobalspec.com.
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What is It? for February 2

Posted February 02, 2017 12:00 AM
Pathfinder Tags: what is it

Do you know what this is? Share your guess!

Submitted by CR4 user phph001.

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Andrew Westman
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Join Date: Dec 2016
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#1

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/02/2017 7:58 AM

A semi-automatic paperweight?

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2
Rixter
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#2

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/02/2017 8:12 AM

Some kind of pantograph?

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Autobroker
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#7
In reply to #2

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/06/2017 5:53 AM

GA to you. I find it funny that you were the first one to get it right - I think you're right, but you only got one GA!

Anyway, congrats on your second GA!

Did you know that's the name of the device on the top of an electric train (that brings power to the train from the overhead wires)? I sat on the board for Metro here in LA County and we discussed the Gold Line that runs from East LA to Azusa - it has overhead wires.

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English Rose
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#8
In reply to #7

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/06/2017 8:16 AM

LOL - he posted that while I was writing mine. A lesson in KISS!! Well done Rixter.

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English Rose
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#3

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/02/2017 8:15 AM

It's a drawing copier/enlarger. I had a "toy" one as a kid, in plastic. You trace the stylus over the original, and the pen on the other side draws it on a new piece of paper. The setting of the various arms change the pivot points and allow enlargement or reduction of the drawing. (That one looks like a 1:1 only, on second thoughts)

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SolarEagle
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#4

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/02/2017 10:00 AM

Analogue lie detector...? Engraving pantograph thingy....? Analogue real-time copier...?

Earthquake detector...?

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Hooker
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#5

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/02/2017 11:00 PM

Definitely a pantograph. The research machine shop I apprenticed in had several different varieties of them, mostly used for engraving or transcribing sketches or planar objects to different scales.

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James Stewart
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#6

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/03/2017 2:25 PM

It is a precision measuring pantograph.

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ronc
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#9

Re: What is It? for February 2

02/07/2017 11:58 AM

A pantograph, I believe. I have used them in the past to scale x ray defects in castings.

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Users who posted comments:

Andrew Westman (1); Autobroker (1); English Rose (2); Hooker (1); James Stewart (1); Rixter (1); ronc (1); SolarEagle (1)

Previous in Blog: What is It? for December 16   Next in Blog: We're Back! What Is It? (November 2018)

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