Adjusting lever cap?

[Karl Andersson]

Got a quick question for the plane experts - I found this thing that looks like a lever cap in a box of restorable tools. It is kind of like a Norris adjuster, but not really. It has a knurled knob for the depth adjustment (but not lateral), with a big 1/4 in square peg for the blade. It has another knob where the lever cap screw should be, and this has a "dish" attached to it like it was meant to secure the blade to it. It is steel with a nickel finish; the only marking on it is the number 12 on the underside.

I'd like to know what it is so I can find someone to give it to...

Later,
Karl
149269

149270

149271

[James Taglienti]

Looks like it came off of a Shelton 500 series plane

[Jeff Burks]

Shelton No. 504 Advertisement (http://books.google.com/books?id=MC0DAAAAMBAJ&lpg=RA3-PA276&dq=Shelton%20Plane&pg=RA3-PA276#v=onepage&q&f=false) - 1950.
The 1950's models pre-Stanley buyout have the enclosed adjustment (http://books.google.com/books?id=ydgDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA16&dq=Shelton%20Plane&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q&f=false).

The cutter adjustment was originally on top of the cap. 1,914,609 (http://www.google.com/patents?id=aAxOAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&dq=patent%3A1914609&as_psrg=1&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false) + 1,929,504 (http://www.google.com/patents?id=cHdIAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&dq=1929504&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false) + 2,347,570 (http://www.google.com/patents?id=l1dJAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&dq=Lavietes&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false)
Old style Shelton Plane Restoration. (http://lumberjocks.com/Alonso83/blog/13285)

Shelton Planes are poorly regarded by collectors. The company actually specialized in making baskets (http://books.google.com/books?id=SQ8y_tQ4fs4C&lpg=PA46&dq=Shelton%20Plane&pg=PA46#v=onepage&q&f=false).
Here is an interesting tidbit. If you look at the photo in the above link, the neighborhood (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=1%20maple%20st%20Shelton%20CT&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl) is the same as the one discussed in the Birmingham/Derby Plane Co (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=137399) thread from a few weeks back. The factories must have been separated by just a few blocks.

The same company made these wacky screwdrivers. (http://books.google.com/books?id=yywDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=RA2-PA267&dq=Shelton%20Plane&lr&pg=RA2-PA267#v=onepage&q&f=false)
They also had a Block Plane (http://www.google.com/patents?id=3fJUAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&dq=Shelton%20blade&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=1945&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=1952&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false) design.

[Karl Andersson]

Thanks guys - looks like another candidate for the odd metals bin - maybe I can make a sharpening jig with it.

Anyone with a Shelton collection speak up -it's yours for the asking

Later
Karl