Smilie Napper - Help on what this is?

[Dbal640]

My grandfather and I have had this for awhile. He said it was found in an old pharmacy (1940's or later) that was tore down. We have tried to find the Patent number with no luck. We have taken this to two local antique events and no one had any idea what it was or what it was used for.

It has a big wheel which cranks onto a smaller "blade" type wheel. There is a US Patent #1766198. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Front:


Patent:


Top:



Bottom:


Back:

[KevinB]

I looked it up and apparently its a tennis ball nap restorer. So basically its to fluff tennis balls.

[Dbal640]

If you look at the patent drawing they don't match.

I was wondering of maybe the patent was for the mechanical parts but was still used for something else.

[KevinB]

I didn't look at the patent. Just saw that desciption and looked at your pictures and figured that has to be what it is. Did you ever try a tennis ball in it?

[mart]

http://www.google.com/patents/US1766198
Is this it ??

[KC]

So, it reconditions the surface of old tennis balls?  Interesting!!!!!  June 24, 1930

[mart]

Yep !!  Back then they didn`t run buy new ones,, just refluffed the old ones !!