Mystery machine

[Gil]

The owners of a barn I'm "parting out" found this gadget while cleaning some of the other buildings and are trying to find out what it might be.
Some notes / questions included with the pics:

Gil Any ideas of what this might be? The pto shaft cover is laying on
the ground under it but goes with something else.

This machine is pretty light weight, has a foot pedal that operates the
center bar thingie. The top is hinged, The wheel on the side adjusts the
table in width. On the center of the handle is Lochner MFG Co Ft Wayne.
Strange thing is there is no stop for any king of compression.

[Kodiak]

I always wondered how they compacted Granola bars before packing?????

[Gil]

Texas size granola bars maybe. I was thinking of some sort of packing or compressing device. Was tobacco ever compressed for shipping?

[VinceD]

You are both almost right on the money. It is a "Cushion Filling Machine" patented by David Lochner of Lochner Mfg. Company. Patent # 2.740,245 was issued on April 3, 1956.

The patent application describes it as "a machine for introducing a filler into the cover or casing of a cushion."

Hope this helps.

[beaconlight]

How the devil did you know that?????????????????????
This forum never ceases to amaze me.

[boldpsi]

now i get it... that crazy "L"-bracket on the top makes it easy to get the durned thing back off again, once you've stuffed the pre-loaded or pre-attached cushion cover, right? that's the part i couldn't figure out!

good one!
dave