Help identifying electronic device with gold parts

[pinwheel]

Here is another object I found today. It looks to be some sort of military generator that is vintage. It has a lot of what is either gold plated or gold objects inside of it. When you spin the gear on top the entire devise activates and rotates like a generator of sorts.

Anyone familiar with this and how much gold is contained in such a thing?

Markings:

WP-21380
type fu-911
volts 24
date unreadable
caa app'd

Thank you

 

[Barren Realms 007]

I don't think it is a generator of any kind. Looks more like a tuner of some sort with the gear on the back.

 

[pinwheel]

When that gold gyro gets going it reminds me of some perpetual motion device. Its like a double counterweight inside. It takes a lot of force to start it by hand and once it gets going it becomes easy to keep spinning. When you spin the gear on the outside the insides activate and begin spinning.

On the top outside there are two objects that ride across the horizontal that appear to work like a come along gear stop. Their appearance is that of points inside a distributor on a vehicle.

Its a very interesting object.

 

[Barren Realms 007]

I didn't catch those 2 rear gears before. With the gyro and the sets of gears I would say you have a timing device there.

 

[pinwheel]

Whatever this is, I could not scrap it for gold. Its way too cool as a collectible.

 

[pinwheel]

No one is drueling over this item?

 

[Barren Realms 007]

No one is drueling over this item?

I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating crackers. 8)

 

[jimdoc]

I think it is something from a plane because of the caa app'd marking.
I wouldn't scrap it either.

Jim

 

[AKDan]

caa, the fact that being in Tucson he is in the middle of the largest military bone yard for planes in the world, and a large military base as well. Something to do with an airplane or avionics, but what? Interesting item.

 

[erogers36]

Markings:

WP-21380
type fu-911
volts 24
date unreadable
caa app'd

the # WP-21380 is WP-218 30 right?

Eric

 

[Anonymous]

Honestly, the only thing that reminds me of is an old x-ray machine.

 

[butcher]

my guess radio transmitter, or reciever, the two disk look like a varible capacitor, also see inductor windings all it would need would be diode, that may be the black thing on the outside by wire terminal, the cam looks like would swithc capacitor for certain frequency's, also see a plug for coax lead.
Who Know's but it is interesting and I think it is worth more than the metal in it. my vote do not destroy just yet.

 

[pinwheel]

I am not going to destroy it. If you could play with it for a moment I assure you that its not worth grabbing the metal. But i do have to say that those two large balls of gold inside are tempting.