Basement Mechanical Contraption ??

[Mike Lamb]

What is this?  The house - 1920 - used to have oil heat with tanks in the basement.  There were pulleys from chains beneath this thing connected to nothing. 

[Bill Kibbel]

Before oil, it was coal. 

The chains were connected to the 2 dampers on a coal furnace/boiler.  A thermostat signaled the motors for the chains to raise and lower the dampers to regulate the intensity of the fire. 

[Bill Kibbel]