The winner's name is Jan L Dumno of Germany!

Jan even sent in an aerial view of what he believes is the Winchester Repeating Arms Factory in New Haven, Connecticut...

Here is Jan's convincing e-mail:

Bob - as you don't have a winner yet (09-09-2007), here is my try:

We see an overhead room with sheaves for two elevators. Both are drum-type with machine in basement. There are separate counterweights for car and drum, they run in different guides, possibly because there is a 2:1 roping. Possibly we have, especially for the "upper" elevator multiple car-counterweights. (I have seen such a solution from Kaestner & Hecht for a big automobile/truck elevator).

Someone stated this would be for just one elevator? Then it has two drums driven by the same motor and multiple car-counterweights. I don't believe so - however, the drums are under the front part of the methusalem.

We see two ropes next to each other per sheave - common for drum-machines.

One governor simply misses it's rope because the factory is "derelict"? The weight on the arm could be used to adjust the trapping speed. When travelling, a curved track on the governor's sheave makes the lever go up and down and at a certain overspeed it starts to "jump" and gets trapped. (Similar designs in Germany here - but the lever would be more upright so that in case of overspeed it would fall over to the other side and use it's weight to brake the sheave)

Don't really know about the "3"-thing. Looks like something is hung down the shaft from there - I assume it's not the end of a 2:1 roping...

First I thought if some of the ropes could belong to a manual control by rope but they all look too massive for that, so all sheaves other than the governor sized ones go from either car or counterweight to drum or from counterweight to car. You didn't use PhotoShop to add a bunch of extra-sheaves? ;-)

I have attached a top-view of what I believe is the plant - is this where the elevators are located? Then they have this arrangement x2? LOTS of sheaves, if so...

Hey, and you don't come with an explanation involving those so popular in gone days water-hydraulic elevators, do you?

Can't wait to hear the solution!! (And to see your new dial- and fixtures folder!!!!)

Jan.

Way to go Jan - thanks for playing...your mug and T-shirt are on their way! (Please send us a picture...)