Part of a variable inlet vane mechanism, used on the entering air side of a centrifugal fan, in order to control the total CFM the fan delivers. It's hard to tell which part this is, but if it's the "variable" part, the vanes would rotate via external linkage, and would be set via a locking hand quadrant. Since part of the locking quadrant seems to be in place, but is not linked to anything, this appears to be the non-adjustable part of the mechanism.

Nice picture.

The "cone shaped cutout in the back with a hole at the tip" is the business end of a burner. Pity you couldn't/didn't get pics of the other side as I am very curious as to the manufacturer of said burner....

Wonderful gallery!

Cold...

Interesting. A steam-powered, rather than electrical, air compressor installed in 1938 or thereabouts. Why steam? Hmmm....

Reclamation in progress....

Nice set Motts. Thank you.

RE: "...as well as containers full of used oil and other various waste fluids and chemicals."

Given the possibility of industrial chemicals being present in these containers, I sure hope they were not leaking.

In some ways it reminds me of the cover of Pink Floyd's "Animals"....

Looks like what's left of a generator, or at least the stator part. If this is right, it looks as though the rotor has been removed.

Why not? They sell soap dispensers on eBay....

(Sorry. I couldn't resist the temptation).

Been about 6 months since I've been here (Thanks for the new pics, Motts!), but DaveWilly owes me a new monitor due to the Dr. Pepper I just spewed from the soap dispenser crack!

Seriously, wonderful pictures. Glad to be back.

I just checked ebay (check this post date), and there is a slime-ball out there selling bricks from this place (and is pleading for "no negative feedback").

I just left him an email telling him in no uncertain terms what I thought of him and his profit-making venture.

Am I pissed-off? In a word: yes. In two words: Hell yes!

I dunno, everyone...

I can't "see" a bunch of patients dancing and living it up here. What I see in my minds eye are a bunch of half-alive patients being wheeled out to this pavillion by a well-meaning staff member, and then spending the evening staring blankly off into the distance as the band plays on.

To me this is the most profound and saddest picture I've seen on this site.

Back in college (mid '80's) I had a job working in a group home for autistic people. One of the by-products, or symptoms, of autism is self-mutilation, and we had a patient who frequently banged his head against the walls.

One day he discovered that the *corners* of the walls produced much better results....

I can't believe that none of you have commented on the "wall shark" on the left...

(Shades of "SNL")

And where does the lightbulb go?

Yup. My comfy chair here at home is looking better and better....

You know.....I've been thinking about giving this urbex thing a try. I have some friends that do it, and I hear about some of the places they've been to and the things they've seen...

But it's pictures like this, and comments from some of you that have actually "been there, done that" that have made me think twice about it.

And beside, my chair here at home is oh-so comfy!

Uh, where's the soap dispenser?

Ok, I just posted a few pix back about the construction methods "then" vs "now". Note the way the floors are attached to the wall (I think this is called "balloon construction"). There is NO WAY buildings are built like this today.

But what a picture! Wow...

"They built them better years ago..."

I wouldn't go so far as to say that. From some of the previous pix it appears that the flooring was NOT attached as rigidly as it is done today. Or rather, the construction methods used today in regards to the joints bewteen floors and walls is vastly superior to what was used "years ago".

However (and sadly), most current designs are architecturally sterile and bland, and it's a shame that designers and architects can't seem to take the best of the past and utilize it with todays technology.

(Hmmm.....maybe I should have posted this in the Forum area of this site instead. I've yet to do that...)

And BTW, nice site, Mr. Motts. Very much appreciated!

Ok, since I'm not a photographer I have to ask- How the heck do the colors "work" at night? I understand about long exposure times to allow more light (I think), but the colors.....

Simply fascinating!

"Nurse Ratched? Has there been partying here?"

I don't like it.

There's no light fixture over the sink.

"Why not take stuff? After all, it's only going to get torn down and thrown out someday..."

By that same logic anyone could come into YOUR house and take YOUR shit. After all, it's just going to get torn down and tossed out eventually anyway, right?

Stealing is stealing, people, and don't try to justify your actions with twisted logic.

LMAO!! "Jack Torrance! Great moniker!

Actually, after reading all of the references to the original "The Shining" movie, I was a little sad to see only one reference to the naked young/old lady in the bathtub scene. That scene always gives me the creeps, and this photo gave me the exact same feeling.