Help with an antique tire machine

I recently acquired an old tire machine. The only markings on it read as follows "Balloon Tire Mould Company, Los Angeles California" I have had a couple of people show interest in it, but I wouldnt know what it is worth, or really any information on it. Take a look at the picture and if you know anything about it please reply.



Thanks

 

Also I believe it dates back to the 20's or 30's. We picked it up at an estate sale in Utah 2 years ago.

 

Can you get a couple of closer pics? I'd like to see more of it, but that pic is small.

 

Sure will, give me a bit and I will post more pictures.

 

Here are some more photos of the tire machine.

 

Just looking at the mechanicals of the machine, I think it is for spreading a tire to enable placing patches on the inside of tires. I was at a tire store recently for a patch and they had a more modern looking tool that looked very similar. No idea as far as value.

 

Ya i kinda figured the same, wasnt for sure though. Thanks

 

Agree it looks like a spreader. A very old one.

no idea on value and you probably won't see another exact unit to compare selling prices. Maybe as old as early teens through 1930?

 

Sell it to the first person cause it may take awhile to move that thing. We have some old tire changers from the 40s and nothing looks like that.

 

Ya from what I am finding out is that there is no real comparable machine on the internet. I have hunted for days and havent found squat! Maybe I will tell the guy to just make me an offer on it. Just would hate to way undersell myself.

 

Hate to see something called an antique that I used to use at work. If you can get anything for it you won't be underselling yourself, they just don't have any value, big clunky and not pretty even with new paint. Handy though if you're patching belted tires.

 

I thought it was a tire spreader too, but there are pedals on that, and it's air powered. The spreaders we use at my job are 10x more simple then that, and I don't believe have been improved on in years. However, as to how that gig works... is beyond my knowledge, I figured you were going to show an old Coats machine, the big casket type.

 

Thanks everyone for your imput. Its quite amazing though, I set this outside of my shed for a week and have people stopping by to figure out first what it is and second if I want to sell it. My original plans were to sand blast it and paint it, but I wish I knew what the original color was.