Part I.D. & funtion?

[spotter]

            At the risk of displaying my considerable level of ignorance [in my very first post, no less] I am driven to inquire into the function of an item that I noted & photo-ed on a 1934 Aston Martin @ Pebble Beach last year [Specifically, the Aston Martin Mark II Sports Saloon].

            1. There is a large, roundish housing mounted atop the Steering Gearbox, but is it related to the Steering in any way? The answer to that may also answer the more specific Qs I have, but here they are.

            2. Does that housing contain an electric motor or a diaphragm? [those being the only 2 guesses I have so far.]

            3. Purpose/Function of the 2 meshing semi-circular gears.

            4. There is a large Hose, Tube or Cable going in [or coming out] of one end of the cylinder & a smaller one at the other end: are they Electrical, Oil/lube, or Vacuum? Then of course where do they go & what do they do?

All random guesses & unrelated foolishness welcome.

 

 

[Fleek]

That is quite a setup. I do not have the answer and , like you, waiting for an expert in these cars to fill us in. My guess would be some sore of a power steering setup.

[Stude17]

Certainly looks complicated.  Perhaps an advance and retard mechanism for the ignition system?

[8E45E]

Probably the wire to the horn button.  My Studebaker truck has the wire for the horn entering the bottom end of the steering column as seen in these photos.

 

Being a British vehicle, that top piece is no doubt the switch and self-cancelling for the semaphore turn indicators.  Did you get a photo of the steering wheel? Was there a little chrome lever, about 3/4" at the very top (12 o'clock) of the hub?

 

Craig

Edited June 24, 2020 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[edinmass]

That is the light switch for the headlights, parking lights, and high beam. It also has the horn wire running through it. Also, the hand throttle.