Brush from an electric motor. Looks to be a new-ish one.
Could be from a destroyed power tool, or discarded from an alternator or starter rebuild.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Electric-59G-Brush-Motor-AK-Motor-Brush/dp/B01F818V7Y
Looks like the piezo-electric igniter from a lighter. Either that, or what GreyShuck said - A carbon brush from a motor.
It's definitely a motor brush.
I've never seen a piezoelectric igniter that looks anything like what OP posted. Just to be clear, you're talking about these that are in most lighters, right?
Image of piezoelectric igniter
piezo-electric igniter from a lighter
Waaay more likely to be laying around in the ground outside too.
Like, I can't recognize a brush on sight, but I would be shocked if they looked identical to a common switch found in cheap electric lighters....
But it is in fact a carbon brush nonetheless
What are their purposes?
The brushes glide along the commutator and transmit the electric current to the rotating armature (Anker) in the motor.
Aha, thanks. I wonder how it ended up in a park.
Fell out, either from a destroyed tool or simply fell out, as they're held in with a simple screw cap.
Could've also fallen/dropped by someone who repairs such things, as it's sometimea an easily replaceable part.
To make an electrical connection to a moving (rotating) part.
Every brush is a carbon brush.
A steel wire brush isn't.
I was initially going to say "my hairbrush isn't", but I forgot plastic is largely made of carbon, so you's still be right.
And how do you make steel?
Well, you take iron ore, heat it up, and add, uh...
As iron, unlike gold isn't a noble metal, an important aspect is, you need carbon to make ~~pure~~ iron from the iron oxides in the iron ore: The carbon will react with the oxygen and ~~pure~~ elementary iron and carbon oxides are left.
Pure iron is somewhat soft. To make steel, you typically add extra carbon to the iron, which results in a harder (though more brittle) metal.
Essentially, you reduce the carbon content of the raw iron by blowing in oxygen until you have the desired amount of carbon left. I should have written 'elementary' iron instead of pure.
Lots of smaller brushed motors use brass or bronze brushes. Slower moving mechanisms use a variety of materials.
Happy cake day!
Woah, I didn't even know. Thanks! 😁
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