Re: mystery wheel stop lens
I suspect it is an f/16 lens marked in the old U.S. system, and you are reading 32 as 22. The photo is too small for me to be sure, but the number you read may be for the aperture next to the number rather than for the aperture centered in the optical axis. A no-name lens can't be relied on to get everything right.
Re: mystery wheel stop lens
You can find your old F scale in the table at the bottom of this link!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number
These rotary systems work well, but if there is no click at the right positions it needs the adjustable spring (concealed!) to be be adjusted. Easily done.
Re: mystery wheel stop lens
The number at the top of the wheel corresponds to the hole inside the glass, not the one it's next to. 22 is probably misread and should be 32 16,32,64,128,256 where 16 is in fact f16, 32 is f22, 64 is f32, 128 is f45, and 256 is f64 You can measure the diameter of the '16' hole and multiply that by 16 to find the focal length. Thousands of the small cheap lenses were sold nameless by big New York and Chicago (and others, like Hyatt in St. Louis) photo supply houses 110 years ago.
Re: mystery wheel stop lens
Thank you everyone, the information helps a lot. It's a fun lens, and at least as old as the camera I use it on.
Not bad for a nine dollar lens. Even if it's not the best quality, it's interesting to use
Re: mystery wheel stop lens
i had something like that a long time ago
it was the stoltz system it used .. good luck !
Re: mystery wheel stop lens
thanks, found a chart where the US system goes up to 512 and the Stoltz system does as well. Mystery solved! All this is fascinating