What is this piece on front skewer?
 

thanks

Is it a Sansin Hub?
Edit: it looks like that tab would lock into the bottom of the dropout. For what reason I can't imagine. Other than to keep it from spinning so that other hole can do its job. Whatever that may be.
Edit2: That other hole could function as a second eyelet. Is it threaded?

Then replace it with a spring

Sansin thingy on a Shimano hub and Shimano skewer? Yeah, I would just get rid of it. I have two sets of RX100 hubs, and both have the typical conical springs on their skewers.

As for function -- maybe to hold something for a bike computer or mechanical speedo? None of the Sunshine/Sansin hubs on Velobase have anything like that piece.

I think it's for a speedo. This pic from an Amazon analog speedo listing has a similar piece that goes to the hub.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....AC_SL1001_.jpg

I'd surmise it's some sort of lawyer lip type device for wheel retention when loose

If it's marked left, then there could have been a right side version..... which makes me think that it could work like a fender stay mounting eye, if your dropouts do not have them. It might work the same for the back wheel too.

I've no idea what it is, but I already like it. :)

It looks to me like some sort of lawyer lip variation.

Safety addition for non lawyer lip dropouts,,

lawyer lip for idiots that didn’t understand how a skewer worked. Alot of that stupidity in the 80’s...

If it's a lawyer lip thingamajig, what does it attach to on the fork to retain the wheel??
Schwinn had bosses on their fork ends to interface with layer lip clips but if the wheel came originally with the bike pictured, we do not see any means of retention on it.

Slots don't align.

What brand of bike?

I'm thinking the seller knew the buyer, found this among his lawnmower tools and thought "let's see how long this will keep 'em busy".

Don't know whether this patent applies; there's no drawing of the item.

Does it keep the axle positioned in a horizontal dropout in which there is not a positioning screw?

That is exactly what it is. There are a lot of similar patents. Springs work better, IMHO.

That brings back some memories. I had one of these on my Huffy Bay Pointe 3 speed, a birthday gift when I was about 8 years old.

Only needed on one side, since the wheel would need to tilt further than the fork legs would allow in order for the other end of the axle to move out of it's dropout.

Amazingly simple, but can't the thing be inadvertently defeated by being in the wrong rotational position as the QR lever is flipped?

I suppose if the adjusting nut were Loctited to the shaft that the operator wouldn't be able to flip the lever if the device were in the wrong orientation.
But if the nut is backed off then the QR could be flipped with the device in it's "release" position AND with the lever tension perhaps set too loose.

The problem with this device is that it would require the operator to know how to use it, which makes it somewhat redundant to the QR lever.
It would work as intended though if the only setup problem were incorrect tensioning of the QR nut (or if the operator used the QR handle as a wing-nut). That's the only benefit that it offers, sparing the operator from having to determine quantitatively just how tight that the QR lever tension should be set, and not having to turn the "wing nut" (qr lever) tighter than is comfortable on the hand (if used improperly).

The idea of adding complexity to the setup of something that the operator is already doing wrong is almost humorous. But hey, it might work, right?

That's exactly what I was thinking the "L" stood for.
They leave their calling card like Zorro left his. ;)

I kind of look around a little for SANSIN patents related to this but didn't find anything exactly like it.

What does it have to do with Sansin. Isn't the hub brand coincidental? "Lawyer" hub retension (it should actually be retention, but I digress....) is specific to the brand of bicycle. That question still hasn't been answered. It's clear there are no hub retention "lips" on the fork, and that's the reason for this device. Has nothing to do with the brand of hub.

Two counts of oops, did not see the branding in photo 1. And I swear "retention" was misspelled the first time I saw it.

That is odd, that it's specific to the hub. The only other retentions I've seen similar to this are the familiar Schwinn "clips", and a spring-loaded release clip that bolts onto the fender eyelet on a couple Univegas. The common thread is the lack of "lips" on the dropouts.