Another unusual vice

[dannyr]

Not uploaded pic to this forum yet have downsized, so hope this comes through.
Acquired this from family of a true craftsman who had two large workshops at home - there were two of these, so just possibly used as a pair? He sadly now has dementia and cannot tell us.
The bolts and plain bracket were attached, also the, piece of hardwood was in the slot, so I show it with and without.
It's sitting on a Record no 2 for scale and the Jaws are 4" square opening about 3". The bodies are fine quality castings, and the tolerances close enough for no wiggle.
As you see, two bosses at the back and slot for beam at front, also 4 unthreaded, countersunk holes in rear jaw.

Is it part of some other kit?
Or for a specialist user? The other tools in the workshops were fine but all identifiable.
Danny, Sheffield

 

[dannyr]

Another pic

 

[dannyr]

And another

 

[Alpha-Dave]

My guess would be that is should be mounted so that the bolts and floating plate are parallel to the surface of the bench, which would make the wood insert into a ‘dog’ that would work with dogs in the bench to clamp odd things.

 

[dannyr]

I think I see what you mean - the actual bolts inserted are not long enough to go through a thick bench top, but poss., however, would you then need the 'jaws' at all?

 

[Alpha-Dave]

If orientated so that the screw and rods are aligned vertically, then you can use the jaws to clamp tall pieces to work on their ends, such as cutting dovetails on the end of draw sides.

It’s odd that you wouldn’t be able to clamp boards to work on their long edge, but that may be possible with 2 of the vices if somehow they could be rigged to slide along the bench top so that one could clamp each end. That could also explain the odd bolt&plate arrangement.

 

[AndyT]

This is just a wild guess based on no evidence at all, but maybe it was never meant to be mounted on a bench. Could it have been designed to fit onto a bar which was part of a mobile workshop in a van, for telephone, power line or water supply work, something like that?

 

[dannyr]

yes - my first thoughts were something like that - but then the 'rear' jaw is the moving jaw - OK, but very awkward with the protuberances and then 'bracket' couldn't attach or the opening would be fixed. Maybe it's either/or in use??