Any idea what this is/ was?

[Chris152]

It's about 10" long, came with a load of engine parts we were given. I have no idea!

 

[ChaiLatte]

It is a clamp. The rubber feet should cover the heads of the bolts but are worn and displaced. You adjust the bolts to the thickness you want to clamp. The lever in the middle of the handles is to release it.

In principle, it is a fancy pair of mole grips - mechanically, it works in exactly the same way (over-centre action) and releases in the same way.

Edit: Roebuck was the house brand of Buck and Hickman. It may be made by a more mainstream brand and rebadged. It is good quality, equivalent to Zoro's Kennedy brand.

 

[Fred48]

I agreed with @ChaiLatte .
Fred

 

[Jameshow]

It is a clamp. The rubber feet should cover the heads of the bolts but are worn and displaced. You adjust the bolts to the thickness you want to clamp. The lever in the middle of the handles is to release it.

In principle, it is a fancy pair of mole grips - mechanically, it works in exactly the same way (over-centre action) and releases in the same way.

Edit: Roebuck was the house brand of Buck and Hickman. It may be made by a more mainstream brand and rebadged. It is good quality, equivalent to Zoro's Kennedy brand.

But must surely have been made for a specific job??

 

[Chris152]

Thanks all - we'll have a look for replacement rubber bits.

It does seem quite particular, James, but now I know what it is it's a starting point to do some hunting.

 

[Chris152]

I guess it's just a variation on the one, second down on the left?

 

[Inspector]

Variations used extensively in aircraft manufacturing to hold sheet metal parts and assemblies together for riveting etc. There might be other applications that used them too.

Pete

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Flanges Seam Clamp.
Used to clamp the old seams, mainly see on classis Mini, so you can spot weld them.

 

[ChaiLatte]

But must surely have been made for a specific job??

Why do you say that? As above, like mole grips, once it is set to clamp a specific thickness, it does not need to be reset every time it is used, so it is quick to apply, repeatable and quick to release.

Note that there appears to be a knurled lock nut on the top jaw, which is missing on the bottom jaw. That would preserve the grip setting.

Used to clamp the old seams, mainly see on classis Mini, so you can spot weld them.

The round rubber feet would not seem to support that theory. They are the wrong shape to clamp flanges. Rubber and welding do not play well together.

Thanks all - we'll have a look for replacement rubber bits.

If the thread size is standard metric coarse, something from this kind of application would make a good replacement:

https://www.berger-tools.co.uk/Gn7081_Clamping_Bolt_Rubber_Pressure_Pad/

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

The round rubber feet would not seem to support that theory. They are the wrong shape to clamp flanges. Rubber and welding do not play well together.

They do, as they do not distort the metal flange. You spot weld and that holds it, you move the clamps as you advance.
Not enough heat generated.