Bindery Press?

Can’t say I’ve ever seen one of these before, but it looks like some sort of mediaeval “wedgy” device!

Rick

Cheese wedge press?

Pizza slice pepperoni compressor?

Individual serving cake laminator.

Looks like it will require a 240V circuit breaker…

is it 3-phase????

Lots of help you guys!

But, as long as you started, I thought it might be a colonial hat blocking press (tricorner).

John H

Put it on its side. It is a set of adjustable wheel chocks to stop the trolley on which you keep your printing press from rolling away.

Platen,
I like your explanation best.

But seriously, with the wooden threads and hand grip for tightening, it would be hard to adjust really tight compared to the metal handles. I would think it might be a vice to hold a book when planning the edges or round the spine although I have only seen these with straight edges. If the book was between board, it could be done with this vice? Thoughts.

I think this would be a handy device for clamping while doing a quarter calf binding - that triangular bit of leather on the corners..

If it were laying down so the screw was horizontal it could be used to clamp a book while work was being performed on the spine. I doubt that it was made for that kind of work originally, but printers and bookbinders are resourceful and figure out ways to adapt tools not made for the trade.

Paul

DTP that probably is its purpose , to hold the book at a comfortable angle while blocking the spine . We used to do it at school in a horizontal press and it was as awkward as it gets !
I doubt you would lock a book in it to round the spine you do that with the book free and flat on the tabletop so you can keep turning it as you hammer the round in .

Could it be some kind of medieval torture device?

its an early boot they used on horse drawn carriages.