Does anyone know what this was used for or what it's called?

[Molly2mcb]

I bought this mechanism at a flea market for five dollars but I have no clue as to what it's original purpose was or what it is called.

[luxetveritas]

Haha, it looks like one of those rolling claps that you find at an aquatic centre to wring the water out of your clothes   Accept a 70 year old one

[talesofthesevenseas]

I think it is a clothes wringer, but I haven't seen one that has an open end like that. When folks did their washing by hand, you squeeze the water out of the clothes by running them through a device simiar to this one. There are lots of different versions of them. To see bunches of them, you can run a Google image search for antique wringer and all kinds of interesting wringers come up. I think your patent date says 1874, right?

[luxetveritas]

Oh cool, I was right  Well, maybe

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm just a antique junkie, so we should let the others weigh in with their two cents worth! 

[Molly2mcb]

The two rollers are rather small, about 7 inches across and can be separated as they are in the photos but they fit back together. What confused me was that the rollers are crimped not smooth and I'd never seen a clothes wringer like that before.

[Molly2mcb]

Pat. Oct 19 1875

[luxetveritas]

I really have no idea, just a guess. I, like talesofthe7seas, am an antique junkie, simple as that. I collect, find out info about what I collect, and then move onto a new interest in the broad, broad field of antiques

[ironlord1963]

I never fair well in these guessing games, but I would have to say that given the heavy duty looking construction of this item, it would be a metal press of some sort, like making grooves into tin sheets, looks a bit too beefy for everyday laundry.  I would say it is a metal press, or maybe to put grooves into wood.   What goes well with crow stew 

[regularjoe2]

Hello Molly2mcb ....

It looks as if the two rollers are adjustable ....is this so ?
Do the teeth & grooves mate with eachother when turned ?
Last question - what's (roughly) the gear ratio ( how many turns of the crank-handle does it take to rotate the roller one time ) ?

Preliminary guess is a stove-pipe crimper .

[cogar]

I found a similar one on an auction site.



VICTORIAN CRIMPING MACHINE. N/R. Metal mechanical crimping machine with table clamp and crank, black with gilt and red decoration. Marked: PENN Pat. Nov.2, 1876 July 3, 1877 Reissued March 25, 1888. Condition: good. Sold as is,
http://www.dargate.com/225_auction/225_pics/225catalog.htm

[KC]

Way to go Cogar! 

[dontbe]

Its not a mangle.

What would a Victorian crimp? 4 inches into the edge of a really fancy pie?

[KC]

don't be is on a roll........dontbe it would actually make a very interesting pasta press! Homemade pasta!!!!!

[cogar]

A solid ribbed lasagna pasta?

Good idea, that would keep the meat sauce from sliding off.