I have 4 views of an old air operated machine.
This is located at The Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet MN.
This could Date back to 1915 when the Train Repair shop was first built.
My guess and its a WAG would be some kind of crimping machine??
Thanks for looking.
If there is another site I should ask this please advise. 
I have no idea, but this site is the place to go for old machinery.
Thank you,
I was looking at that site earlier and have filled out the registration requirements.
I see its primarily a Old Wood Working site but I feel there is hope there 
You could also try to contact the Florida Flywheel Antique Engine Club. They have several huge shows a year that display old equipment.
Another forum, Practical Machinist has an antique section
But since you think it might be for train repair how about a railroad equipment forum:
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=9
PS. When you find out come back and tell us.
Some things about it remind me of a pipe threading machine. Since it’s on a firearms site maybe it’s a barrel boring machine.
:)The Firearms site is ME:)
I do many things. or at least I did, not so mobile these days:(
I think the machine does some type of forming operation on the end of pipe. There are two interchangeable semicircular jaws to clamp the pipe and then two hydraulic? rams to form or resize the end.
Maybe they made steam engine boiler tubes from stock pipe?
dup
I like this idea. The hydraulics are for creating a horizontal force, but the very massive clamping section is for containing a much bigger radial force. Perhaps it flares the end of a pipe, with the hydraulics forcing a tapered cone into the pipe end, and the massive jaws containing the spreading force of the cone.
I took a random stab in the dark and typed “flanger” into google image search.
Mostly guitar effects pedals. Actually, mostly guitar effect pedal schematics, which is kind of cool. I might build one.
“Tube Flanging Machine”, however, turned up two interesting videos:
(warning: YouTube)
Both of these videos demonstrate the super-slick marketing know-how that the machine tool industry is known for.
The second one doesn’t show the machine as a whole, but it shows the operation beautifully. The two halves of the back part open up, a pipe is inserted, they clamp down on it. Then one die moves in, expands the end of the pipe a bit, and moves out. The whole tool head then slides over so the other die can finish it off.
That’s exactly what the machine in the pictures looks like it’s designed to do. The two rams look like they can slide right and left, and there’s a broken off handle that looks like it opens and closes the big clampy bit in the back.
Yes, puts flares on the end of pipes… crimping as the OP said, crimps the end of the pipes so they fit in place.
The broken off lever looks to me like it is operating handle for an air operated motor that might raise and lower jaws with a threaded system. I believe this is air operated and Ingersoll-Rand is big in pneumatic equipment.
I have to confess that when I was thinking a crimping tool in the original post I had in mind something different, like crimping a hose to a pipe or fitting, but I like the input!!! there is also a stylist or mandrel on the left horizontal attachment and the clamping jaws are much smaller at that point. (left side view)
Another resource for machine age manufacturing tools:
American Precision Museum, Windsor, Vermont- Occupying the site of one of the largest armories in New England, where many of the guns used in the Civil War were made. Been there once, has a very nice collection of machining tools.
Thinking about it, I agree it’s pneumatic from the size of the cylinders and the hoses. I don’t think hydraulics had been developed for high pressure and forces yet.
I think the larger ram device is fixed, centered on the clamp, and operates like a jackhammer! :eek: It works on a fairly small tube or rod too although the round dies may interchange for larger sizes. One might search for “swaging machine”
The smaller cylinder at front looks to be adjustable or moving horizontall and has a tapered pilot that one might use to size a tube end. I think it’s fixed laterally and is some sort of finishing operation but still has heavy springs like a jackhammer. I see 2, maybe 3 broken levers.
A flanging machine or something similar makes sense. I’m not sure it’s hydraulic or not, the large tool holder appears to be screw driven with a crank and the tube that runs too it may be for lubricated oil. If it’s for railroad equipment it might have a very specialized purpose.
Pneumatics would be surprising for such a machine, as air cylinders store a great deal of energy when they develop big forces. They’re springy. Hydraulic cylinders don’t, as liquids are practically incompressible in comparison to gasses.
You don’t want big stored energy in a tool like this. If something goes wrong, an air cylinder would propel massive shrapnel all over the place, killing people and whatnot.
When something goes wrong on a hydraulic, system, there’s a sort of “klunk” noise, but no need for sirens.
Imagine breaking the frame of your shop vise (as I did recently). Suddenly it’s in two pieces divided by a big crack. You have to replace the vise, but not your body parts. Now imagine doing the same thing when you have compressed a gigantic spring way down flat. Not pretty.
I understand what you are saying, What you are looking at and thinking are Pneumatic Cylinders are not cylinders but threaded hold downs. There is an air motor on the lower left side that operates these hold downs. I see my pictures did not show the under side of the clamp where there is a exposed head on the treaded bolts that one can put a 1/2 inch round stock in to maybe either tighten or loosen the jaws.
I will be out there Thursday for a tour and will get a better picture.
I think swaging might cover it. Probably needed to make up pipes or hose ends for steam or air on steam engines.