Large jacks were available years ago for lifting and traversing a load,usually used in pairs ,and could be used for example rerailing a derailed rail wagon,the jack in the photo may have been specially built for lifting small loads and moving then sideways, it would have reasonable lifting capacity but the rack and pinion would not stand too much abuse ,it may have been made as a service tool for some machine where there was a requirement for a lift plus sideways adjustment.

I looks like a Millwrights alignment jack. The ones I used, to align large engine before final chocking and grouting were not of such a complex design but we used tree similar units together with non-slewing wedge lifts plus shim plates – was the original owner involved in factory installation?

Tony

When I was in my mid teens, I lived in Northern Ireland, in a seaside town called Whitehead which was the home of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. They had (and still have) steam engines which they would steam most weekends.

I once observed a steam engine being rerailed, after some of the wheels came off the tracks. The tool used was rather like a double version of this – although considerably larger and stronger obviously. A pair of jacks raised the bogey above the rails, then the whole thing was shifted sideways until the wheels were above the tracks and then lowered again. The load must have been considerable.

Obviously not the same tool but similar idea. Wow – I'm making a steam-themed post, possibly for the first time!

Murray

my apologies john, i wasnt suggesting that your curiosity was part of a Church clock, merely that some of the parts such as the bevel gears and bracket on the side are reminiscent of parts you find on the mechanism that drives the faces from the clock movement.

i havent the faintest idea what your object was for im afraid

cheers,

julian