Another two carriers roll off the production line

[cantankrs]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Alex, My guess is that this is a "rotary riveter"

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the possible clue but I can't find much info on a rotary riveter. Does it simultaneously compress the rivet and have a rotary action at the forming end that slowly spins down the head to form?

I've seen other footage of an M3 Medium tank hull lower side plate which is roughly 2' high and about maybe 1.25" thick being riveted to the bottom angle and there appear to be 2 additional hot rivets already situated in two holes ahead of the squeezer. The footage only shows one guy and he's using what looks like a foot control cos he's kind of pumping it up and down (his action looks like he's using a big version of a pneumatic tyre foot pump) but assume he's feathering a foot valve to control the pressure/power similar to trying to get a fuel bowser up to a round dollar with your hand. And the 'jack' on the squeezer looks like about a 3-stage jack even though each stage only appears to be about 6" in extension. I'm presuming a very quick action to set the rivets and to reposition the squeezer (which would have significant mass) for them to have additional hot rivets waiting. I think the rivets are hot because they appear whiter than anything else in the B&W footage.

Regards

Alex