Puzzle yard sale tool

[C-Bag]

I went to the monster of all tool sales. Old guy must have been hoarding for years because The 45x65 barn was packed to the gills and all the equipment was buried in all kinds of stuff. Boxes and boxes of random stuff. I picked up an old Atlas 7b metal shaper and as we were un burying it I saw this. The relative threw it in for free because neither one of us knew for sure what it was. At first I thought it was a modified ball joint or tie rod press or something. But as I took the pix the part that looks like it was maybe added on, can't be. It has cast into it the Time tool Co. in Long Beach CA.

The barrel type unit that has the clamp around it has a threaded end to it and it can't be slid over the end of the threaded press, but it has clearance to slide over the threaded portion. The inside of the barrel is threaded for the knurled piece and the other end not threaded, but not super smoother either. It was obviously supposed to slip over something then tighten that clamp and then drive out whatever with the press screw. I'm not looking for any guesses, I'm hoping somebody here used something like this for like building hydrolic hoses or? Just caught my eye and being the magpie I am had to pick up the shiny thing for free Sooner or later it will find a use but it has been bugging me that after a search I can't seem to find its original use.