A historic mechanical device with heavy, hinged jaws used in ironworks to compress a hot puddle ball straight from the puddling furnace. The mechanical squeezing action expelled liquid slag and consolidated the spongy iron mass into a denser bloom ready for the rolling mill.
Heard on the job
Once the puddler pulled the ball from the furnace, it went straight to the crocodile squeezer to force out the cinder.
Also heard as
- alligator squeezer