Joseph Ryerson, of Chicago, was a supplier of machine tools and fabrication machinery. I've seen the Ryerson name on an old engine lathe and drill press in the machine shop of a Great Lakes ore boat years ago. I have also seen the Ryerson name on mechanical "ironworkers" (a multi purpose machine which can punch, notch, and do other fabrication operations on structural steel). I believe that same Ryerson also was a supplier of steel in the form of plate, structural shapes (angle, channel, etc) and tube and pipe. The name Ryerson survives to this day as a supplier of mainly steel- structural, plate, and pipe and tube.
The press or punch in this thread was likely supplied by Ryerson was likely sold originally as a punch to be used for punching multiple holes for riveted connections on structural steel. In a steel fabrication plant in riveted days, many of the same riveted connection would need to be punched on structural members. Something like connector plates, clip angles, or webs of "I" or "widflange" sections would need to have holes punched for riveted connections with the same hole layout. This machine, equipped with a die-set having multiple punches, would be used.
Look at a riveted structure like a truss bridge and you will see a large number of connections with the same layout of rivets. Rather than keep men busy with rules, squares, dividers and punches laying out each connection, a multiple punch setup on this type press would be used.
Ryerson also made single punches for punching single holes in structural steel. I do not think Ryerson ever made any machine tools on their own. They started in Chicago as a supplier of steel and other metals along with machinists and boilermakers supplies. For some time in my career, I kept a Ryerson pocket guide to various steel products at hand. Ryerson could supply floor grating, diamond plate, as well as aluminum structural shapes and plates and steel in all manner of structural shapes and plate. Ryerson had branches or distribution centers around the USA and was no small firm by the middle of the 20th Century. At some point, Ryerson was absorbed or merged into, Inland Steel and was known as "Inryco". What their present status is, is something I do not know, but I still have one of their pocket guides to steel and aluminum structural shapes, plate, gratings, etc.