What is this strange, old welding positioner?

[wippin' boy]

what are you using that manipulator for if you don't mind me asking?

mounted an NA5 controller and sub arc head driven by a DC600 power supply
in tandem with an old monarch engine lathe (that i retroed with a little dc motor and variable speed control) doing circumferential welds on 18" hydraulic cylinders.
works out just peachy
don't tell johnoder i'm using the monarch
its not a very nice thing to do to a lathe but it kept her in service and out of the scrap hopper