Hello folks, was asked by my friend if I knew what this contraption is. I have no clue. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Curt

could be a wire stretcher

I'm only guessing but it looks like something you'd use on a fence. 

Pnut

^all of the above is what I was going to say.

It looks to me like a tool used to stretch, twist and run old school baling, or barbed wire fencing. The four holes would let you clamp around four wires, close and pull all four to run along a fence line. 

The wheel would let you pull it around a post under tension? And the spike in the back you could step on into the ground to hold tension on clamped wire, or even hammer into a tree.

I've seen more modern versions of wire tools that have similiar features, but not like that one.

I wonder if a pin could be put in those notched holes to incrementally stretch a line over that bobbin.