It's a .....????

Hi I found this sitting by a pine tree while exploring around a friends property. I'll tell you what i know about it. 14" wide, 10" tall when closed,15" tall when opened, has 3 places to adjust how the bar comes down and the gives you 18 different positions to set it in. The spring which is broken wound keep it open until weight is put in tray. The more weight put in it then the harder the arm would push down.. No it has no writing on it at all and it appears to hang on a 2x6 or 2x8 board.
So far my best guesses are that it was used to hold wood or small logs while you cut it. Next guess is maybe used to bundle thing like sugar cane.Very doutful. Last is its part of an old pully system to get chingle or wood on to a roof.
If anybody knows then your smart because iv ask enough people to have a combined age of 2000 years old. Thanks for your info