What is this device?

Does anyone have an idea of what this is?
Sorry for the poor photos.
It is about 4 1/2 to 5 foot tall. It is fairly heavy, my guess is over 20 lbs.
There are 2 vertical metal columns. Near the top are two red painted metal rectangular blocks, that can slide up/down the columns with locking bolts. At the center of each red block is a vertical hole with a cylindrical bushing holding a thin cable running vertically through and down to the tri-legged base. The cable is the same as what you’d find on bicycle caliper brakes. There is another rectangular red block just above the 3 legged base. Each of the 3 legs at the base has a threaded adjustable spike for leveling.
The second photo shows a closer view of the red blocks. One has a metal platform which holds a bubble level and a round dial marked 0, 10, 20, 30, etc to 90 with 10 divisions between each.


I will try to post the second photo in the following post. The site won’t let me imbed more than one photo.

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Here is the second photo showing detail of the upper two blocks:

I’m sorry - I’ve looked at this a few times and I cannot even muster a guess.

Looks like some type of drill press guide for hand drills to me.

It looks like lab equipment of some sort to me. It’s obviously meant for precision as there are leveling screws on the base and a spirit level as well. But as for the specific application? That’s anyone’s guess.

A photo from the side would be nice as that might show how the rotary dial might work.
I have seen similar looking tools meant for working on motorcycle suspension forks but this lacks many of the features that kind of tool would require so that’s not it.