A Whatsit

[Plyerman]

Beats the heck outa me...? Pretty cool though whatever it is.

[john k]

The doors cover a compartment that is cut thru the bottom in a slot toward the center, right?   I would think they would contain or capture the chips, be they metal or wood.  Very good puzzler.

[rusty]

hmm, a big ice shaver?

[Bill Houghton]

The doors cover a compartment that is cut thru the bottom in a slot toward the center, right?   I would think they would contain or capture the chips, be they metal or wood.  Very good puzzler.

I was thinking they were to hold some kind of lubricant.

[Billman49]

It looks as though the outlets to the boxes have some kind of cam friction device - the containers could contain some kind of ribbon (cloth?? metal??) (or wire???) and  the ends come out of the slots, turn through 90 degrees (the edges appear rounded off) pass by the cam devices and thus wrap around what ever is under the device... the ends of the bars attached to the box lids will keep them from riding up in the slot... Still have no idea as to its actual use??? Serving wire ropes????

[m_fumich]

I just noticed that each door allows access to the slot. Something goes in that slot. It wouldn't be a consumable like liquid or powder. The reservoir wouldn't hold much. The slot must take an implement. A blade. It's definitely a cutting or mixing head but for what?