As someone already stated it started life as Victrola Guts....
What it is NOW, you would need to ask the tinkerer....
That is pretty interesting. So If that’s it, the spool is not a direct drive from the crank. Instead Appears the crank loads a coil spring and the spool turns from the spring tension without having to turn the handle while Loading the spool. Somebody with a good imagination it looks like if it is indeed a repurpose effort.