Anyone want to take a guess as to what this was used for or how it was used?

[JThiessen]

Have you tried plugging a light into the outlets and letting it run? Its some sort of a timer system, because it looks as though as the bar rotates, The cams trip those switches, and likely send a signal through the outlets. Maybe it was used in a christmas lighting display.

But I definitley like your philosophy - "I bought them 'cause they were 1.99"!!!!