Fred R wrote:

Regarding 447: Perhaps a clamping hook for pulling roots and smaller
stumps in clearing farm land. Agree that it is much too small and heavy
for a bale-grabber and too small for a loose-fodder fork, which more
typically have an 'armspan' of 6 feet or more.

I'm thinking it was more like a "skidder" hence the latch mechanism?

Doesn't look tough enough to me for rough work such as the stump puller
although that's hard to judge from the picture--if knew how much it
weighed might help to judge.