This device, though very old, is clearly meant to remove 1/2 sections of fruit from a halved orange or grape-fruit.

One simply slices the orange/grapefruit perpendicularly to the axis defined by the two navels in the fruit, then places the apparatus into the fruit and actuates the lever. Once this is done, they may then remove the tool, and open the lever again to deposit their removed fruit slice.

brainier than the average bear - small