The round things look like cables. It is a cable splitter.

They are cables. It is not a splitter, however you are on the right track.

If it does not join two cables, then it is a housing for a pulley so a cable can make a right angle turn.

You did not say it joined 2 cables, you said it was a splitter.

It does join 2 cables. It is a watertight cast-iron junction box that was used to join two sets of wires underground. Nice job Red!

I meant splitter as in joining two cables into a single cable, assuming that there was a third cable out of view.

I figured as much after I saw your next response, thus you got the win.

crab grass puller

It is not a garden tool.